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 and wetland management districts provide many opportunities for you to help your community by doing what you love by partnering with volunteers, youth groups, landowners, neighbors and residents of a diversity of communities to make a lasting difference. Find out how you can help make American lands healthier and communities stronger while doing something personally satisfying.

Volunteering

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. Learn new skills, meet new friends and enjoy a sense of accomplishment from doing your part to further wildlife conservation for the pleasure of generations to follow.

Volunteers help district staff with biology and maintenance projects including waterfowl surveys, inventories of orchids, birds or endangered species, posting signs and pulling fences. Most activities are completed in one day or less. If you are interested in volunteering, contact the district at 608-742-7100.

Our Partners

In order to conserve our natural and cultural resources effectively, we must work with others. Partnerships foster creative solutions to challenging situations and often the results are greater than the sum of the parts. Some of our local partners include:

  • The Nature Conservancy
  • Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  • Natural Resources Conservation Service
  • Ducks Unlimited
  • Pheasants Forever
  • National Park Service

Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provides technical and financial assistance to solve land management problems, identify partners and coordinate restoration work on private lands. In Wisconsin, the partners program is active in the district’s 10-county area of responsibility. By working closely with other federal, state and local agencies, as well as private conservation groups, we are able to provide both technical and financial assistance to landowners. For more information visit https://www.fws.gov/program/partners-fish-and-wildlife

Outreach

Outreach opportunities to learn more about the district and volunteering opportunities include citizen science projects and interpretive programs and events.

Education Programs

Open the door to a potentially life-changing experience. If you land a student internship, a fellowship or a volunteer opportunity at a wetland management district wetland management district
A wetland management district is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office that manages waterfowl production areas in one or more counties. Waterfowl production areas are small natural wetlands and grasslands that provide breeding, resting and nesting habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, grassland birds and other wildlife. The Fish and Wildlife Service acquires waterfowl production areas under the authority of the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act, primarily using funds from the sale of Federal Duck Stamps. The Refuge System’s 38 wetland management districts comprise thousands of waterfowl production areas – almost all in the Prairie Pothole Region of the Northern Great Plains.

Learn more about wetland management district , refuge, fish hatchery or other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service site, you’re bound to come away with new insights and excitement about conservation.