Recreation Volunteer

FROM: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volunteer-opportunity/a09SJ000005iIXp

ADDRESS: 1600 Pisgah Hwy  Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, 28768

DATES: 2025-04-01

DEPT: Forest Service

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The mountains are calling! Head to Pisgah National Forest for the summer season of 2025. The Pisgah District is one of the busiest forests in the nation, with an estimated 3 million visitors every year. Nestled in the blue ridge mountains, Pisgah National Forest was the first National Forest in the nation, established in 1916. The forest offers a vast spectrum of recreational experiences as well as historical and cultural points of interest. Sitting along the Blue Ridge Escarpment, the area is also known for its large number of waterfalls and variety of natural resources. Please consider spending your summer with us! 

Recreation volunteers play a vital role in assisting recreation management in a variety of tasks. This position will serve as Forest Service “eyes and ears” in designated roadside campsites and highly visited areas. 

One of the most important tasks is to monitor camping and communicate to forest visitors any pertinent forest information as well as camping safety, such as campfire safety, bear safety, and others. Recreation volunteers will record and report compliance and maintenance problems to appropriate Forest Service personnel.  

Recreation volunteers should have the ability to conduct light maintenance, such as monitoring restrooms, picking up ground litter, general painting, and light tree trimming/vegetation control. 

Volunteers are not to act in a law enforcement capacity. Volunteers are only to monitor, observe, and provide information and education to visitors.

Requirements for Volunteers

• Be a U.S. citizen and provide a permanent mailing address.
• Pass a background check and possess a valid state driver’s license.
• Provide your own personal camping accommodations or live within an area of a 30 minute commute.
• Have a positive and helpful attitude.
• Be able to work safely without daily supervision.
• Be prepared to work under varied conditions, including inclement weather.
• Provide a professional reference to verify experience, if requested.
• Represent the Forest Service to the public in a respectful manner.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Represent the Forest Service as “eyes and ears” in designated areas, by driving a government vehicle on gravel roads.
• Report any questionable or illegal activity to Forest Service Protection Officers or Law Enforcement Officers.
• Communicate to forest visitors: pertinent forest information and reminders of camping safety.
• Record observations by keeping a daily log (provide).
• Encourage participation in the roadside voluntary/free camping registration.
• Conduct light maintenance activities, such as monitoring restrooms, picking up ground litter, removing abandoned property from camp sites, general painting, conduct vegetation trimming, and other tasks as assigned to promote an enjoyable recreation experience.
• May be asked to lock the gate at the work center in the evenings.
• Maintain a positive and helpful attitude towards forest visitors and other volunteers that you may be assigned to work with.
• Maintain high standards of integrity and accountability of personal actions.
• Set a positive example to other forest visitors by keeping a clean and presentable campsite and encouraging common courtesy throughout the volunteer camping area.

Additional Information

• 6-month commitment, preferably April – October: flexible start date
• 24 hrs/per week
• Applicants with prior experience or knowledge of outdoor recreation, natural resources, maintenance and public lands are encouraged to apply.

Camp Facilities and Area Information

• RV site is available, if needed.
• RV sites include picnic table, fire ring, 30amp utilities (water, electric, sewer) and it is located within a short walk to the Pisgah Ranger Station.
• Volunteer Camp area of 4 sites, is separated from the public, in a busy, gated work center for USFS staff.
• It is located approximately 1.5 miles from the main entrance to Pisgah National Forest and the town of Brevard, NC. Brevard, NC is a small mountain town which offers shopping, restaurants, Transylvania Regional Hospital, and is surrounded by other public land such as: DuPont State Recreational Forest, Gorges State Park, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s also within 25 minutes of Asheville Regional Airport, 45 minutes to the city of Asheville, NC and Greenville, SC.

We ask that commuting volunteers please be within a 30-minute response time.

Tagged as: SPRING '25, SUMMER '25