Resident RV Volunteers

Would you like to wake up to sunrises at a lake, watch sunsets over the mountains, listen to songbirds, and “share” your space with a multitude of water birds, deer, rabbits, and soaring raptors? Then consider staying with us for a while to work with our friendly staff as a Resident RV Volunteer!

Refuge Background

Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge is one of the oldest refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System, established in 1909 by Theodore Roosevelt. Nestled between the Owyhee Mountains and the lovely city of Nampa, it encompasses over 11,000 acres. The Refuge provides a mix of wildlife habitats from the open waters, wetland edges, and sagebrush uplands of the Lake Lowell Unit to the sagebrush uplands, grasslands, and riparian forests on the Snake River Islands Unit.

Volunteer Position

Duties may vary, but RV Volunteers have mainly assisted with the following projects:

• Habitat restoration: mostly invasive weed control this could involve manual weed removal but would mostly require to spray herbicides with a backpack sprayer.
• Trailhead checks: touring the lake weekly to identify and resolve or report problems, pick up trash, empty dog waste bins and fishing line receptacles.
• Maintenance projects: fence repairs, sign replacements or work on projects as opportunities arise.
• Visitor services: help with outreach, education, or special events as opportunities arise.

Time Commitment

• Hours: couple volunteers commit to 20 hours each per week, while single volunteers commit to 32 hours per week
• Dates: we typically have two different sets of volunteer(s) per year: April-July and August-October, but exact dates may be subject to change. Please let us know which period of time you are applying for.
• Schedule: work schedule will be determined, with RV volunteers, based on schedule of assigned projects.

Accommodations

We have one RV site constructed of concrete; pad is 12’x24’, 16’x28’ w/sidewalk; surrounded by packed dirt. We have water (may require 50’ water hose), a septic system connection (may require 20’ sewer hose) and a 110 volt electric connection (30 amp or 50 amp).