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Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve
Volunteer Opportunities

Stewardship Activities:

• Invasive Plant Control: Assist staff with the identification and removal of invasive plant species from the Reserve. (occasional)
• Reserve Restoration: Assist staff with planting of native species on Reserve properties.   (occasional)
• Trail Maintenance:  Assist staff with maintenance of trail signs, trail visibility, and benches.  May also include litter removal from trail areas. (ongoing)
• Ranger Assistants: Assist Rangers with duties such as litter control and light maintenance or construction projects. (ongoing)
• Biological Surveys: Assist with monitoring activities such as monitoring nesting birds or identifying gopher tortoise burrows.  (varies)
• Archaeological Assistant: Assist with protection, restoration and public outreach programs related to culturally and historically significant locations within the Reserve. (occasional) 

Education Activities:

• Education Assistant/Instruction: Staff exhibit tables, distribute literature or public speaking.  Assist with on and off-site field trips and visiting groups of all ages. Requires experience or additional training (occasional)
• Weekend exhibit hall programs: Develop and/or present programs open to the public within the exhibit hall. Can be advertised on a regular basis or impromptu. Topics must be discussed with staff prior to presentation.
• Education Assistant/Curriculum:  Assist with the research, compilation and organization of materials to be used in future educational programs. (regular)
• Education Assistant/Office: Administrative or office experience a plus.  Assist the staff and other volunteers with the filing, organization and recreation of booklets, pamphlets, mailings and other items needed for the educational programs. (regular)
• Exhibit Docents: Answer questions, guide visitors and provide other visitor service activities throughout the exhibit hall.  Assist in crowd management. (regular)
• Special Events& CTP Assistants: Assist staff with annual or one-time events such as Estuary Day, coastal Clean-up or other events held at the Reserve.  Duties could include registration, food service, membership sales, photographing the event, set up or clean up.∞ (occasional)
• Trail Guide: lead groups of all sizes through the reserve while giving information about the history of the reserve and the wildlife and habitats that can be found on the properties. (Weekends & weekdays continual May-Sept.)

Administrative Activities:

• Clerical:  Assist Administrative staff with filing, data entry, updating informational boards, envelop mailings, answer telephones etc. (ongoing)
• Website support and design:  Help maintain and update our GTMNERR website (ongoing minimum 1 year commitment)
• Front Desk Greeter:  Assist with walk-in and phone inquiries & pass sales.  (ongoing)

Nature Store:

• Visitor Service: Assist with sales in the Friends Nature Store.   This includes sales, customer service, using a cash register, maintaining attractive displays, inventory control, stocking shelves and customer service. (ongoing)

Maintenance Activities:

• Saltwater Aquarium Care:   Assist in the maintenance and general care of the aquariums and the animals exhibited there.  Requires experience, training and a set regular volunteer schedule. (ongoing daily-mornings)
• Carpentry/light construction: Need experienced individuals to help complete our research library and classrooms by designing and constructing shelving systems.  Also assist in the construction of animal traps and pens and other misc. projects through out the reserve. (occasional)

Research Activities: Age 18 and up

• Water Quality Monitoring: Collecting water samples, often from a boat for water quality and nutrient analysis. (occasional)
• Fisheries Inventory: Assist Reserve staff with collections and identification of fish and shellfish from various locations throughout St. Johns and Flagler Counties. (on hold currently)
• Sea Turtle Monitoring: assist in the identification, counting and recording of nesting activities along our coastline.(daily May-October-southern St. Johns County)

Miscellaneous:

• Accountant      • Attorney      • Photography    • Board Member