Fullersburg Woods

Age Requirement: 16 years and older, unless accompanied by parent or legal guardian

Application Required: yes

Deadline: February 1

Commitment: Six month season, April through October, 4 hours per week

Description

Garden volunteers assist in the maintenance of plant beds. The amount and type of work varies daily and is weather-dependent. The gardens require most work during late spring and early summer and during late summer and early fall.

Basic Responsibilities

• Assist in general maintenance of the plant beds, including weeding, planting, watering, pruning, and collecting seeds.

Age Requirement: 18 years and older

Application Required: yes

Orientation Required: yes

Deadline: None

Commitment: year-round 3 hours per month

Description

Special events volunteer opportunities exist within the Forest Preserve District and Fullersburg Woods.

Basic Responsibilities

• Assist Fullersburg Woods Staff with event setup, take down, material preparation and organization.
• Answer questions from the public regarding special projects.
• Assume other responsibilities as assigned.

Age Requirement: 13 – 18 years old

Application Required: yes

Deadline: March 1 and September 15

Commitment: January through October, 4 hours per week

Description

This program is a partnership between Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center and local DuPage County high schools and colleges. It allows students to earn service hours for classes and graduation with a short-term commitment with the Forest Preserve District.

Basic Responsibilities

• Participate in natural-resource-management projects, such as clearing buckthorn, removing garlic mustard, collecting seeds, planting native species, etc.
• Participate in special events, such as Go Green, Bug Bash, and Halloween Night Walks.
• Assist with various projects, such as making promotional buttons, light landscaping, maintaining program materials, etc.
• Attend scheduled workdays.

Age Requirement: 18 years and older

Application Required: yes

Orientation Required: yes

Deadline: February 1

Commitment: One year, 4 hours per week

Description

Visitor center volunteers provide a valuable service by staffing the nature center and working on office tasks.

Basic Responsibilities

• Answer phone calls, take reservations, direct calls to staff and answer questions about Fullersburg Woods programs.
• Interact with the public, greet visitors as they enter.
• Work on various office tasks.
• Encourage visitors to explore the exhibits.

Age Requirement: 18 years and older

Application Required: yes

Orientation Required: yes

Deadline: February 1

Commitment: Seven months, one shift per week, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Description

Volunteer naturalists assist staff with kindergarten through third-grade school groups. During the busy spring and fall, the center offer three Nature Discovery Programs, designed to create awareness of the natural world. Volunteer naturalists present puppet shows and work with small groups of children on activities that emphasize discovery and the appreciation of nature. In March, a maple syrup program teaches the natural history and physical process of making maple syrup. During this program, volunteer naturalists present puppet shows and assist with station maintenance.

Basic Responsibilities

• Present educational puppet shows.
• Lead small groups of children through nature activities.
• Help setup and maintain stations and disassemble for the day.
• Volunteer for special events, such as Maple Syrup Sundays, Earth Day and Halloween Night Walks.
• Assist with special projects.

Additional Requirements

• Attend nature interpreter training sequence.