Volunteer
Let your hands be a force of nature – volunteer.
There is no better time to help our environment than today. Connect people with nature, teach people about nature and help protect nature. Volunteers at The Holden Arboretum are a precious resource that make our program and services possible. Volunteers bring their energy, knowledge and style to Holden and make each guests visit to Holden fresh and unique.
Volunteer involvement at Holden assures engagement with the natural world through meaningful and rewarding experiences.
Whether in our gardens, our natural areas, our visitor center or our offices, volunteering at Holden is a way to give back to your community, meet people with similar interests, learn new skills and have fun! Time commitments vary, however, on average, volunteers contribute 4 to 6 hours per month to Holden.
As diverse as nature itself, a variety of opportunities exist to suit your interests, talents and abilities. Specialized training may be offered to prepare you for your volunteer role. In other cases, experience may be necessary.
Your interests, skills, abilities and availability guide initial placement. New volunteers attend an orientation and based on the volunteer opportunity additional training may be required. Volunteers whose duties may involve the care and/or custody of children and vulnerable populations are required to submit to a background information check with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and/or the FBI.
Please contact us to set up a meeting to discuss the opportunities that interest you.
Robin Ott
Volunteer Coordinator
Phone: 440.602.8003
E-mail: rott@holdenarb.org
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Check out our upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Check out the latest edition of the Holden Leaf Press, our volunteer newsletter.
Look good while volunteering, order Holden volunteer apparel.
Volunteer Opportunities
Teach People about Nature…
Teach the young and old about the natural world through interactive hands-on programming.
- Share your knowledge and passion for nature
- Teach our guests of all ages about the exciting and magical world of plants, trees, and wildlife
Holden Guides are specially trained volunteers who lead educational programs and tours that introduce our visitors to Holden. Guides are interested in learning and are excellent communicators, with a love of natural history and a genuine desire to share that knowledge with our guests. Flexibility is essential in order to adapt to changing subject matter and guests with different backgrounds, interests and learning styles.
Education |
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Opportunity |
Season |
Preparation |
Commitment |
Description |
|
(tram tour) (outside) |
Spring Summer Fall (May-Oct) |
|
4 hrs every other week |
Enhance our guests experience by conducting tours that provide an overview of Holden |
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(walking tour) (outside) |
Spring Summer Fall (April-Oct) |
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4 hrs every other week |
Enhance our guests experience by conducting tours that provide an overview of Holden |
|
(walking tour) (outside) |
Summer |
|
Tuesday weekends 2-4 hrs every other week |
Enhance our guests experience by leading tours of our Butterfly garden |
School Guide (outside) |
Year Round |
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2-4 hrs per week |
Lead student through one of Holden's forests first-hand and help them discover some of the many components that make up a forest or pond community Facilitate students’ experience by making careful observations of nature |
| Nature Play Facilitator (outside) | Summer |
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2-4 hrs per week | Facilitate guests experience by engaging them in nature play |
| Bird Feeders | Late Fall Winter |
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2 hrs per week or bi-weekly | Help keep our feathered friends from going hungry by hiking out to fill the bird feeders by Buckeye Bud's Nature Area |
Girl/Boy Scout Guide (outside) |
Year Round |
|
2-4 hrs per week (late afternoon or weekends) |
Connect scouts with nature through programs geared toward allowing the scouts to earn “try-its,” “badges” or a Holden fun patch |
Natural Areas Guide (outside) |
Year Round |
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4-8 hrs per month |
Lead guests on a hike through spectacular natural areas like Stebbins Gulch and Little Mountain |
Snowshoe Guide (outside) |
Winter (Jan-Feb) |
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2 hrs every other week |
Lead guests on a hike using snowshoes to see winter highlights at Holden |
Library (inside) |
Year Round |
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Tuesday – Saturday, 2-4 hrs per week |
Assist visitors, cataloging and filing |
Garden Partners |
Summer (June-August) |
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Thursday, 2 hrs per week |
Partner with volunteers with developmental disabilities to complete gardening tasks |
Connect People with Nature…
Holden sponsors several major special events each year, each requiring volunteer help. These events produce revenue and a growing interest for Holden and depend on the volunteers to ensure their success. Volunteers may also take on leadership roles in planning these events.
