Volunteer

Dedicated to Restoring Salmon for Future Generations

Our mission is to engage the community in the restoration of salmon habitat in the Skagit watershed. We have a number of ways for the community to get involved from monitoring fish populations to planting trees at a work party.

We recruit and train volunteers to achieve our goal of increased public awareness for salmon habitat restoration. All volunteer projects are based on learning through hands-on activities. We have opportunities for volunteers of all ages and in all seasons.

Browse through the list of ongoing volunteer opportunities below and find one (or more!) that interest you, or join us for a scheduled event.

RESOURCES FOR VOLUNTEERS

Monitoring Volunteers

  • Spawner Survey Data Sheet If you are a volunteer spawner surveyor, use this datasheet to track the number of salmon and carcasses you see each visit to your monitoring site

Volunteer Opportunites

Planting Parties

Tree planting parties are scheduled October-March. These plantings help to restore the stream banks so they provide shade and bank stability. Time commitment: 3 hours, 10am-1pm Saturdays. All upcoming planting parties can be found on our event calendar.

Native Plant Nursery

Nursery volunteers have the unique opportunity to train and care for native plants of the Pacific Northwest.  Not only will you get to help natives live and grow, but you will also have opportunity to learn how a nursery is managed day to day.  The variety of tasks at the nursery include, but are not limited to watering, weeding, potting, maintaining, reorganizing, loading and unloading plants, sawdust, potting soil, and mulch.  This volunteer opportunity can include the use of tools such as shovels, wheelbarrows, hoses, lawn mowers, weed-eaters, and other power tools.  Physical requirements can include digging, bending, lifting, walking, hauling plants and other materials.  Volunteers and staff are exposed to weather.   Visit the nursery page for more information on the range of opportunities available.

Spawner Surveys

Volunteers are trained by field technicians to assist with counting adult salmon returning to local streams.  Volunteers are trained at a workshop in October to identify and count spawning salmon, salmon carcasses, and count and mark redds (nests).  Surveys must be consistently done on a weekly basis, and most surveys will occur on weekdays, but coordination with team members can occur for surveys to be done on weekends. Committing to one day a week for three months is required. Time commitment: 1-6 hours per week, October-January. Learn More about our spawner survey program.

Vegetation Monitoring

Volunteers are needed to monitor the growth of trees and shrubs planted at restoration sites. Duties include native plant identification and assessment, accurate record keeping, and database entry. A one-day training session will be provided in spring by our field technicians and then schedules can be arranged. Time commitment varies with site. Learn More about our vegetation monitoring program.

Educational Outreach

Our school programs engage youth in grades 3-12 though classroom lessons and field service-learning opportunities.  Volunteers are needed to help in classrooms and field trips with coordination, instruction, and safety, weekdays through the school year. Time commitment 4-10 hours per week.

Community Events

We need occasional assistance setting up and staffing our booth at community events such as fairs, festivals, and workshops. Time commitment varies.  Needs are primarily weekends during the summer months.

Administrative Assistance

Periodic bulk mailings and various other office duties we can always use help with.  Volunteers interested in assisting with office duties are encouraged to express interest. Time commitment: variable.