**VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN EASTERN MA NWR COMPLEX**

**[Biological Volunteer Opportunities]{.underline}**

**Posting at Monomoy NWR**

-   [When:]{.underline} April 8th - April 17^th^, depending on weather
    and tides

-   [How Many:]{.underline} 10 volunteers needed

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: No special skills are needed.
    This activity requires a good amount of walking and the carrying of
    8-10 foot sign posts; bring water, lunch, sunscreen and dress for
    field conditions (long pants, hat, sunglasses, comfortable sturdy
    footwear), which will include walking along the shore and some areas
    of tall grass and areas of poison ivy and ticks; also bring hip
    waders (we have some, but can't guarantee they don't leak!) for
    getting on and off the boat and posting in wet areas.

-   [Contact:]{.underline} Monica Williams

**Horseshoe Crab Tagging at Monomoy NWR**

-   [When:]{.underline} May 20 - May 21, June 2 - June 4, June 17 - June
    19, July 1 - July 3

-   [How Many:]{.underline} 6-10 volunteers each day

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: No special skills are needed.
    Bring lunch/snacks, water, sunscreen, hat, a set of dry clothes, hip
    waders or water shoes/tevas for walking into the water to get and
    return crabs and for getting on and off the boat.

-   [Contact:]{.underline} Monica Williams

**Tern Census at Monomoy NWR**

-   [When:]{.underline} June 15 - June 20, the census usually takes 2-3
    days to complete, but we allow a longer window to account for
    weather dependent conditions, the amount of volunteers we have
    available, and how many nests the terns lay.

-   [How Many:]{.underline} 16 volunteers each day

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: No special skills are needed.
    Monomoy currently has the largest common tern colony along the
    Atlantic coast! Participation requires a lot ofwalking; bring water,
    lunch, sunscreen and dress for field conditions (long pants, hat,
    sunglasses, comfortable sturdy footwear), which will include walking
    through tall grass and areas of poison ivy and ticks; also bring hip
    waders (if you have them) or water shoes for getting on and off the
    boat.

-   [Contact:]{.underline} Monica Williams

**Owl Surveys at Assabet River, Great Meadows and Oxbow NWRs**

-   [When:]{.underline} February -- April, surveys are conducted at
    night from about midnight to 4am.

-   [How Many:]{.underline} 1-2 volunteers

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: No special skills are needed.

-   [Contact]{.underline}: Jason St. Sauver

**Anuran Surveys at Assabet River, Great Meadows and Oxbow NWRs**

-   [When:]{.underline} March - July, there are 4 different census
    windows within this general time frame. Surveys are conducted at
    night from about 8pm to 11pm.

-   [How Many:]{.underline} no set \# of volunteers are needed, but
    teams can accommodate additional interested people

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: No special skills are needed
    to sign up, but you should be prepared to learn all of the native
    frog calls prior to participating.

-   [Contact:]{.underline} Paul Scheiner

**Vernal Pool Research at Assabet River NWR**

-   [When:]{.underline} April -- May, on weekdays only

-   [How Many:]{.underline} 1-2 volunteers

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: Preference will be given to
    volunteers who have experience surveying vernal pools. Volunteers
    must commit to assisting at least 2 days / week (weekdays) for a
    6-week period.

-   [Contact]{.underline}: Stephanie Koch or Eileen McGourty

**Repair Fencing along Route 2 at Oxbow NWR**

-   [When:]{.underline} April

-   [How Many:]{.underline} the more people, the better!

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: No special skills are needed
    to sign up, but you should be prepared for working in brush (ticks
    are out) along Route 2.

-   [Contact]{.underline}: Tim Prior

**Habitat Clearing at Oxbow NWR Turtle Nesting Area**

-   [When:]{.underline} April -- early May

-   [How Many:]{.underline} 5 volunteers

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: No special skills are needed.
    We will be clearing trees that were cut last fall to create more
    open habitat.

-   [Contact]{.underline}: Stephanie Koch or Eileen McGourty

**Habitat Clearing at Massasoit NWR Turtle Nesting Area**

-   [When:]{.underline} April -- early May

-   [How Many:]{.underline} 5 volunteers

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: No special skills are needed.
    We will be clearing trees and vegetation to create more open
    habitat.

-   [Contact]{.underline}: Stephanie Koch or Eileen McGourty

**Blanding's Turtle Research at Assabet River NWR**

-   [When:]{.underline} May or June through October

-   [How Many:]{.underline} 1-2 volunteers

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: Preference will be given to
    volunteers who can commit to assisting at least 1 day / week for at
    least an 8-week period.

-   [Contact]{.underline}: Stephanie Koch

**Invasive Plant Species Mapping at Assabet River, Great Meadows and
Oxbow NWRs**

-   [When:]{.underline} May through November.

-   [How Many:]{.underline} as many as are interested.

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: This project requires
    volunteers to map invasive plant species with a GPS unit on Great
    Meadows, Assabet River and Oxbow NWR. Invasive plant species
    identification and GPS experience helpful but not necessary.
    Training will be available for those interested, dates not yet
    determined.

