Outdoor Volunteer Gigs

You don’t always need a lot of money to have an adventure. One of my friends spent a summer observing tropical fish in exchange for a place to stay in Tanzania many years ago. Another friend picked olives in Italy during a farm stay. Volunteering in the outdoors is a wonderful way to make a faraway location more affordable or even just help you spend more time at your local nature preserve.

Here are a few links to short- and long-term volunteer opportunities:

• U.S. Fish & Wildlife needs volunteers of all ages at locations around the US.
• The Nature Conservancy has conservation projects around the world.
• WOOF (Workers on Organic Farms) has a global network of volunteer farming jobs.
• Help Elephants. Check out Responsible Travel’s list of ethical animal sanctuaries and volunteer travel guide.
• Can you dig it? The Archaeological Institute of America has an interactive map that shows projects mostly based in the US, Europe, and South America.
• Trail Repair. The National Park Service needs volunteers to repair and maintain trails and recreational areas.

Please note: I have only read about these projects; I have not worked with any of them. Always research any organization you volunteer for to make sure they follow safety guidelines and best practices in their fields.

Image by Pixabay.