Volunteer at Placer Nature Center

Become a Volunteer

Placer Nature Center, located in Auburn, CA, offers activities and classes in wildlife, astronomy, reptiles, gardening, art, insects, ecology, watershed & much more fo rchildren, families and adults! Come see how much fun environmental education can be!

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Did you know…

The majority of Placer Nature Center’s environmental programs are run by volunteers...

Or that volunteers maintain our facilities?

Even our website and other online media are run by volunteers!

Did you know that when you volunteer at Placer Nature Center - no matter what service you give - you help teach children and your fellow community members about our connection with the environment, ecology, and the world around them?

Come join the fun!
WE NEED YOU!

Placer Nature Center's Mission

The educational programs of Placer Nature Center evoke a sense of discovery and wonder about our place on earth. The work of Placer Nature Center helps us understand how our daily choices impact the environment as well as the social and economic well-being of the planet.

These ideals are essential because a healthy world means the world to us...and to the future of our children.

Help us share our beautiful site and unique programs by volunteering - whether for an hour or by becoming a docent and a long-term volunteer.

Throughout the year, many opportunities and projects arise that need your help. Your efforts will enrich your life and benefit the entire community. Contact us today!

To volunteer:

Look over a few of the suggested volunteer opportunities below

Sign-up for our email newsletter and change your preferences to indicate which volunteer opportunities you would like to hear about

Give us a call at (530) 878-6053 and talk with Traci

Or e-mail volunteer@placernaturecenter.org

Thank you very much for looking over our volunteer opportunities!



Newsletter Email:

If you are looking for the Disney Friends & Family Volunteer Days, click here...

Docent Opportunities

Docents lead our environmental education programs for the more than 8,000 school-age children that visit our location on school field trips each year. Click here to read more about docenting and to view the upcoming Docent Training schedule.

Your precious efforts teach children to become better, more responsible, creative adults.

Sign-up to hear about upcoming volunteer activities here.
Once signed-up, you'll receive a confirmation email with a link
to choose which types of activities you would like to hear about.

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." Anne Frank (1929-1945)

Teen Jr. Naturalist for Summer Camp

Placer Nature Center is looking for teens to help facilitate their Footsteps to Summer Fun nature day camp program. Teens who would like to earn community service hours, gain experience working with children, enrich leadership skills, and have fun while learning at the same time should consider helping out at Placer Nature Center this summer. For more details on the Summer Camp program and Camp Counselors, check out our Summer Camp Jr. Naturalist and Camp Counselor Volunteer page!

Sign-up to hear about upcoming volunteer activities here.
Once signed-up, you'll receive a confirmation email with a link
to choose which types of activities you would like to hear about.

Trail Building & Maintenance

Thousands of children walk our trails every year, so keeping them in top condition is a priority.

Placer Nature Center has two trails that need monitoring. One is a quarter-mile handicap accessible trail; the other is a mile long trail that weaves through our natural area.

Sign-up to hear about upcoming volunteer activities here.
Once signed-up, you'll receive a confirmation email with a link
to choose which types of activities you would like to hear about.

Garden Cultivation & Maintenance

Do you have a green thumb you'd like to share? Placer Nature Center has a quarter-acre garden with fruit trees, compost center and theme display areas. Come get your hands dirty while beautifying our garden.

Sign-up to hear about upcoming volunteer activities here.
Once signed-up, you'll receive a confirmation email with a link
to choose which types of activities you would like to hear about.

Grant Writing

Are you good at research, love to proof read or an excellent writer who can package a proposal? We are always needing help with all parts of grant writing. If you have experience or would like to get more experience and can collaborate to get all the pieces together, we would love to work with you!

Sign-up to hear about upcoming volunteer activities here.
Once signed-up, you'll receive a confirmation email with a link
to choose which types of activities you would like to hear about.

Special Committees

Do you enjoy sharing creative ideas and brainstorming with others? Placer Nature Center has event, program, advocacy, media, and education commit-tees where you can share your creative talents and see them put into action.

Current Committee Openings:

Friends & Family Day Committee
Maidu Garden Project Committee

Sign-up to hear about upcoming volunteer activities here.
Once signed-up, you'll receive a confirmation email with a link
to choose which types of activities you would like to hear about.

Special Projects

There are always special events and projects that need your help. What special skill do you have? Your expertise, from gardening to grant writing, phone calling to construction, is appreciated and honored.

Volunteering is a wonderful way to share your energies and skills with the community. Consider PNC as a place to share yourself and enrich your life.

Current project needs:

Data collection and excel sheet creation - we have a couple projects that can be split up into sections.
Phone Calls - someone to contact our local schools to retrieve contact name for the Parent/Teacher Clubs and Associations.
Take wrist watches to have batteries inserted
Repair insect nets (sewing)
Wash blankets
Wash towels
Maintain outside kiosk
Research

Sign-up to hear about upcoming volunteer activities here.
Once signed-up, you'll receive a confirmation email with a link
to choose which types of activities you would like to hear about.

Office & Administration

Are you net savvy? Like to greet people in person and over the phone? Can file, coordinate, organize? If you have any of these skills or anything else related to ensuring an organization runs smoothly, then we would love to talk to you! We have open opportunities varying from blogging to posting online to answering the phone or filing. Some roles can even be done from home on your own schedule! Give us a call (530) 878-6053 or check out our current posts at http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/av/Org/154633-303 (scroll to the bottom of the page for Volunteer Opportunities).

Sign-up to hear about upcoming volunteer activities here.
Once signed-up, you'll receive a confirmation email with a link
to choose which types of activities you would like to hear about.

Professional Services Needed

The following professional would be greatly enhance how our center functions! The majority of our funds goes to programming leaving little for maintenance and administration.

carpet steam/shampoo for Main Exhibit Hall
road upkeep (gravel and dragging)
electrician
plumber
computer guru to fix exhibit installation
grant writing
fundraising
management consultation
graphic design
CMS web design
Wikipedia guru for internal wiki
salesforce setup
architectural services
exhibit installation services

Sign-up to hear about upcoming volunteer activities here.
Once signed-up, you'll receive a confirmation email with a link
to choose which types of activities you would like to hear about.

Other Student and Scout Projects

Placer Nature Center offers many other volunteer opportunities, from a single project to multiple or on-going projects. If you just a little time or lots of time, your help can make Placer Nature Center an even better, more wonderful experience for our children and those who visit. Here are some of the ways you can help.

Don't Miss:

Quick Links

Become a Volunteer

Did you know…

Placer Nature Center's Mission

Docent Opportunities

Teen Jr. Naturalist for Summer Camp

Trail Building & Maintenance

Garden Cultivation & Maintenance

Grant Writing

Special Committees

Special Projects

Office & Administration

Professional Services Needed

Other Student and Scout Projects