Ways to Get Involved

Help us make a difference! Volunteers play a vital role in helping the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fulfill its mission.  They also develop a greater understanding and appreciation of refuges through their hands-on experiences. Working side-by-side with Service employees, volunteers help protect, conserve and restore our nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats.

Volunteering

Volunteers at Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge can be an integral part of the staff. They assist with various projects such as conducting wildlife surveys, building kiosks for interpretive displays, or presenting interpretive programs. Their help has been instrumental in the accomplishment of numerous refuge projects and activities.  Our volunteer program seeks to match the skills and interests of the volunteer with the work needed to be accomplished in order to achieve a productive partnership that will enhance visitor opportunities and help conserve the Refuge's natural resources.

Volunteers perform a wide variety of interesting tasks: 

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  • Assisting with the installation of artificial nest cavities for the endangered Red-cockaded woodpecker
  • Conducting fish and wildlife population surveys,
  • Leading tours and providing information and interpretation to the visiting public,
  • Performing clerical and administrative duties,
  • Photographing a variety of natural and cultural resources,
  • Assisting in forest management activities such as inventorying or marking trees for removal,
  • Assisting with carpentry or maintenance work. 

For more information on volunteer opportunities available at Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge, please contact the complex headquarters office at (843) 335-8350 or email the Volunteer Coordinator at carolinasandhills@fws.gov. 

Internships

Carolina Sandhills NWR offers several internships annually through partner organization such the Student Conservation Association and the Forest Stewards Guild. If you are interested in augmenting your college education with field experience on a wildlife refuge, contact us by December for opportunities that begin in March, April or May. We have potential openings for students interested in forestry and wildlife biology. Internships provide free lodging and a modest stipend. 

Our Partners

  • Friends of Carolina Sandhills NWR
  • McLeod Farms
  • Natural Resources Conservation Service
  • Pee Dee Land Trust
  • Sand Hills State Forest
  • SC Department of Health and Environmental Control
  • SC Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR)
  • SCDNR Cheraw Fish Hatchery
  • SC Parks Recreation and Tourism (SCPRT)
  • SCPRT Cheraw State Park
  • SC Wildlife Federation
  • The Forest Stewards Guild
  • The Longleaf Alliance
  • The National Wild Turkey Federation
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • The Sandhills Longleaf Pine Conservation Partnership
  • The SC Prescribed Fire Council
  • The Student Conservation Association

Education Programs

National Wildlife Refuges serve many purposes, and one of our most important roles is as outdoor classrooms to teach about wildlife and natural resources.  Many refuges offer environmental education programs for a variety of audiences.  Refuges provide unique and exciting outdoor environments – excellent locations for hands-on learning activities.  Thousands of youth and adult groups visit every year to learn about a specific topic on wildlife, habitat, or ecological processes.

We periodically conduct environmental education programs for school children, civic organizations, and the general public, and would be happy to host your group at Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge if staffing and scheduling allow. Please contact the Refuge office at (843)335-8350, or e-mail us at carolinasandhills@fws.gov to make arrangements for your group