Volunteer Opportunities
Help us make a difference!
Get involved with the West Eugene Wetlands, become a volunteer! Read about ways you can get involved below or contact Lindsay Raber, WREN Environmental Educator, to learn more.
Volunteer Opportunities
Field Science Educator
Field Science educators are involved with WREN’s on-the-ground education programs. Field trips are offered for all age students, but most are for 1st-5th grade classes. Field trips take place Monday-Friday during the morning or afternoon.
Educator's Guide
Wetland Walking Tour
These field trips are available for any age, from 1st grade through middle school, and take place at our wetland site, Tsanchiifin Trail. Trips start with an introduction in the yurt and proceed along the ½ mile Tsanchiifin Trail. Classes are divided into 3 or 4 groups and are led by a WREN educator. This field trip can be tailored by the group leader to focus on certain areas of personal interest.
Classroom Educator
WREN offers outreach programs to learners grades K-college throughout the southern Willamette Valley. Each program has a full description and kit of materials that are located in the WREN office in the wetlands. Most programs are around one hour long and take place between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on school days. Programs offered are:
- "What is a Wetland?" Available to 1st-5th grade classes, students will discover the sensory experiences they would encounter on a visit to the wetlands when they explore a “touchy-feely” box full of wetland objects
- "Scales and Tails" This program is designed for 1st and 2nd graders and answers the question: who has scales and tails in the wetlands? Students will explore the major differences between both groups of “herps” through hands-on activities.
- "Flowers to Food" Debuting this spring, this program is available to 3rd grade classes. By getting up close and personal with real flowers and bees (not live bees, of course) students will learn how flowers are pollinated and why this is important to our food supply.
- "Wings Over the Wetlands" Third through fifth grade students will learn about migratory birds that fly thousands of miles each year to other parts of the world. Why do they to it? What dangers lurk for them along the way? Interactive activities will bring some of these wetland birds to life as students explore the answers to these and other questions.
- "Reptiles and Amphibians of the Wetlands" This program is available to 6th-8th grade students and teaches them to use a dichotomous key to identify local reptiles and amphibians.
Informal Program Educator
For those who are unavailable during weekdays, but are interested in working outdoors with families and children, this volunteer opportunity is for you! WREN offers informal education programs on evenings and weekends to a variety of audiences. Pick a topic that is of particular interest to you and WREN staff will help you schedule a date and time for your program, as well as research background information on your topic. This is a wonderful chance for you to learn as you prepare to teach! Examples of past programs include: bird walks, dragonfly walks, winter crafts, owl pellet dissection and geology of the wetlands.
*All volunteers interested in helping with education programs are asked to attend at least three Volunteer Educator Training Sessions, scheduled in March and September. Sessions will focus on wetland ecology and natural and cultural history, as well as how to work with children and be an effective teacher, both indoors and out. After attending the session new volunteers will be given the chance to shadow and observe programs, until they feel comfortable leading or co-leading a presentation.
Administrative
If you support our mission, and would like to assist in WREN’s behind-the-scenes activities, you may have interests that align more closely with our administrative work. Opportunities may include, but are not limited to, communication, resource development and community outreach for upcoming events. Hours for this position are more flexible, but a volunteer in this position would be expected to work two four-hour shifts each month, during 9 am - 5 pm weekday hours.
Click here to read the WREN Volunteer Manual (pdf)
