Visitor Center, Trail Roving, and Wildlife Volunteer

FROM: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volunteer-opportunity/a093d000000o7zP

ADDRESS: Shenandoah National Park Luray, Virginia, 22835

DATES: 9/30/2024 – 10/28/2024

DEPT: National Park Service

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Visitor Center, Trail Roving, and Wildlife Volunteers will support both Interpretation and Wildlife Teams in the northern region of Shenandoah National Park. They will provide orientation and trip planning information to visitors while staffing the visitor center and connect with visitors to promote responsible stewardship practices on trail and in the picnic area. Volunteers will mitigate situations that may lead to human-wildlife conflicts by educating visitors, removing opportunities for wildlife to access human food and trash, informing visitors of appropriate wildlife viewing distances, and informing the appropriate staff of notable human-wildlife issues.

We require coverage September 30 through October 28, but will be very grateful for a volunteer a beyond that range.

Goal/Outcome of Position: 

• Provide orientation and information on park resources, safety, and trip planning to visitors in a positive professional manner while representing the National Park Service. 
• Help visitors make personal connections to park resources and values to inspire stewardship and enjoyment. 

Description of Duties: Visitor Center 

• Assists with basic visitor center operations such as providing park orientation/maps/brochures, assisting junior rangers, providing hiking suggestions and safety information, and make interpretive connections to the natural and cultural resources.   
• Light cleaning and stocking of the visitor center facility. 
• May assist with opening/closing the visitor centers following established SOP and guidelines. 
• May complete special projects as assigned by their supervisor. 

Description of Duties: Trail Roving 

• Hike area trails in volunteer uniform, providing information and guidance to visitors as well as inspire stewardship of the resource by explaining important features while helping visitors make personal connections. 
• Support visitor safety by providing visitors with trail orientation, radio communication, and basic First Aid to level of experience/training. 
• Report trail and resource condition to park authorities i.e. trees down, signs needing repair, signs of illegal campfires and camping, natural and cultural resource damage. 

Description of Duties: Wildlife Monitoring 

• Picnic area assistance: trash pickup, contacting visitors picnicking to inspire stewardship and bear/wildlife safety, clean out campfire grills at picnic sites, assist in controlling/cleaning campfires, report resource damage and concerns. 
• Monitor wildlife activity at known issue locations and reporting to Wildlife Tech crew/Supervisor, i.e. bears frequenting picnic and campsite areas, rabid wildlife activity reported by visitors, fruiting trees and plants in high visibility areas that may encourage wildlife near visitors, fawns in high-visibility areas, reports of bees and other insects that may be on high-frequented areas. 

Minimal Physical Demands 

• May require long hours of standing.   
• Bending, stooping, reaching required. 
• Walking on uneven or dirt/rocky surfaces for up to two miles or more in hot/humid or cool/windy weather. 

Working Conditions 

• Once the participant has completed their initial training and orientation, they may be asked to work independently in a visitor center or on local area trail roves, depending on the volunteer’s experience and wishes as well as the park’s operational need. 
• They may operate a government vehicle for travel to trail roves or programs. 
• Visitor center assistance will involve working with other staff to provide visitor assistance and information as well as basic operational duties to include light cleaning, stocking supplies, and opening/closing procedures. 
• Lunches and other breaks may be provided either in the visitor center office or out in the field, depending on the day’s assigned duties. 
• The location of daily shifts may vary throughout the park depending on volunteer experience and operational need. 
• Wildlife and tick safety information will be provided during orientation and throughout the season. The park is home to approximately 300+ black bears, 2 species of venomous snakes, poison ivy, ticks that transmit tickborne illness, as well as a variety of other wildlife and plants. 
• The park enjoys the full four seasons and the volunteer’s work may be conducted both indoors and outdoors during occasional inclement weather (light rain or windy conditions) and regularly during hot, humid summers and crisp, cool spring/fall conditions. 

Qualifications 

• Customer service experience and skills. 
• Ability to learn, understand and communicate topics and information to visitors. 
• Outgoing, people oriented, and positive attitude. 
• Ability to understand visitor questions in sometimes loud, crowded visitor center. 
• Ability to stand for long periods and answer repetitive questions with patience and positivity. 
• Ability to work independently and as part of a close-knit team in a fast-paced, high-energy environment. 
• Ability to hike 2-3 miles on a regular basis, sometimes over uneven terrain in warm/humid and cool weather. 
• Comfortable hiking alone in bear country with an abundance of wildlife including ticks carrying tick-born illness. Understanding bear-awareness and what to do if approached, etc. 

Lodging: An RV site at Dickey Ridge, with full hookups, is available for free to volunteers working 32 hours/week. The site is within easy walking distance of the visitor center and picnic area. 

Uniform: Required to wear volunteer uniform: shirts/hat/jacket/s provided by park; pants, hiking boots, and belt provided by volunteer.  

Tagged as: FALL '24