Volunteering opportunities include:
Animal Care: One of the most popular features of Tanglewood Nature Center and Museum is our exhibit hall that is home to a variety of exotic animals. Ensuring that these animals and their enclosures are well maintained is a massive task for the staff. Animal care volunteers typically help with feeding, replacing water, light cleaning of enclosures and providing human interaction with our animals.
Trail Maintenance: With over nine miles of hiking trails, Tanglewood Nature Center is always looking for volunteers to assist with keeping our trails orderly by participating in mowing, brush removal and trimming efforts. This is a great opportunity for individuals/groups that enjoy being outdoors and would like to get some exercise at the same time.
Trail Guides: Do you enjoy hiking? If so then becoming a Tanglewood Trail Guide may be of interest for you. Our picturesque scenery includes grasslands, pine forests, and much more with a variety of wildlife to match. Applying a focus/theme to a hike is common. Some of our most popular hikes include birding, flora identification and general wildlife observation. With such an array of biodiversity at Tanglewood you’ll never make the same hike twice!
Museum Docent/Educator: Year-round groups of visitors come to Tanglewood for educational programs focusing on a variety of nature-oriented topics including, but not limited to, pond ecosystems, general animal education and our in-house honey bee hive. Museum docents/educators aid the staff in the programs by leading tours of the museum, hiking around the center and occasionally helping with live animal shows. This is a great way to connect with our visitors and to help educate our community members.
Office Management Volunteers: Tanglewood is often faced with tasks including mass mailing, mass phone calling, and an array of other office-based duties. This is a great opportunity for individuals who would like to volunteer at a nature center, but would prefer to keep their distance from all of the wildness.
Building Maintenance: Keeping a nature center clean is by no means an easy task. Tanglewood routinely plays host for individuals/groups that aid in keeping our building looking presentable and is always looking for new additions to this team.
Outreach Educators: Helping to educate the public about our local ecosystems is one of Tanglewood’s biggest goals. Volunteers can assist with this effort by representing Tanglewood at community building events to help raise awareness of our organization. This is a truly great opportunity for those whom enjoy social situations and would like to help talk-up Tanglewood.
Special Events Assistance: Tanglewood is involved with and organizes numerous annual events that require efforts beyond the means of our staff. Volunteers are often sought to help with special events such as trail runs, fundraisers, weddings and a variety of other community-based happenings. Getting involved can take place in innumerable forms ranging from helping to rearrange the building to baking cookies. The possibilities are seemingly endless!
