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Hello ,
Welcome to the April 2025 volunteer opportunity board! We are striving to match people who want to volunteer with environmental organizations that are seeking volunteers. The postings are from Ontario Nature and the 150 member groups that form our Nature Network.
You can see past posting lists on our volunteer webpage.
The volunteer newsletter has now completed its one-year pilot, and we plan to keep it going! We welcome feedback. If you have any comments or suggestions, please email them to naturenetwork@ontarionature.org.
VOLUNTEER BOARD POSTINGS
Nature Reserve Stewards, Ontario Nature’s Nature Reserves Team
- Location: The nature reserves are in southern/southeastern Ontario
- Start: April 1 (or later)
- Duration: Ongoing
- Time Commitment: A minimum of 3 visits to the nature reserve per year
- Contact: Melissa Thomas, reserves@ontarionature.org
Ontario Nature’s 26 nature reserves protect some of the province’s best remaining examples of imperiled and vulnerable habitats. We are seeking volunteers to become nature reserve stewards. Our stewards play a pivotal role in conservation and responsible management.
Each nature reserve showcases unique ecological features and stewards are involved in a range of activities, from long-term monitoring to restoration work to trail maintenance.
Read our latest blog to learn more about what the role entails.
Videographer and Editor, Ontario Nature’s Nature Reserves Team
- Location: Multiple (see below)
- Start: April 28, 2025
- Duration: Spring - Winter 2025
- Time Commitment: To be determined based on volunteer
- Contact: Melissa Thomas, reserves@ontarionature.org
Ontario Nature is seeking passionate individuals to film and create videos of the trails at several of our nature reserves. Ideal candidates would be involved in all aspects of filming and post-production, but the role can be flexible depending on individual skills and interests.
Volunteers can choose from the following nature reserves. An asterisk indicates one of our priority nature reserves.
You can see a map of these nature reserves.
Requirements:
- Willingness to travel to the nature reserve(s) of your choosing. Most are not accessible by public transit.
- Demonstrated experience filming and editing video content.
- Willingness to use own camera, equipment, and video editing software.
- Willingness to communicate with nature reserves staff regularly.
- Willingness to maintain a high standard of practice in accordance with Ontario Nature’s branding guidelines.
- Willingness to adhere to Ontario Nature’s volunteer Code of Conduct.
- Minimum of one product delivered to Ontario Nature by December 31, 2025.
Please email reserves@ontarionature.org with a link to relevant samples of videography work, your location, and the nature reserve(s) you would like to develop content on.
Communications Volunteer, Ontario Nature’s Communications Team
- Location: Anywhere in Ontario
- Start: August 1, 2025
- Duration: 3 months
- Time Commitment: 4 – 5 hours/week
- Contact: John Hassell, johnh@ontarionature.org
We are seeking a volunteer who has experience with WordPress to draft image Alt Description tags, design an online Woodpecker Guide based on existing content and make other website updates. You can find examples of online our nature guides at: onnaturemagazine.com/guides.
The successful volunteer candidate should be comfortable working in WordPress and have a keen eye for design. Familiarity with nature in Ontario would be a helpful asset.
LTMP Snake Survey Volunteer, Ontario Nature’s Conservation Science Team
- Location: Various, across Ontario
- Start: May 1, 2025
- Duration: 8 – 16 weeks
- Time Commitment: Approximately 1 hour per week (one survey every 5 to 9 days)
- Contact: Teagan Netten, atlas@ontarionature.org
Ontario Nature’s Conservation Science team is looking for volunteers to assist with implementing our Long-term Monitoring Protocol to survey snakes. Volunteers will visit an existing transect of 24 coverboards, which will be surveyed once every five to nine days. Each survey takes approximately half an hour to an hour and is conducted within two hours of sunrise or sunset. Surveys involve looking under each coverboard for snakes and recording number of individuals, species, and age and sex if possible, as well as recording weather and location data.
This position begins on or around May 1st for at least eight surveys, ending around July 15th, with the possibility of extending up to eight more weeks. Familiarity with Ontario snake species is an asset, but we will provide training resources. Volunteers must have access to their own transportation and be willing to travel to and from the survey site for weekly surveys.
Please detail any experience you have working with or handling snakes, where you are located and how far you are willing to travel for surveys in your email.
Marsh Monitor (frogs), Birds Canada
Location: At a marsh near you
Start: April 1, 2025
Duration: At least one season, as many as possible
Time Commitment: Approximately 10 hours/ season, more during the first season
Contact: Kathy Jones, volunteer@birdscanada.org
The Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program is recruiting frog (and bird) surveyors in Ontario.
The Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program is a long-term monitoring program that coordinates the skills and dedication of hundreds of volunteer Citizen Scientists throughout the Great Lakes basin of Ontario and the United States.
MMP volunteers have a unique and rewarding opportunity to take their joy of wetlands to another level, support the study and conservation of some of North America’s most important – and threatened – ecosystems.
You can review the position description, which explains the program and skills in detail. But to simplify, you can survey birds, frogs or both. For frog surveys, the technique and skills can be learned from the MP3 training files we provide. For birds, marshes are busy, thus you need to be able to identify the common marsh birds found in your area without using an app or field guide.
Personal physical needs will depend on the site you choose. Some sites are roadside with easy access, some are on trails, others are accessed canoe or off trail. For both birds and frogs good hearing is a must. You will also need to learn the protocol and return data to Birds Canada by mail.
Interested? Visit the position description, review the route map and to request a route.
FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Looking for other ways to get involved with Ontario Nature and the nature community?
If you know anyone who wants to sign up for this email list, they can do so on our volunteer webpage.
If you are a member group and have an opportunity, please fill out this form to have it included in the next newsletter. Postings must be submitted by the 25th of the month for inclusion in the subsequent month’s newsletter (e.g., Postings in by April 25 for early May distribution). Groups are responsible for vetting, training and the safety of volunteers.
Sincerely,
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