Job Description
FROM: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/
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ADDRESS: Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge; 4343 Highway 157; Union City, Tennessee 38261
DEPT: Fish & Wildlife Service
DATES: 3/15/2022 – 9/15/2022
DESCRIPTION:
Reelfoot NWR is 10,428 acres and was established to provide habitat to migratory waterfowl. The Visitor Center is located near Reelfoot Lake, which is a popular destination for hunters and fisherman, as well as kayakers, photographers, and wildlife enthusiasts.
Site information: Four concrete pads are available for volunteers with full hook-up (both 30 and 50 amp), concrete pads are 32 ft. in length, two which are covered, with 4 foot of gravel behind, and more than enough gravel in front if you have a larger camper. Laundry facility on site, free of charge. Free propane hook-up. RV hookup sites are located within sight/walking distance of visitor center. Sites are nestled next to 2 ponds. Pets are allowed, but must be kept on a leash while outside. Pets may not be brought into the visitor center, or ride in government vehicles. Free wifi and volunteer RV site, and public wifi at Visitor Center. Cell phone service is patchy throughout the refuge, but there are several spots on the refuge where you can get service.
Location: Reelfoot NWR is located in Obion County in northwest Tennessee, just a few miles from the TN/KY state line. The refuge is 15-20 minutes from Union City, TN, which has several restaurants, a Wal-Mart, a variety of shops, and the Discovery Park of America, etc. The town of Tiptonville, TN is 10 minutes away and offers a variety of restaurants, gift shops, the local Reelfoot Lake State Park museum, and more. Memphis, TN is approx. 2 hours away.
Refuge information: Due to the proximity to the Mississippi River and being located in its former floodplain, the refuge serves as a major stopover point and wintering area for waterfowl of the Mississippi Flyway. Reelfoot, as well as the other refuges within the West TN NWR Complex (Chickasaw, Lower Hatchie, Hatchie and Lake Isom NWR’s) work together to achieve a common goal: to provide high quality habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds. The primary purpose of Reelfoot NWR is to provide habitat for migratory birds with a specific emphasis on providing food and sanctuary. Reelfoot NWR encompasses 10,428 acres, and is broken into two refuge units; Grassy Island and Long Point.
Reelfoot Lake: The refuge is located on the northern portion of Reelfoot Lake. Reelfoot Lake is a unique, majestic, and gorgeous place. Formed by earthquakes in 1811-1812, the 15,000 acre lake is a haven for duck hunters and fisherman, as well as kayakers, photographers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. Old growth bald cypress trees stand beautifully out of the waters of the lake. Once a cypress swamp before the earthquakes hit, thousands of stumps hide just underneath the water, making Reelfoot Lake one of the best natural fish hatcheries in Tennessee. The average depth of Reelfoot Lake is 5 foot, with the deepest portion being approx. 20 foot. The infamous bald eagle calls Reelfoot Lake home. Over 40 bald eagle nests have been documented within the Reelfoot Lake area. Eagles are seen regularly throughout the year, but numbers increase during the winter as migratory eagles come to visit. The refuge offers eagle tours during January and February, where, on average, 40+ eagles can be expected to be seen on a 2 hour tour.
A variety of wildlife may be seen at Reelfoot Lake, such as; blue herons, great egrets, ospreys, eagles, variety of hawks and owls, a variety of neotropical songbirds, beavers, mink, muskrats, white-tailed deer, turkey, etc. Reelfoot Lake is an exceptional place to take photographs of wildlife, plants and sunrises/sunsets.
The Reelfoot NWR staff takes pride in providing quality experience for visitors. When the visitor leaves the refuge, we want them to look forward to bringing other family and friends back. The Visitor Services (VS) Volunteer plays a key role in making sure the visitors enjoy exploring the refuge. When visitors arrive, the VS Volunteer will be the first face they see, and the first person they speak with. We want to make their first initial visit as memorable and pleasant as possible by greeting them with a smile, offering information, sharing maps, directing them to places of interest on the refuge, etc. This task may seem like a simple one, but this first impression is what brings visitors back…or not. The VS Volunteer will imprint lasting memories of a particular place in the visitors mind, and we want that imprint to be a positive one! The VS Volunteer will also be asked to answer phones calls and take messages, keep informational brochures and flyers fully stocked, clean the Visitor Center lobby and bathrooms, assist in maintaining the flower beds, assist in quota hunt paperwork, assist in onsite environmental education programs, etc. Qualities sought when filling this position; friendly/personable, enjoys helping others, patient, honest, trustworthy, dependable, works well with others, self-motivated, comfortable working with small groups, willing to learn, flexible, etc.