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Refuge Volunteer Program
Volunteers accomplish many work projects on the Refuge. Generally, our volunteers are divided into four categories: residential, local, birders and scouts. We also utilize volunteers from specialized programs such as the Senior Texan Employment Program (STEP) and the Student Conservation Association (SCA).
Residential volunteers are those who come south for the winter to get away from the snow country. These volunteers work four days per week, and stay for at least three months. In exchange, they live on the Refuge where they can park their RV on a concrete pad with full hook-ups. They fill positions such as Visitor Center Information Assistant, Maintenance or Bio. Asst, Admin. Asst, Youth Environmental Training Area (YETA) Coord., Custodian, Festivals Coord. and Volunteer Coord.
Refuge Volunteers
Local volunteers come to us from neighboring towns like Rockport, Victoria, Tivoli, or Port O’Connor. They volunteer anywhere from one day a week to one day a year. They are individuals or can be special groups such as Texas Master Naturalists, Mid-Coast Chapter, the U.S. Navy from Ingleside, or an employee group from Duke Energy or Dow Chemical. Projects include working the Visitor Center front desk, turtle patrol, conducting van tours or other visitor programs both on and off-Refuge, assisting with special events, construction of decks and kiosks, remodeling Matagorda Island education facilities, and installing new fencing.
Both Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of America volunteer at the Refuge. They are permitted to camp in the Youth Environmental Training Area (YETA) in exchange for a completed service project. Projects include trail trimming, trail construction, painting, limb gathering, cleaning campsites and bathrooms, washing vehicles and buildings, planting native plants, litter removal, etc. They also receive an orientation and video program at the Visitor Center.
If you have an interest in volunteering at Aransas NWR, please call the Volunteer Coordinator, Charles Holbrook, at 361-286-3559 or go online at www.volunteer.gov for an application.
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