Volunteer

Stewardship Workdays

Calling all dirt diggers! Attend our Stewardship Workdays to make friends and challenge your muscles while enjoying WNC’s beautiful scenery. Stewardship volunteer opportunities are usually physical in nature and include maintaining trails, planting trees, picking up litter, removing invasive plants, demolishing buildings, restoring native habitats, and more.

When: Regular workdays occur every other Thursday from 9:00am-12:00pm. Special workdays are scheduled in the afternoons, evenings, and on weekends as needed. Weekend opportunities are generally available at least once a quarter. 

Where: Outside across our whole service area: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon, Jackson, and Swain Counties, as well as occasionally Rabun County, GA. Volunteers in this area have opportunities to visit secluded or private lands that aren’t accessible to the public.

Requirements:

• Basic physical fitness, including the ability to walk on uneven surfaces and lift moderately heavy objects.
• Appropriate gear such as sturdy-closed toed shoes and work pants. We provide tools like shovels, work gloves, and loppers, but you are welcome to use your personal equipment, too. 
• If using a chainsaw, certification is necessary (not required to join this volunteer program.) 

Eligibility: Willing adults of all ages. Children 12+ are welcome, but must be accompanied by a parent. We can accommodate large groups with advanced notice. Volunteer organizers are welcome to contact us to request a specialized volunteer opportunity for your group. 

WNC Wildseed Library

Our WNC Wildseed Library, a unique native seed library, is made possible by the generosity of our volunteers. Join us for a flower foray or seed collection opportunity to get your eyes and hands on the plants, or visit our office for a seed cleaning and packaging day if you prefer indoor activities. More of a gardener than a botanist? Install and maintain a seed increase plot- a special garden created for the purpose of producing seeds- on your property. Got plentiful wildflowers, but don’t know how to collect seeds from them? Reach out to Skye {inset contact info} to inquire about allowing our staff and/or volunteers to collect seeds on your behalf. This program also includes learning opportunities like Ethical Wild Seed Collection Training, Native Seed Germination Workshops, and Native Seed Processing Workshops.

When: Opportunities are scheduled as needed and may include mornings, afternoons, evenings, and weekends. Plant identification and seed collection occurs from spring-fall, and seed processing and packaging continues through the winter. 

Where: Across Mainspring’s service area, but outdoor opportunities are often focused in Macon and Jackson Counties. Seed cleaning and packaging days generally occur inside our main office in Franklin. 

Requirements: 

• Basic physical fitness, including the ability to hike on uneven surfaces and bend or kneel, may be necessary to assist with seed collection. 
• Finger dexterity and, in some cases, decent eyesight is necessary for indoor seed cleaning and packaging tasks.
• A background in botany, gardening, or horticulture is helpful for some tasks, but is never necessary. We will teach you everything you need to know! 

Eligibility: Willing adults of all ages. Children 16+ are welcome. Larger groups can sometimes be accommodated with advanced notice. 

Aquatic Biomonitoring

Get in the creek with Dr. Bill McLarney and assess water quality by collecting and identifying fish! This volunteer area involves standing and walking in a stream for multiple hours while carrying buckets or nets, and volunteers have the opportunity to identify and learn about a wide variety of our aquatic wildlife. Volunteers receive a summary of the data they collected during the sampling session, as well as an explanation of what the data means in the wider context of stream health, aquatic habitat quality, and overall regional biodiversity.

When: Sampling sessions typically occur weekday and weekend mornings from May through August. Sessions may run into the early afternoons. Select volunteers may enter data in the off-season. 

Where: In small to medium creeks within the Little Tennessee Watershed: Macon, Jackson, Swain, and Graham Counties. 

Requirements:

• Ability to walk and stand for multiple hours in running water.
• Minor to moderate upper body strength, including the ability to lift waterlogged nets from streams.
• Experience with aquatic sampling is helpful, but not necessary. 
• For data input, MS Access knowledge can be helpful.

Eligibility: Willing adults of all ages. Children 12+ are welcome. Larger groups can sometimes be accommodated with advanced notice. 

Event Support

Help outreach events and educational opportunities run smoothly by providing behind-the-scenes and logistical support. Volunteer tasks vary widely. Some tasks are physical in nature, such as setting up tents or directing parking, and others may be less taxing, such as collecting sign-in’s.

When: Year-round as needed. Outreach events often occur after the workday or on weekends. 

Where: Inside and outside across our whole service area: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon, Jackson, and Swain Counties, as well as occasionally Rabun County, GA. 

Requirements:

• Basic physical fitness may be necessary for some tasks. 
• Certifications, such as a driver’s license and a personal vehicle, may be needed for other opportunities. 
• Willingness to be warm and welcoming to event attendees. 

Eligibility: Willing adults of all ages. Children 16+ are welcome. 

Media

Like taking pictures? Share them with us! Media volunteers may be personally invited to attend certain events to take pictures or can donate the images they take independently. We greatly appreciate access to images depicting regional vistas, native flora and fauna, and our properties. Media volunteers may request that they are credited when their photos are used. 

When: As needed. Events often occur after the workday or during the weekends, but may occur during weekdays. Of course, independent photography may occur at any time. 

Where: Mostly outside, but some opportunities may be indoors. Images should depict locations within our service area: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon, Jackson, and Swain Counties, as well as occasionally Rabun County, GA. 

Requirements:

• Photography skills.
• Personal camera (a smartphone that can take high quality images counts!)
• Willingness for your images to be included in digital or print publications, including our website, social media, trail brochures, and magazines. 

Eligibility: Willing adults of all ages.

Office Support

Stop in our office to assist with letter stuffing, envelope addressing, folding trail brochures, or other office tasks as needed. 

When: Year-round, Monday-Friday, 9:00am-4:00pm. 

Where: At our Franklin office.

Requirements:

• Discretion, as privacy of both staff and supporters are paramount.
• Finger dexterity, including legible handwriting for some tasks. 
• Availability during the workday. 

Eligibility: Willing adults of all ages

Rickman Store

Join the Friends of Rickman Store, a volunteer group dedicated to the preservation of the Historic Rickman Store in Cowee-West’s Mill. They plan and host live music events and keep the building open and welcoming.

When: Saturdays in May – December, when events are being held at the store.

Where: Rickman Store, 259 Cowee Creek Road, Franklin

Skills Needed: All types! Building maintenance, working the welcome area during events, etc. – if you have an interest, we can find a place for you!

Ages: Willing adults of all ages

Contact: Elena Carlson and Connie Reynolds lead these volunteer efforts.