Volunteer
Job Description
FROM: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volunteer-opportunity/a093d0000017MOO
ADDRESS: 2700 Suwannee Canal Road Folkston, Georgia, 31537
DATES: 10/27/2024 – 5/24/2025
DEPT: Fish & Wildlife Service
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Volunteer your time at one of the most magnificent and extraordinary places on the planet!
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Visitor Services volunteers are needed November 2024-May 2025. A minimum of 3 months is preferred and longer commitments of up to 6 months may be considered. Start and end dates may be flexible.
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is located about 8 miles southwest of Folkston, GA. Folkston has a small downtown area with several restaurants, a public library, convenience stores and a grocery store. The larger towns of Waycross, Kingsland, and St. Marys, GA are 45 minutes away. Jacksonville, FL is about one-hour away. Many other recreational opportunities exist within a 1-1.5 hour drive, including Cumberland Island National Seashore, Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island, and Amelia Island.
The refuge is home to over 400,000 acres of wetland prairie and water-filled cypress forest teeming with wildlife and plant life including wading birds, water lilies, turtles and, of course, alligators. Recreational opportunities on the refuge include 120 miles of water trails to explore by canoe, kayak or motorized boat, several miles of walking and biking trails, a 0.75-mile boardwalk to an observation tower, and an historic homestead from the late 1920’s. Visit the Okefenokee NWR website to learn more about the refuge.
Visitor Services volunteers assist refuge staff with critical tasks to maintain the refuge and conserve wildlife habitat. Tasks may include:
- Opening, closing and staffing the visitor center.
- Greeting and orienting visitors about recreational opportunities throughout the refuge and local attractions, answering phones, providing information on rules and regulations.
- Operating the Friends Group nature store, restocking gift inventory and brochures.
- Other duties may include light cleaning of the interior and exterior of public areas including restroom facilities.
- Assisting with educational programs and providing interpretive services.
- Additional duties vary depending on individual interest, skill, and talent.
- Work is largely indoors but other duties may require a willingness to adapt to varying levels of outdoor weather including some sun, humidity, rain and wind exposure.
- May perform a variety of other duties.
Housing: Onsite RV volunteers must provide a suitable motorhome or travel trailer in good repair and must have a separate vehicle available for their personal use in order to leave the site for non-work related purposes. Refuge vehicles must not be used for personal use. An RV pad with electric, water, sewer and propane is provided in exchange for 24 hours/week of service per person for couples and 32 hours/week for individuals. Laundry and gym facilities are provided onsite. Limited WiFi is available at the RV sites. Cell coverage is good depending on the service provider. Pets are permitted but, while outdoors, must be kept on a 10′ leash and be accompanied by their human. Pets must not be left outside by themselves at any time for any reason. Pet waste must be picked up and disposed of properly. Pet food and household trash cannot be left outdoors.
When applying, please provide contact information for three references. Two references should be professional. If applying as couple, please provide both applicant names.