Wells Reserve: Volunteering

Volunteers are essential to Wells Reserve and Laudholm Trust. Hundreds of residents and summer visitors give a few hours or many days to help our joint mission. A sampling of their tasks is shown below. We welcome you to join these dedicated individuals. Contact Nancy Viehmann, Volunteer Coordinator, at 207 646-1555 ext. 118.

VOLUNTEER DOCENTS AND NATURALISTS

Guide school groups through our Exploring Estuaries and Water Quality Monitoring Programs during the spring and fall, and lead public nature walks, wildflower walks, or history tours during the summer. We'll teach you what you need to know!
     Exploring Estuaries is a 3-hour naturalist-led exploration of the Wells Reserve that introduces elementary students to estuarine ecology through a variety of hands-on activities.
     The Water Quality Monitoring Field Studies program is designed to give students sixth grade and up experience with water quality testing in the field and laboratory.

VISITOR CENTER VOLUNTEERS

Greet visitors and be a resource to them, answer the phone, sell gift shop items. Volunteers are encouraged to learn about the trails and property, upcoming programs and events, research and education programs, exhibits, history of the farm, and the mission of Wells Reserve and Laudholm Trust.

RANGERS

Walk the trails on weekends from mid-May through mid-November. Rangers are a resource to our visitors, carry a radio in case of emergencies, watch the condition of trails, encourage visitors to adhere to the regulations of the Reserve, and monitor nesting piping plovers.

OFFICE ASSISTANTS

Help in a variety of ways including doing word processing and database management, special projects, and mailings. Volunteers work at both the Reserve and Trust offices.

MAINTENANCE

Help with the maintenance of the property, including painting, fixing, building, mowing, and odd jobs!

PARKING BOOTH

Greet visitors as they arrive at the Reserve. Take and record parking fees and give out information about the Reserve and the events of the day.

LIBRARY ASSISTANTS

Help catalog books and periodicals. Move, organize, and consolidate materials in the Coastal Resources Library then help staff this community resource.

RESEARCH STUDIES AND PROJECTS

Participate in ongoing and special projects including the Watershed Evaluation Team, Return the Tides, Beach Profiling, Shoreline Surveys, etc.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Help plan and implement events during the year. These include the Laudholm Nature Crafts Festival (our largest fund raiser), the Painterly Day and Fresh Paint Auction, Earth Day, National Estuaries Day, the Bean Supper, and others.

BOARDS AND COMMITTEES

Much of the work of Laudholm Trust and the Wells Reserve is done by boards and committees. These groups make policy, raise funds, advise, oversee, and review programs, coordinate events, and get out in the field. Our advisory committees address education, research, resource management, volunteering, library, and buildings.

Please call! -- 646-1555 x118