VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS: A desire to learn, A love of nature, Dependability, Dedication
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Weekday Education Guides, Weekend Education Guides, Natural Resource Preservation, Outreach to the Community, Building and Ground Maintenance, Special Events
Click the button below to complete our google application form or contact Brooke Akins, our Volunteer Coordinator, at brooke@abnc.org or 713 274 2664 for more information.
Special volunteer projects can be arranged for groups of volunteers. Projects may range from carpentry, painting, trail clean up, prairie restoration activities to administrative projects. Groups of volunteers may also help at special events. Waivers are required for all service group participants.
Click the button below to tell us about your group or contact Brooke Akins, our Volunteer Coordinator, at brooke@abnc.org or 713 274 2664 for more information.
Volunteers are invited to join staff and dedicated ABNC volunteers to assist with a variety of conservation and stewardship activities. Whether it is maintaining trails, plant propagation, or habitat restoration, you can do your part to help #keepABNC wild! Join most Fridays or Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. The work plan is weather dependent and set the week prior to the scheduled service day. Prairie Friday (every Friday at 8:30am) Join us for prairie restoration activities: potting, lateral transfers, weeding, and more at Armand Bayou Nature Center.
Click the button below to sign up and learn more.
ABNC welcomes teens between the ages of 14-17 who enjoy nature, like working with children and want to learn about the environment. There are a variety of opportunities in which you can participate: i.e. aides with EcoCamps, The Martyn Farm Harvest Festival and other programs and events held at the nature center. Please call for available opportunities.
For EcoCamp Volunteers, there is a Required Teen Volunteer Training held during the first week of summer break.
School Related Required Volunteering: Students need to fill out the Teen Volunteer Application and contact the Education Department for available opportunities.
If you think this sounds like the place for you, click the button below to download and print your application (be sure to include your email address) and return it to Heather at heather@abnc.org. Any questions about youth volunteering please email Heather or you can call her at 713 274 2667.
For Girl Scout or Boy Scout Volunteering projects please fill out the Scout Volunteering Form using the button below, or contact Kathy at kathy@abnc.org or 713 274 2668 for more information.
By joining this unique volunteer community, you will have a direct impact on the quality of coastal water, the preservation of biodiversity, and helping people reconnect with nature.
As a thank you, Armand Bayou Nature Center extends the following benefits to volunteers:
Continuing Education & Learning Opportunities
Monthly Volunteer Meetings & Guest Speakers
Volunteer Appreciation Dinner & yearly awards
A chance to help actively plan and develop our programs and projects
ABNC’s volunteer community is unique in that our Volunteer Board and members have an active role in our organization. They often work hand-in-hand with our staff to help serve our mission.
We hope that by volunteering at ABNC, you develop friendships with members of our diverse community of volunteers. Most of all, we hope you have fun in the process!
Below is a summary of our regular activities where you can help out. We are continually developing our existing programs and actively working to expand them. If you have talents and skills that you would like to put to use and you do not see an activity below that quite fits those talents - let us know! We want to help you find your niche and are happy to help you build a place at ABNC.
EcoEducation: all classes and field trips based on a variety of topics including but not limited to wetlands, prairie, forest, reptiles, mammals, insects, etc.
Weekly classes on Wed. & Fri. (follows the CCISD calendar)
Summer, Spring, & Winter Camp
School & Adult field trip classes
Paid Outreaches
Scouts: leading Scout groups through a variety of nature topics
Front Office & Weekend Greeters: Help our front office staff with managing admissions and greeting guests, or help out with other front office tasks like answering the phone and light data entry.
Sustainability Series (in development): Help show and teach guests of special workshops and classes how to transform city-life and urban living so that it is more sustainable and in harmony with our local ecology.
Arts & Crafts(in development): Donate your time and talents to create crafts to sell in our Martyn & Sons General Store during the Martyn Farm Harvest Festival. Work from home or at the center.
Community Outreaches: spread the word about the Armand Bayou and our mission, our wildlife & habitats, and help recruit other volunteers. You will receive emails from our Outreach Team Volunteer Coordinator about upcoming events that need volunteers.
Interpretive Trail Guide: Enhance our visitors’ experience of discovery on our trails; conduct informative and entertaining (often scripted) tours as a weekend trail guide during the day or during the night. We offer weekend day hikes at 10am and 2pm. Night Hikes include Owl Prowl, Firefly Hikes, Bat Hikes, Photo Hikes.
Interpretative Natural History Demonstrators: Introduce visitors to native wildlife and habitats through the use of specimens or live animals and educational materials.
Cultural History Demonstrators & Interpretative Guides: Walk visitors through our on-site farm house and farm life circa 1895, or demonstrate farm activities like butter making, rope making, candle making, sewing & embroidery, and yarn dolls.
Kayaks: Help guide folks explore the Armand Bayou stream on one seater kayaks. Training is required.
Prairie Friday: Help restore the prairie by potting and planting native plants and forbs every Friday, rain or shine. You do not need to attend every Friday.
Stewardship Saturdays: Whether it is trail trimming, planting in our prairie, or treating invasive species, there is always something to do on the 1st & 3rd Saturday of each month.
Monthly Bird Count: Help ABNC volunteers and folks from the Houston Audubon Society count birds every 2nd Saturday of the month.
Facilities: Join the crew that works behind the scenes to help keep this place running. Our facility crew really does it all and keeps the nature center in good repair.
Guardians of the Gardens: Help pull weeds, place mulch, and plant flowers to keep our gardens looking attractive and productive.
Weekday and Weekend opportunities available.
Rain & Pollinator Garden
McGovern Children’s Discovery Area
Farm House Garden
Farm Vegetable Garden
Assist by helping with or coordinating ABNC's annual events such as Martyn Farm Harvest Festival, and Creepy Crawlers. Check out our events page to learn more about our events to see which one fits your interests and talents.