Tammy Smith, ANC School Programs Specialists

The Alabama Wildlife Federation offers many different kinds of volunteer opportunities all year-round!&nbsp; Special Events—These positions are specific to the program(s) for which you would like to volunteer. &nbsp;These opportunities are perfect for families who would like to volunteer together, or for students who need to earn service hours for service clubs. A few of the positions and their duties are listed below:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- Assisting with set up, clean up, and crafts for the Christmas at Lanark program&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- Assisting with set up, pick up, and distribution of Lanark Field Day lunches&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- Assisting with set up of equipment for special events&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- Assisting with set up and clean up for Fishing Rodeo&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- Assisting with planning, set up, and clean up for the AWF Critter Crawl&nbsp; Creek Clean Up—this team of volunteers will assist with periodic creek clean up by removing trash, fallen limbs and other debris.&nbsp;Trail Management Team —this team of volunteers will assist with periodic trail and boardwalk inspection, trimming and removal of light vegetation encroaching on trails, leaf blowing, and minor trail and boardwalk repair and improvements. This also may include periodic creek clean up by removing trash, fallen limbs and other debris, and removing invasive species prevalent on the Lanark property.&nbsp;Animal Care Team—Do you love animals and are you looking for a great way to get your hands-on some really cool ones? This position is open from 8 am - 5 pm, Monday through Friday. It will require an interest in animal husbandry, as well as performing these basic duties of feeding resident animals (snakes, turtles, frogs, salamanders, and more); cleaning enclosures and assisting Animal Curator with other daily duties as needed.&nbsp;AWF Fishing Team—this team of volunteers will assist with pre- and post-event fishing preparations, actual fishing events, educational fishing programs, and pond management activities at Lanark. Specific activities include fishing tackle preparation, upkeep and organization, fishing assistance such as casting instruction, baiting hooks, releasing caught fish, tabulating and maintaining harvest data, and fishing event set-up and breakdown. Floral Team—this team of volunteers, which already includes a host of Master Gardeners, will assist with upkeep and maintenance of the floral gardens and grounds at Lanark and with educational programs related to the propagation of both native and ornamental plants. Specific activities include planting and tending to bulbs, annuals, herbs, shrubs, and trees, weeding, pruning, flower and foliage collection, and assisting with planting demonstrations and activities associated with youth and adult education programs. LFD Logistics Assistance —Volunteers will assist with making school field trips happen. These duties include driving a golf cart to move student lunches and coolers from their buses at arrival to their lunch location, distributing lunch supplies to students, assisting with parking for parents and chaperones, driving students and/ or adults with special needs in a golf cart to follow along with their class, and to assist ANC Naturalist with the logistics of their programs as needed. Usually, Monday through Friday between 8:30 - 2:30, during the field trip season, spring and fall.&nbsp;

Tammy Smith,

The Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF) is the oldest and largest non-profit conservation organization in Alabama. The AWF was established by sportsmen in 1935 to promote the conservation and wise use of our wildlife and natural resources and to ensure a high quality of life for future generations of Alabamians. AWF focuses on wildlife conservation, our hunting and angling heritage, and connecting young people and adults to the outdoors, by channeling efforts into 3 major areas: 1. Conservation Education: Connecting youth and adults through initiatives like the Alabama Nature Center, Lanark Field Days, Summer Field Days, Expedition Lanark Summer Camp, Homeschool Programs and Thursday Night and Weekend Programs. For more information about any of these, please CLICK HERE. We also teach our children about Alabama’s rich natural history and biodiversity using hands-on outdoor activities through our Alabama Outdoor Classroom Conservation Education programs and Teacher Workshops.&nbsp; 2. Resource Stewardship: Land Stewardship Assistance promotes abundant wildlife and wildlife habitats through habitat initiatives such as the Native Warm Season Grass Project, Longleaf Pine Ecosystem Restoration Project, Gulf Coast Conservation Project, Landowner Network App, Alabama Black Bear Alliance, Wildlife Seminars, AWF Governor's Conservation Achievement Awards, and the Alabama Wildlife Magazine.&nbsp; 3. Hunting and Angling Heritage: Celebrating the conservation role of hunting and angling through programs such as AWF Wild Game Cook-Offs, Alabama Quail Trail, Operation GameWatch, and the AWF Youth Fishing Rodeo.&nbsp;

Alabama Wildlife Federation

Energetic, enthusiastic, dependable, and cordial individuals who have a passion for the outdoors can apply by filling out an an online application or downloading the pdf form and faxing it back to the Alabama Wildlife Federation at 334-285-4959 or turning it in at the NaturePlex front desk.