- Enjoy the beautiful surroundings
- Meet people with similar interests
- Learn something new
Special Events |
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Opportunity |
Time of Year |
Preparation |
Commitment |
Description |
|
(inside) |
March and April, days and times vary | Training (2 hrs)
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2 hrs on weekdays | Travel to local libraries and read from an assortment of books about Arbor Day and trees |
Spring Summer Fall |
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Min. of 3 evening or weekend shifts (2-4 hr each) per season |
Share points of interests with guests and assist staff during private events at Lantern Court |
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(outside) |
Friday - Sunday, April 29 - May 1, 2011 |
Day of Event Orientation | 1 weekend shift | Assist with set-up/clean-up, facilitate family crafts and activities and tree seedling give-away, assist with parking |
|
(outside) |
Friday – Sunday, May 13-15, 2011 |
Day of Event Orientation |
1 weekend shift |
Assist with set-up/clean-up, plant vendors, parking, plant pick-up and holding area, customer service and raffle ticket sales |
David G. Leach Research Station Open House (Madison, Ohio) (outside) |
Saturday and Sunday, May 21 and 22, 2011 |
Training (2 hrs) |
4 hrs per weekend |
Lead tours, greet visitors, answer questions, direct guest to tour staging area direct cars as they enter and leave to appropriate parking spaces. |
Bouquets Wine Tasting (outside) |
Saturday, May 28, 2011 |
Day of Event Orientation |
1 weekend shift (Saturday) |
Assist with set-up/clean-up, decorations, parking, registration and customer service |
Woodland 5K Race and Fun Run/Walk (outside) |
Sunday, June 26, 2011 |
Day of Event Orientation |
1 weekend shift (Sunday) |
Assist with set-up/clean-up, registrations, water station and customer service |
Summer Benefit (outside) |
Saturday, July 9, 2011 | Day of Event Orientation | 1 weekend evening (Saturday) |
Assist with set-up/clean-up, decorations, beverage service, silent auction and live auction |
Goblins in the Garden (outside) |
Sunday, October 9, 2011 |
Day of Event Orientation |
1 weekend shift |
Assist with set-up/clean-up, decorations, assist with wagon rides, crafts, treat or treat trail, parking, serve refreshments |
Gifts From the Heart of Nature (inside) |
November 13-December 26, 2011 | Day of Event Orientation |
1 weekend shift |
Assist with set-up/clean-up for preview party. Assist vendors in setting up merchandise. Wrap gifts on the weekends. |
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(inside) |
Friday – Sunday, March 18-20, 2011 |
Day of Event Orientation |
1 weekend shift |
Assist with set-up/clean-up, reservations and breakfast food service |
Protect Nature…
Stewardship creates a highly rewarding, long-term bond between people, wildlife, wild places and gardens. Help keep our natural areas natural and our gardens beautiful.
- Do good for yourself and do good for the planet
- Learn about the many plants, trees and wildlife at Holden.
Conservation |
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Opportunity |
Time of Year |
Preparation |
Commitment |
Description |
Volunteer Land Steward (outside) |
Spring Summer Fall |
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2-4 hrs per session; frequency varys depending on chosen area (weekdays or weekends) | Promote biodiversity by helping to monitor and control (by hand or chemically) non-native, invasive plant species in a Holden natural area. |
Bluebird Project Trail Monitor (outside) |
Spring Summer |
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2 hrs per week for at least 1 season (weekdays or weekends) |
Monitor bluebird trail consisting of 12-20 bluebird boxes, accurately record observations, clean nests as necessary |
Bluebird Project Data Entry (inside) |
Summer Fall Winter |
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2-4 hrs per week for at least 1 season (weekdays or weekends) |
Enter trail data accurately into computer/on-line |
Bluebird Project Bander (outside) |
Spring Summer |
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2 hrs per week for at least 1 season (weekdays or weekends) |
Band young birds, record and report banding information, responsible for 2-4 trails |
Bluebird Project Box Maintenance (outside) |
Spring Summer |
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1 hr per week or as needed (weekdays or weekends) |
Repair bluebird boxes as necessary |
Horticulture |
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Opportunity |
Time of Year |
Preparation |
Commitment |
Description |
|
(outside) |
Spring Summer |
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Tuesday, 9-11am, 2 hrs per week |
Perform gardening tasks (weeding, watering and planting) alongside staff horticulturists |
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(outside) |
Spring Summer |
|
Tuesday, 9-11am, 2 hrs per week |
Perform gardening tasks (weeding, watering and planting) alongside staff horticulturists |
|
(outside) |
Spring Summer |
|
Wednesday, 9-11am, 2 hrs per week |
Perform gardening tasks (weeding, watering and planting) alongside staff horticulturists |
|
(outside) |
Spring Summer |
|
Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, 9:30am-11:30am or 12:30-3:30pm, 2-3 hrs per week |
Perform gardening tasks (weeding, watering and planting) alongside staff horticulturists |
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(outside) |
Spring Summer |
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Tuesday or Thursday, 9am-Noon, 6-12 hrs per month |
Perform gardening tasks (weeding, watering and planting) alongside staff horticulturists |
Plant Recorder (inside & outside) |
Spring Summer |
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2-4 hrs per week (Monday-Friday) |
Catalog and inventory plant collections |
Nursery Assistant (inside and outside) |
Spring Summer Fall |
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Thursday, 9am-11:30am 2.5 hrs per week |
Assist in the Nursery, transplant seedlings, propagate by cuttings, water plants, weed and wash pots |
Police |
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Opportunity |
Time of Year |
Preparation |
Commitment |
Description |
Trail Monitor (outside)
|
Spring Summer |
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2-4 hrs every month, weekends |
Create a proactive, positive interface with the Holden guest to facilitate good guest relations and guest safety and security, as well as promoting Holden and providing basic nature or garden interpretation |
|
(outside) |
Spring Summer Fall |
|
4-6 hr shift during at least one major event per year (typically weekends) |
Assist Holden police and other staff with parking of vehicles and related guest relations during major special events. Where applicable, provides young adults (17-23) interested in the safety/security or law enforcement profession hands-on experience and mentoring opportunities. |
Research |
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Opportunity |
Time of Year |
Preparation |
Commitment |
Description |
Leach Research Station Gardener (Madison, Ohio) |
Spring Summer Fall |
|
Wednesday or Thursday, 2-4 hrs per week |
Perform basic gardening tasks (weeding, watering and planting) alongside staff horticulturists at |
Leach Station Bird Survey Volunteer (Madison, Ohio) |
Spring (April-June) |
|
4-6 hrs per week (Monday-Friday, twice weekly) |
Perform bird counts of species and numbers of birds following standard bird survey guidelines |
