Volunteer At Shipley Nature Center

Volunteering at Shipley Nature Center means becoming part of a vibrant, eco-minded community. Our volunteers help fulfill our mission of providing environmental education in an urban setting while protecting native habitats and inspiring the next generation.

Minimum Age: 14+ for most roles
Time Commitment: Varies by role, typically 4+ hours per month in 2-hour shifts

Volunteers 14 or Younger:

• Select opportunities available.
• Must be accompanied by an adult guardian while volunteering.
• Groups, clubs or troops require a ratio of 1:10.

Docents are the heart of our educational programming. They lead guided tours, hands-on activities, and nature-based crafts for school groups, families, and the general public.

Schedule: 

• First Fridays programs between 9am-5pm
• Private tours that vary by request

What You’ll Do:

• Learn our hands-on, place-based environmental education curriculum that inspires the next generation of stewards
• Lead or support tours and educational programs
• Engage with guests of all ages, including kids, school groups, and families
• Use mindfulness, storytelling, and creative crafts to inspire learning

Ideal For People Who:

• Love nature and enjoy sharing their knowledge
• Are comfortable working with children and mixed-age groups
• Have experience with outdoor learning, mindfulness, or crafts (bonus, not required!)
• Are reliable, welcoming, and open-minded

Training & Time Commitment:

• 1-hour orientation
• Two training sessions (totaling 4 hours)
• Shadow experienced docents as needed
• 4+ hours/month; includes a 2-hour shift on the First Friday of each month between 9–5

Benefits:

• Inspire the next generation of nature lovers
• Learn about California native plants and ecosystems
• Gain experience in public engagement and environmental education
• Join a community of friendly, mission-driven volunteers

Docents may specialize in:

• Adult tours
• Kids' education
• Toddler–PreK 
• Elementary
• Middle School
• We’ll match you based on your interests and availability!

If you enjoy the energy of a community gathering, this role is for you! Event volunteers help ensure our community events run smoothly—from setup and greeting to hosting activities and keeping things flowing behind the scenes.

Schedule: 

• Events tend to be on Saturdays

Types of Events:

• Monthly themed nature events
• Spring & Fall Native Plant Sales
• Large annual celebrations like our Spring in Bloom fundraiser and Enchanted Trail

Roles Include:

• Greeting guests
• Assisting with activities and crafts
• Helping with setup and cleanup
• Supporting staff, docents, and other volunteers

What Makes a Great Event Volunteer:

• Friendly, welcoming, and helpful
• Comfortable interacting with families and groups
• Dependable and flexible with shifting needs
• Enthusiastic about nature and community events

Time Commitment:

• 1 hour orientation

Perks:

• Be part of exciting events that celebrate nature
• Meet new people and gain event experience
• Help connect the public to environmental learning

Greeters welcome visitors and answer general questions. Our ability to expand our hours depends on a large greeter base.

Schedule:

• 2-hour shifts during our regular open hours

Role Includes:

• Setting up greeter’s table in the morning or cleaning up before closing
• Greeting guests
• Answering general questions 
• Directing visitors 

What Makes a Great Greeter:

• Friendly, welcoming, and helpful
• Comfortable interacting with the public including families and specialized groups
• Interacting with other volunteers
• Comfortable with slower, less busy shifts

Time Commitment:

• 1 hour orientation
• 4+ hours/month depending on availability

Ideal for people who:

• Are new to Shipley
• Love interacting with the public
• Want to volunteer but have physical limitations
• Are interested in a relaxed and social volunteer role

Perks:

• Enjoy nature and meet like-minded people
• A great way to test out volunteering for the first time and to get familiar with Shipley’s offerings as part of the nature center’s first touchpoint with guests

Habitat volunteers work in our habitat pulling weeds, spreading mulch, digging up roots, cutting back plants, and general landscaping work. 

Schedule:

• Habitat volunteers work as a team Tuesdays and Fridays, from 9am-11am.
• Volunteers interested in habitat work can also come in on Second Saturdays, 9am-11am.

Habitat Work Requires:

• Physical ability to work outdoors on uneven terrain
• Ability to work with hand tools 
• Communication with habitat team and lead about schedule
• Being comfortable getting dirty, being around spiders and insects, and going off-trail

What Makes a Great Habitat Volunteer:

• Good attitude about physical labor
• Interest in native plants and gardening
• Ability to work in a team 

Time Commitment:

• 1 hour orientation
• Attend at least one Second Saturday 
• 4+ hours/month depending on availability

Perks:

• Get outdoors and into nature
• Learn about native plants and maintenance
• Gain experience with native and invasive plant identification

Looking for something behind the scenes or hands-on? We have additional ways to get involved:

Available Roles:

• Greeters – Welcome and assist guests during open hours
• Habitat Volunteers – Help maintain trails and native plant areas
• Composting – Support our compost education area and soil-building efforts
• Retail Support – Assist in the gift shop during events or weekends
• Office Help – Support with admin tasks like data entry
• Special Projects – Help with membership drives, statistics tracking, and facility care
• Tabling Volunteers – Represent Shipley at community outreach events
• Accessibility & Inclusion Support – Opportunities available for volunteers with unique needs or preferences