Pick a Project

This is the fun part. Let your imagination run wild as you think of all the possibilities for getting your hands dirty. Are you really jazzed by the idea of doing aquatic restoration? Wildlife surveys? Trail maintenance? Or maybe there’s a park in your neighborhood that you walk in regularly that’s in need of some love?

Projects that involve basic solutions to complete are often the most successful—removing invasive plants, for example, or hauling crushed stone to plate a trail surface can engage many people to accomplish a lot with a minimum of training and supervision. Whatever way you want to give back, chances are you can find it.

You have two choices. You can either work with a park or forest or other public agency to create your own service project with them and have them pick up the liability or piggyback on the project of another organization that you know does really good work and that you think you could help. Garden Clubs. Volunteer Coordinators in National Forests or National Parks. Trail organizations (here’s a link to hundreds of trail organizations across the country). Earth Day (every April), National Trails Day (every June) or National Public Lands Day (every September) are all good opportunities for service projects.

NOTE: Projects that require the use of power tools, chainsaws, mechanized equipment and/or advanced trail work techniques (e.g. rock work requiring pulleys and winches), should not be undertaken.

Organize and Plan