Ways to Get Involved
Whether you want to further conservation, learn more about nature, or share your love of the outdoors, you’ve come to the right place. National wildlife refuges provide many opportunities for you to help your community by doing what you love. National wildlife refuges partner with volunteers, youth groups, landowners, neighbors, and residents of urban and coastal communities to make a lasting difference. Find out how you can help make American lands healthier and communities stronger while doing something personally satisfying. Scroll down to learn more about Ways to Get Involved - VOLUNTEERING, FRIENDS OF MALHEUR, PARTNERS, and EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
Volunteering
Why Volunteer at Malheur?
Discover for yourself what tens of thousands of volunteers have learned: Volunteering for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is fun and rewarding in many ways. Master new skills. Meet new friends. Enjoy a sense of accomplishment for doing your part to further wildlife conservation for the pleasure of generations to follow.
Many opportunities exist for you to donate your time and talents at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. We have a very strong volunteer program and we value all of our volunteers. Whether you want to give a one-month commitment or more, the Refuge has programs for you to volunteer. We invite you to join our team and become a volunteer to help us meet our mission.
Explore the list below for ways to support the Refuge. Learn more at https://www.volunteer.gov/s/global-search/malheur or call (541) 493-2612.
- A season at Malheur provides lodging, excellent birding, unlimited outdoor recreation, and professional growth and development
- RV pads with full hookups, Wi-Fi, laundry facility, shower facility, a common day room with extra sitting space, and a small fully-equipped kitchen
- Only a one-month commitment is needed (longer commitments are welcomed)
- Work three, 8-hour consecutive days per week
- Enjoy sightings of more than 340 bird species and 67 mammal species, including rare and incidental birds
- Rural atmosphere, open spaces, beautiful landscapes, peaceful environment, and dark skies
- Live a short distance from BLM and Forest Service public lands
- Work with wonderful and engaging staff
Visitor Center Volunteers
Volunteers in the Visitor Center welcome visitors and offer them a safe experience of the Refuge’s outstanding features (diversity of wildlife, signs of earlier inhabitants, scenic landscapes, and solitude). As a result, visitors will leave the Refuge with a memorable experience that fosters a connection between themselves and nature, and with an appreciation of Malheur's unique resources.
The volunteer will staff the Visitor Center providing an integrated set of welcome and orientation features for visitors to feel welcome, easily find accurate, timely, and appropriate orientation materials and information, be aware of their options (available activities and experiences, where to and when to go, how to get there, etc.) and safely pursue self-guided activities.
The Visitor Center is open 8:00 am – 4:00 pm daily and is located a short distance from the volunteer's living area (RV sites). Couples will work on the same shift, but may not be conducting the same duties such as maintenance volunteer duties.
Maintenance Volunteers
Volunteer duties in the maintenance program will vary with the volunteer skill sets and experiences. Maintenance volunteers will conduct routine duties to keep standards high, appearances good at the Refuge for visitors, and to enlightening visitors’ experiences. The volunteer will be provided duties during their shift including light construction, landscape maintenance, facility maintenance, sign maintenance, trail maintenance, and more.
Volunteer hours will be 8:00 am – 4:00 pm and couples will work on the same shift, but may not be conducting the same duties as Visitor Center volunteers.
Our Partners
Nature does not recognize human-made boundaries. In order to conserve our natural and cultural resources effectively, we must work with others to bridge these boundaries. Partnerships foster creative solutions to challenging situations and often the results are greater than the sum of the parts. Scroll down to learn more about our Local Partners - FRIENDS OF MALHEUR and OTHER PARTNERS.
Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (FOMR)
More than 200 nonprofit Refuge Friends organizations support National Wildlife Refuges, whether they work with a single refuge, a refuge complex or an entire State. Friend’s members are crucial to conserving and protecting our nation’s wildlife and teaching millions of Americans that their actions today determine the conservation legacy of tomorrow.
Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (FOMR) was founded in 1999 to promote the conservation and appreciation of natural and cultural resources at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. From their office at Refuge headquarters, FOMR proudly assist Refuge staff with interpretive programs, habitat restoration, visitor services and other Refuge projects. In addition to partnering with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service in supporting Malheur, FOMR work toward continued recognition of the environmental, spiritual and economic value of our nation’s public lands, lands that belong to all of us.
As a Friends group partnering with the remote refuge of Malheur, FOMR are constantly looking for ways to engage visitors. FOMR manages the Nature Store, provide wildlife viewing areas and a pollinator garden featuring native plants at Refuge headquarters, and hosts and participates in outreach events both at the Refuge and beyond. As always, FOMR continues to work with Refuge staff and partners to identify projects in the Harney Basin that FOMR and our dedicated volunteers can help bring to fruition.
Even if you can’t make it out to volunteer with the FOMR or attend Refuge events, there are other ways you can support this Friends group and Malheur. Learn more at https://malheurfriends.org.
Other Partners
Partnerships with the Refuge System bring innovative approaches to solving land management issues in the most protective manner. Scientifically-informed and technologically-based stewardship of our public lands, water, wildlife, and special places must be a collaborative effort between the Refuge System, private landowners and organizations, and other government agencies if conservation efforts are to succeed. Malheur National Wildlife Refuge works with many partners. They play a very important role in helping the Refuge accomplish its wildlife management and conservation mission.
Education Programs
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service held a landmark meeting with the healthcare industry to discuss the health of our nation's children and opportunities to get kids involved in outside activities. More than 100 health professionals and land managers met at the "Let's Go Outside for Health" - Health Professionals' Roundup Meeting in Arlington, Virginia on February 29, 2008, to help the Service develop strategies to create enjoyable and meaningful experiences for Americans in the outdoors, improving their health and well-being and leading to life-long connections to the environment.
Outdoor classrooms give students the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors while promoting an understanding of wildlife conservation. Programs are designed for school groups of all ages, including high school and university students, environmental education organizations, and the general public.
Open the door to a potentially life-changing experience. Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is famous for its spectacular concentrations of wildlife which are attracted to the Refuge’s habitat and abundant water resources in an otherwise arid landscape making the Refuge an invaluable opportunity to support your classroom activities. You’re bound to come away with new insights and excitement about conservation. Scroll down to learn more about our Education Programs to plan a field trip or request an expert.
Plan a Field Trip
Want to bring your classroom to the Refuge? Participate in a K - 5th Grade Education Program. Students are engaged in ranger-led activities to promote enjoyable and hands-on learning with an integrated curriculum at Refuge headquarters. Contact the Refuge to schedule a field trip at malheur@fws.gov or (541) 493-2612.
Request an Expert
Seeking a subject matter expert to share the unique stories of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge with your group? Refuge staff and volunteers may be available to join your class at the Refuge. Contact the Refuge with your request at malheur@fws.gov or (541) 493-2612.