Volunteer Service Opportunities
Volunteer Service Opportunities
Our Chapter-approved volunteer service opportunities fall into three categories: Chapter partners, Chapter projects, and other approved opportunities. The time you spend volunteering at approved opportunities counts towards your recertification each year.
See the “Chapter Approved Volunteer Opportunities” section below for a sample of our partners and projects, their locations, the type of opportunities available, and contact information. Monitor the Chapter calendar at https://txmn.org/bptmn/events/ for work dates/times.
Our Partners
Our Chapter has formally partnered with several local Nature Preserves, and we support them on an ongoing basis. Our four Partners are: Heard Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary, LLELA Nature Preserve, Blackland Prairie Raptor Center, and Connemara Meadow Preserve. (Find details about our partners on page 21.)
Important! Some of our partners require you to complete their volunteer training program before you may begin volunteering with them. This sometimes entails a separate background check. Be sure to work through their respective volunteer coordinators.
Notice about entrance fees: Note that the Heard Museum and LLELA Nature Preserve have admission fees to access their properties. Your fees are waived only while performing volunteer service. If you plan to visit otherwise, you must pay admission just like any member of the public. Consider becoming a member of the Heard and receive unlimited general admission. For LLELA, you may purchase an annual pass which gives you unlimited general admission to the property.
Other Volunteer Service Opportunities
Our chapter has approved many additional volunteer service opportunities, for example: City of Frisco Parks programs, YMCA camp trail guide, City of Plano environmental education and trail maintenance, herbarium support, and Texas Stream Team water monitoring to name just a few. Check VMS for a list of the currently approved opportunities. If you see something that interests you, ask your Guide to connect you with someone involved with the project to find out more about it. If the opportunity you are looking for isn’t listed in VMS, contact Heather Fell, our current VMS Director, at vhat@bptmn.org and ask for her assistance.
APPENDIX I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
PARTNER VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS
Blackland Prairie Raptor Center
Blackland Prairie Raptor Center is a rehabilitation and conservation education organization, specializing in fostering better public understanding of the relationship between birds of prey and healthy ecosystems.
Volunteer Opportunities: Raptor care and feeding; education; rehabilitation of sick/injured birds; prairie/park maintenance; construction projects
Volunteer Contact: marla.layne@bpraptorcenter.org
Address: 1625 Brockdale Park Road, Lucas, TX 75002
Website: https://bpraptorcenter.org/
Connemara Meadow Nature Preserve
The Meadow is 72 acres of natural habitat, rich in floral diversity that is reminiscent of the tall grass Blackland Prairie that once existed here.
Volunteer Opportunities: Assisting with land restoration and conservation projects; providing educational programs for students; facilitating monthly activities in the Preserve; working on special events
Volunteer Contact: Bob Mione info@connemaraconservancy.org
Address: Public access is available to the Connemara Nature Preserve via a trail on the eastern edge of Suncreek Park 601 S. Alma Drive in Allen
Website: connemaraconservancy.org/wordpress/meadow-nature-preserve/
Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
The Heard consists of a 289-acre wildlife sanctuary and a natural science museum for the primary purpose of educating children about nature. The Heard is a private 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and exists to bring nature and people together to discover, enjoy, experience, restore, and preserve our priceless environment.
Volunteer Opportunities: Museum or trail docent; ropes course volunteer; special events; trail guides; live animal care; garden maintenance; butterfly house, sanctuary & trail maintenance
Volunteer Contact: Laura Ragan volunteers@heardmuseum.org 972-562-5566
Address: 1 Nature Place McKinney, Texas 75069
Website: http://www.heardmuseum.org/volunteer
LLELA (Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area) Nature Preserve
Mission: To preserve and restore native Texas ecosystems and biodiversity while providing opportunities for environmental education, research, & recreation.
Volunteer Opportunities: Habitat restoration; river care team; nest box management; 1870s Homestead; birding hikes; outdoor education; bird banding.
Volunteer Contact: Erin Piper epiper@cityoflewisville.com 469.635.5482
Address: 201 E. Jones St. Lewisville, TX 75057 (corner of Jones/Kealy St.)
Website: https://www.llela.org/research-restoration/volunteering
A Sample of BPTMN Chapter Projects
Caldwell Park in Princeton
Project: establishment of a pollinator garden at J.M. Caldwell Sr. Park in Princeton.
Location: J.M. Caldwell Sr. Park at 500 W. College Ave, Princeton, TX 75407
Volunteer Opportunities: removing weeds, spreading compost and mulch to improve the soil, planting new wildflower plants and seeds
Chapter Contact: Donna Joy Vickers crossvines.gardens@gmail.com
City of Frisco Parks Department
Project: partner with Frisco Natural Resources Division in native plant rescue, restoration, and maintenance
Location: various city parks and preserve properties within the City of Frisco, TX
Volunteer Opportunities: plant surveys/assessments in natural areas prior to development, subsequent harvesting, re-planting or sowing of native flora and grasses, invasive plant removal, trash clean-up
Chapter Contact: Rick Travis travisfam2@yahoo.com
Clymer Meadow Preserve
Project: restoration of Clymer Meadow Preserve & other prairie sites in Collin and Hunt counties
Location: meet at Nature Conservancy office, 4318 FM 1562, Celeste, TX
Volunteer Opportunities: ongoing projects and tasks, brush and invasive plant removal, seed gathering, and sorting/cleaning seeds. Non-scheduled events, specialized in scope, are available to interested members
Chapter Contact: Tom Shackelford
toms@bptmn.org 214-505-1177
Erwin Park Prairie & Wylie Prairie Restoration Projects
Project: prairire restoration in open space at Erwin Park and the City of Wylie
Location:
Erwin Park Prairie - 4300 County Rd 1006, McKinney, TX 75071
Wylie Prairie - 300 Country Club Rd, Wylie, TX 75098
Volunteer Opportunities: litter removal, removing small trees, gathering/relocating grass & flower seeds, educational opportunities for schools, scouts, etc, documenting flora & fauna
Chapter Contact: Dave Powell powell1217@yahoo.com
Heritage Farmstead Museum
Project: maintenance of prairie garden at Heritage Farmstead
Location: 1900 W. 15th, Plano, TX 75075
Volunteer Opportunities: planting native plants/seeds, weeding & trimming
Chapter Contact: Bryan Beck mtsub@yahoo.com
iNaturalist Project
Project: surveys of flora and fauna of our service area
Location: various
Volunteer Opportunities: collect observations on any public property within our service area, assist with accurate identification of Texas observations, attend or lead group outings to survey flora and fauna in a designated area
Chapter Contact: Lisa Travis lisat@bptmn.org
Plano Parks Trail Maintenance
Project: invasive plant removal from sensitive natural areas
Location: various Plano parks, including Oak Point, Hoblitzelle, Arbor Hills and others
Volunteer Opportunities: invasive plant removal, gathering/relocating grass & flower seed, documenting flora & fauna
Chapter Contact: Jean Higgins b.jean.higgins@gmail.com