Volunteer Opportunities

Bird Window-Strike Monitoring

Orientation: April and September

Volunteers monitor “high risk” Parks facilities and document evidence of bird window-strikes during spring and fall migration. Surveys occur daily with a 10-day cycle in spring and a 20-day cycle in fall. Data gathered will be used to retro-fit facilities and manage adjacent habitat making it safer for birds.

Bumble Bee Monitoring

Orientation: June

Help document and protect our native pollinators! Volunteers visit an assigned natural area with suitable pollinator habitat a minimum of six times from May to October and, using protocol from the WDNR’s Bumble Bee Brigade, identify and photograph bumble bee populations. Data gathered provides valuable insight to overall habitat health and suggests management strategies that will protect and attract Bumble Bee populations.

iNaturalist and Roadkill MKE

Contribute to wildlife monitoring year-round! Submit photo observations to iNaturalist and include the park location in the description. These observations are combed over by Natural Areas staff and may be added to wildlife databases as proof of a species existing in our Parks. Photos of roadkill can be important, too. By submitting photos of roadkill and marking the finds as "dead", community scientists can help Parks determine where high collision roads are and contribute to wildlife mortality mitigation strategies. Please stick to trails and publicly-accessible roads when enjoying our Natural Areas. 

Nest Box Adopters

Volunteers help to maintain nest boxes by cleaning out and opening boxes in late fall, closing them in early spring and reporting any issues to staff (i.e. broken/missing parts). When volunteers clean out the nest boxes in fall they report which species nested in each during the breeding season.

Wetland Monitoring

Orientation: February/March.

Volunteers visit assigned wetlands multiple times from March through June to gather data on sensitive wildlife populations. Volunteers attend a mandatory field training and are provided with a wetland monitoring kit to conduct aquatic funnel trapping, visual encounter surveys, frog call surveys and secretive marsh bird surveys (volunteers may participate in a combination of surveys). Data is used to guide management of these wetlands and protect the wildlife that use them.  Spaces limited; priority given to volunteers with prior experience.

Invasive Species Clearing & Weed-Out® Programs

The Weed-Out® program is coordinated by The Park People in cooperation with Parks' Natural Areas Program. Volunteers help control invasive species at different natural areas throughout Milwaukee County Parks. You can find active Weed-Out events for the current season at: parkpeoplemke.org/get-involved/programs/weed-out/. If there isn't a Weed-Out® at your desired park, you can certainly still do invasive species removal!

All Weed-Out® locations must have a certified coordinator which includes attending training (March and August) and may involve becoming a certified commercial pesticide applicator through DATCP. The Park People provide tools, personal protective equipment, and necessary herbicide. Sorry, but no power tools.

Native Seed Collection

Help us restore native plants in our parks! Volunteers collect seed from approved native plant species within Milwaukee County Parks. This is a mostly independent volunteer opportunity so participants must have strong plant identification skills. Gathered seed is delivered to the program coordinator and planted at target restoration sites by Natural Areas staff.

Volunteers attend an online orientation to receive training on identification of target species and proper seed collection protocol.

Tree Planting

Tree planting isn't only for Earth Day! October is for annual reforestation where, on average, we plant 1,500 to 2,000 trees with multiple planting dates offered across a few weeks. Volunteers work with staff to plant 3- to 5-gallon sized, potted native trees and shrubs in pre-drilled holes. You can expect to be carrying about 15 pounds, kneeling for extended periods of time, and getting your hands dirty! We recommend wearing work clothes that will allow you the full conservation experience — mud and all! No previous experience is required.

Volunteer at Wehr Nature Center

Wehr has volunteer opportunities for all and is always taking new applications. As a volunteer, you might spend a few hours a year assisting with a special event, a few hours a week volunteering as part of a group or a few hours every day feeding the animals. 

How Do I Become a Volunteer?

• Complete the online application
• Contact Mary Gaub, volunteer coordinator, at [email protected] to make an appointment

Volunteer at Boerner Botanical Gardens

Volunteers at Boerner Botanical Gardens are needed for a variety of activities including organizing family events, running classes, staffing the gift shop, leading garden tours and providing weeding and garden support for horticultural staff.

How Do I Become a Volunteer?

• Complete the online application

Park Stewards

Clean-ups are a great way to bond with your community while beautifying our parks. In the form below, any individual or group looking to be Park Stewards can select which park, beach, or trail you'd like to clean up or reach out to Engagement Manager, [email protected] to find a park that is in need of clean up. Examples of work could include weed clearing, trash and debris pick-up, etc. 

• All volunteers will be required to fill out a Milwaukee County Parks Volunteer Agreement.
• Primarily offered April – October.
• Note: Volunteers are not allowed to collect needles, sharp or otherwise hazardous objects. Note the location of such objects and submit an Issues Report Form so Parks staff can assist: Milwaukee County Issue Reporter
• Groups: Please give at least 2 weeks notice to coordinate clean-ups.

Clean-Up Registration Form

Group Service Day

Group service days are a great way for your corporate team, church group, school or organization to give back to the Parks while enjoying a fun team building day. Group service days typically include activities like invasive species removal, trail maintenance, gardening/landscaping, bumblebee surveys, or a special project like painting benches, for example.

• All volunteers will be required to fill out a Milwaukee County Parks Volunteer Agreement.
• Primarily offered April – October.
• Minimum group size of 10.
• For most groups, 3 hours is the perfect amount of time.
• Please give at least 3 – 4 weeks notice to coordinate group service projects.

Group Service Day Request