Volunteer
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with us!
We could not accomplish our mission without the help of people like you.
You can read about some of our ongoing volunteer projects below. You can also find upcoming volunteer days on our calendar.
To save yourself a step during your first visit, fill out our volunteer registration form and bring it with you.
Invasive species control (late fall-early spring)
We need your help to control invasive Autumn Olive, Tree-of-heaven, Oriental Bittersweet, and Japanese Honeysuckle. These species provide inferior habitat for animals and they crowd out native plants. Exotic plants thrive at Clifton (as they do across the Piedmont) because of the property’s long history of disturbance. Invasive species control is a great way to get to see the 900-acre property, meet fellow environmentalists in your community, get some exercise, and make a difference for our native biodiversity.
If you are interested in participating in our invasive species control, you can find upcoming volunteer days on our calendar.
Education Assistants (year round)
Do you enjoy working outside with kids? We offer outdoor environmental education for pre-K-12 students from schools, homeschool groups, Scout groups, and other local organizations. We are looking for volunteer Education Assistants to work with our team of educators to help plan and run our programs.
Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn more about local natural history, gain experience with outdoor education, and spend time outside at our beautiful field station. Scheduling is flexible with programs offered mornings and afternoons throughout the year.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
- Facilitate games and activities during our pre-K-12 field trips
- Assist leading nature walks
- Prepare program materials
We typically train our Education Assistants in late summer. If you are interested in participating in our next Education Assistant training please email Education Associate Alison Zak at azak@cliftoninstitute.org.
Biodiversity surveys (year round)
We need help conducting biodiversity surveys on the field station. Our goals are to monitor the effects of our restoration projects on native species and to contribute to our long-term bioblitz.
We are looking for volunteer participants and survey leaders.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
- Birds (year round). We are looking for birdwatchers who are able to identify all species visually and aurally to do monthly bird surveys in our early successional habitats.
- Plants (spring to fall). Botanists who can identify the majority of herbaceous and woody species found in Piedmont fields.
- Butterflies and dragonflies (spring to fall). People who can identify the majority of species found in the region (it’s OK if you have to photograph some skippers!).
If you are interested in conducting biodiversity surveys, please email Bert Harris at bharris@cliftoninstitute.org.
Long-term bioblitz (year round)
We need help collecting and identifying observations of animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms for our long-term bioblitz project. 
HOW YOU CAN HELP
- Photograph animals and plants on the field station with your smart phone or camera and upload the photos to cliftoninstitute.org/inaturalist
- Use your expertise to identify observations that have already been uploaded
- Learn new taxonomic groups and identify observations
- Use our microscopes to photograph small specimens and upload observations
- Clean and sort bee and beetle specimens
Bird boxes (early spring to summer)
We maintain and monitor a network of boxes to provide nest sites for native birds that compete with exotic species for cavities. Our focal species are American Kestrel, Eastern Screech-owl, Eastern Bluebird, and Wood Duck.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
- Clean boxes
- Repair boxes
- Set up new boxes and predator guards
- Check boxes
- Enter data
- Donate boxes, poles, or predator guards