Mt. Hood National Forest

Welcome to Volunteering on Mt. Hood NF

The Mt. Hood National Forest is truly a beautiful place. The Forest Service would love to have you or your group volunteer to help us keep it that way. The types of work a volunteer can perform are many and varied; and we hope this website will help you decide which activities and places you would like to volunteer in.

If you already know how volunteering works on the Mt. Hood, please use the Volunteer Now! menu on the right to help find what you are looking for.  If you have not volunteered with us before, please continue reading to find out more about our programs.

• What types of activities can I volunteer for?

• How long can I volunteer?

• Can my group volunteer together?

• What kind of experience/training do I need?

• Volunteer Application

• Suggestions

• Volunteer Contact Information by District

• Community Stewardship and Partnerships

What types of activities can I volunteer for?

We have opportunities available in the following categories: Trail Stewardship, Wilderness Stewardship, Wildlife, Fisheries/Watershed, Botany, Interpreters/Educators, and Heritage. Please click on one of these links or refer to the menu on the right to get more information on a specific volunteer area.

How long can I volunteer?

You can participate in a one-time project or serve over several months, seasons, or year-round. The commitment you make is up to you. If you would like to make a long term summer commitment, you may wish to live on the National Forest while you work as a volunteer.

Can my group volunteer together?

Yes! Please refer to the Group Volunteering page.

What kind of experience/training do I need?

No experience is required for most positions. But if you have special experience that you think would be valuable to the the forest, please let us know. All training will be provided if your volunteer project requires it.

Volunteer Application

We have a volunteer application that we would like you to fill out.  It makes it very easy for you to make initial contact with us and let us know what volunteer areas you are interested in.  It is a word document that you will need to fill out, print, and mail in to the Volunteer Coordinator at the Ranger District you are interested in volunteering on (see contact information below) or you can fill it out, save it as a word document and attach it to an email.  Please click here for a the Volunteer Application. 

The volunteer application is not required, but is a useful tool to get you started volunteering.  As always, you can contact us directly with questions or about specific volunteer opportunities.

Community Stewardship

What is community stewardship? Community Stewardship is when volunteers, federal agencies, local businesses, and community groups work together to do something that benefits the forest.  There are many community stewardship activities happening on the Mt Hood National Forest.  Check out the new monthly Mt. Hood National Forest Community Stewardship Newsletter for November (pdf file).

Partnerships

When individuals and organizations voluntarily work together toward a mutual goal with the Forest Service, a partnership is created. In these times when traditional funding is decreasing while demands on the national forests are increasing, partnerships play a critical role in the Forest Service's mission of "Caring for the Land and Serving People." Partnerships allow the Forest Service to accomplish more work while participants are given a chance to become involved and make a difference. Please see our Group Opportunities page for more information.

Partnerships at work: This photo is of a Friends of the Forest Day we hosted with Mt. Hood Meadows and the National Forest Foundation. 

Hood River Company Recognized

For Volunteer Service

Over the past three years, DAKINE, an outdoor recreation company based in Hood River, OR has contributed nearly $20,000 in labor and contributions to maintain trails.  Link to the rest of the story

Contact Information by District

Each specific activity or area will have contact information included for the projects it contains.  If you would like general volunteering information please contact:

Shelley Hakanson, Volunteer Coordinator 

70220 E. Hwy 26

Zigzag, OR  97049

503-622-3191 x652, shakanson@fs.fed.us

ZigZag Ranger District

Megan Hartmann, Volunteer Coordinator

70220 E. Highway 26
Zigzag, OR  97049

503-622-3191 x677, mhartmann@fs.fed.us

Hood River Ranger District

Adrienne Barcas, Volunteer Coordinator

6780 Hwy 35

Mt. Hood, OR  97041

541-352-6002 x648, abarcas@fs.fed.us

Clackamas River Ranger District

Abby Lietz, Volunteer Coordinator

595 NW Industrial Way
Estacada, OR  97023

503-630-6861 x717, alietz@fs.fed.us

Barlow Ranger District

Amber Schmitt, Volunteer Coordinator

780 NE Court Street
Dufur, OR  97021

541-467-2291 x137, aschmitt@fs.fed.us

Suggestions

If you or your group have any suggestions of projects or activities you would specifically like to pursue, please feel free to contact us.  We are always looking for new individuals and groups to help us get things done on the National Forest.