Volunteer Opportunities

When you volunteer with the Cache Creek Conservancy you share in the benefits of volunteering: reduced stress, finding friends, helping the community, and learning new skills.

We need help year-round with a variety of tasks. Every season brings new volunteer opportunities; you can see the kinds of things we do below.

After signing up to volunteer, you will receive safety training as well as specific training to help make your volunteer experience as wonderful as possible.

Submit the form below and we’ll get in touch.

Community Beautification Days

You can help restore Cache Creek by volunteering at Conservancy restoration sites throughout the watershed.

We frequently hold Community Beautification Days in the Winter and Spring, which are one-day events volunteers can help with restoration and gardening. Keep checking our Events page or sign up for the newsletter to be notified.

If you’d prefer a more regular schedule, there are opportunities during regular open hours in the Memorial Garden, the Tending and Gathering Garden, or the small nursery.

Gardening

The Memorial Garden is our demonstration garden that features native California plants. Year-round, we need help maintaining the garden, primarily by weeding and mulching. If you enjoy light activity in a quiet environment surrounded by plenty of native plants and wildlife, this would be a great match for you! This volunteer position involves bending, squatting, and carrying small loads (less than 20 lbs).

Bird Box Monitoring

Who could resist baby barn owls, wood ducks, or tree swallows? Volunteers assist with monitoring and maintenance of bird boxes at the Nature Preserve. You could also monitor bird populations from egg to fledgling! This volunteer position is seasonal, starting in spring going into summer.

Bird Phenology Survey

To help us collect data on long-term avian species at the preserve, staff and volunteers conduct bird phenology surveys twice a month. Currently, the surveys usually take place on the first and third Monday of each month, starting at 8:30 AM. We welcome volunteers with prior birding knowledge or those who are highly interested in learning!

This volunteer opportunity takes place year-round. Each survey takes about two to three hours and involves walking 2.5 miles. We avoid surveying on rainy or windy days.

Invasive Wildlife Removal

While the preserve’s wetland habitat attracts a diverse array of native wildlife, there are inevitably non-native, and even invasive, wildlife that have established here too. The most prominent wildlife threats in the wetland are red-eared sliders and American bullfrogs. Learn more about them and how they impact native species. Those that are keen to help us with the invasive wildlife removal may sign up as volunteers!

This volunteer position is seasonal, taking place in spring and summer. Turtle trapping* takes place during the afternoon and morning, while bullfrog removal takes place at night. A valid CA fishing license is required for bullfrog removal.

Both activities are very hands-on and can be labor-intensive. If you have your own waders, we highly recommend you bring them, as we have limited waders for volunteers to borrow.

*Turtle trapping at Cache Creek Nature Preserve is done with proper permits and licenses, under supervision of trained staff. Do not attempt to do this alone.

Visitor Center Docent

Do you love learning about nature and history, and sharing your knowledge with others? Consider joining the Conservancy’s docent program for our on-site Visitor Center! Docents supervise the Visitor Center and interact with visitors to enrich their experiences at the nature preserve and answer questions.

Currently, we are looking for volunteers who are willing to take on a two-hour shift on Sundays. All training will be provided.

You should see a form in the green box below. If you don’t please feel free to Contact Us directly.