-   [Contact]{.underline}: Eileen McGourty

**Aquatic Weed Harvester Operation at Great Meadows NWR**

-   [When:]{.underline} July and August

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-   [How Many:]{.underline} 3 or 4 volunteers.

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: Training will be available for
    those interested and preference will be given to volunteers who can
    commit to 1 day / week for 4 weeks.

-   [Contact]{.underline}: Tom Eagle

**Hand Pulling Water Chestnut at Great Meadows NWR**

-   [When:]{.underline} June and July

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-   [How Many:]{.underline} as many as are interested.

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: No special skills needed.

-   [Contact]{.underline}: Libby Herland or Tom Eagle

**Breeding Bird Atlas at Eastern Massachusetts NWR Complex**

-   [When:]{.underline} March -- October for the next 4 years.

-   [How Many:]{.underline} as many as are interested.

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: Birding skills required.

-   [Contact]{.underline}: Stephanie Koch (we'll get you in touch with
    the appropriate coordinator)

**Concord Christmas Count at Eastern Massachusetts NWR Complex**

-   [When:]{.underline} around Christmas, exact date to be determined.

-   [How Many:]{.underline} as many as are interested.

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: Birding skills helpful.

-   [Contact]{.underline}: Eileen McGourty (we'll get you in touch with
    the appropriate coordinator)

**Urban Education**

-   [When:]{.underline} three times throughout school year: fall, winter
    & spring

-   [How Many:]{.underline} as many as are interested.

-   [Special Skills / Notes]{.underline}: working with children, general
    biology/naturalist

-   [Contact]{.underline}: Susan Russo

Tom Eagle <Tom_Eagle@fws.gov> 978.443.4661, x12

Libby Herland <Libby_Herland@fws.gov> 978.443.4661, x11

Stephanie Koch <Stephanie_Koch@fws.gov> 978.443.4661, x24

Eileen McGourty <Eileen_McGourty@fws.gov> 978.443.4661, x37

Tim Prior tprior.1@verizon.net

Jason St. Sauver <Jason_StSauver@fws.gov> 978.443.4661, x23

Paul Scheiner <scheinerp@aol.com>

Monica Williams <Monica_Williams@fws.gov> 508.945.0594, x11

Susan Russo <Susan_J_Russo@fws.gov> 978-443-4661x34

**[Volunteer Opportunities in Visitor Services]{.underline}**

**● Trail Steward:** A Trail Steward is someone who would walk an
assigned section of trails on a weekly basis and report to staff about
any noticeable changes (ie., fallen trees/limbs, damaged signs or sign
posts, dumping of debris, etc) A Trail Steward would also be on call for
special trails day projects and clean ups.

**● Interpreter:** An Interpreter would be involved with coordinating
and/or leading programs for the general public, an audience of your
choice such as the elderly, children, adults, and/or families.
Lead/coordinate one program a month and/or a special program series for
your target audience. The refuge would assist throughout, but we are in
need of people to lead independently in this area.

**● Environmental Educator:** Works with refuge staff on existing
environmental education programs with school groups and scouts, but
would also lead in discovering new opportunities with local schools to
enhance current environmental education within the refuge complex.

**● Outreach Assistance:** An Outreach Assistant would help refuge staff
with posting monthly fliers of upcoming programs and events around the
local community on bulletin boards, libraries, schools and refuge
kiosks.

**● Web Designer:** A Web Designer would need experience with Adobe
Dreamweaver. This position would include making monthly updates to
refuge websites and taking on the task of posting monthly announcements.
A web designer would also be tasked with organizing and streamlining the
file paths that are linked to refuge websites.

**● Archivist:** An Archivist is needed to work with the refuge's photo
library and organize photos in a streamlined, "easy-to-find" file path
on the refuge's server. This is a long-term project, so it could be a
weekly or monthly project depending upon individual's time.

**● Special Events Liaison:** Works with refuge staff to prioritize and
organize key special events that are held within local communities and
at the refuge. Assists in the recruitment of volunteers that are needed
to attend the selected events, such as, parades, Earth Day,
International Migratory Bird Day, Fishing Events, Public Lands Day and
National Wildlife Refuge Week. We are in need of finding out what the
local opportunities are throughout the year and decipher which ones are
most appropriate for refuge to be involved with, in addition to our
refuge hosted events.

If you are interested in any of these types of positions, please contact
Susan J. Russo at 978-443-4661 x34 or <Susan_J_Russo@fws.gov>

**[Volunteering at Headquarters in Sudbury]{.underline}**

-   **Native garden maintenance** -- Weeding, watering, cleaning up,
    etc.

-   **Vehicle washing** -- Not a glamorous job, but a periodic -- maybe
    once every other week - car wash outside the shop and vacuuming
    would help keep the vehicles looking better and will make them last
    longer.

-   **General Office Assistance:** Filing, data entry, etc.

Contact Peggy Hobbs if interested in Headquarters projects.
<Peggy_Hobbs@fws.gov> 978-443-4661x14