6/20/2024: Find Kindred Spirits by Volunteering at the Preserve

Searching for your kindred gardeners, hikers and outdoorsy folk? Interested in becoming more involved with your community? Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve is looking for volunteers to serve as the friendly face of this one-of-a-kind, beautiful, accredited outdoor museum. We take pride in the rich history of this 134-acre property, our plant collection of over 750 native plants and the 60 rare and endangered species, and we need your help to share the story! Our volunteers are the enthusiastic and passionate heart of the Preserve, and there are many opportunities to support, both inside and outdoors. One of the most crucial areas of support is visitor services. Our visitor service volunteers usually work 4-hour shifts—weekdays and/or weekends—and are responsible for ensuring a positive experience for our members and visitors. We will work with you to find the right schedule balance.

A shining representative of our visitor services volunteer team is Fran Perlman, who has been with us for 3 years. She’s often at her post in the Twinleaf Book & Gift Shop greeting visitors, answering questions about the Preserve, taking admission, completing transactions, answering the phone and assisting staff with various tasks as needed.

“I love volunteering at the Preserve because it is really pleasant and fun to be here,” she says. “I love the work and greeting the visitors. I feel like I’m doing my small part in supporting the preservation of native plants.”

Available volunteer service positions include:

• Twinleaf Book & Gift Shop Cashier (year-round): Volunteer shifts are from 9 am - 1 pm or 1 - 5 pm. You would ring up purchases in the Twinleaf Book & Gift Shop, answer phones and guests’ questions, orient visitors, help with membership signup and perform light tasks for the gift shop and other departments.
• Admissions Gatehouse (Seasonal): Volunteer shifts are from 9 am - 12:30 pm or 12:30 - 4 pm. Be in charge of checking in members and visitors who have online reservations. Collect admissions from visitors purchasing tickets day-of their visit. Enjoy being outside while you help wayfind our visitors with maps—sharing what native plants are blooming and your favorite trails.
• Nursery Cashier (April - Sept): Volunteer shifts are from 10 am - 1 pm or 1 - 4 pm. Use a barcode scanner to ring up each plant from our Nursery Marketplace. Take cash, check or charge on the user friendly Vend point of sale system.
• Native Garden Guide (April - Oct): Volunteer shifts are from 10 am - 1 pm or 1 - 4 pm. Knowledge of native plants is required. Assist visitors with questions on the Nursery Marketplace, direct visitors to the plants they seek and recommend species that will match the customer's situation and needs.

Outdoor volunteer opportunities also include weeding and invasive species removal, watering our plants on the sales floor, deer fence patrol (to help keep our curated collection safe and uneaten), groundskeeping and trail clearing.

All volunteers receive 20% off all the items at the shop and the nursery, discounts on our educational programs, opportunities for volunteer field trips and enrichment programs and an annual volunteer appreciation event to celebrate the hard work and dedication displayed throughout the year.

Since we are working heavily with the public and children, all positions require background checks, orientation and training. All volunteers must also be 18-years-old or older. Volunteers should enjoy working with people, have a great sense of customer service and feel a passion for learning and sharing information about native plants.

Are you ready to explore what’s natural and learn what’s native? If this seems like the right fit for you, please contact me, the Preserve’s Volunteer Coordinator Brianne Scott, at volunteer@bhwp.org. I would be happy to help you jump into volunteering and become a part of the Preserve family!

Fran, looking forward to new volunteers, would like to tell the recruits, “Give it a try! The visitors are always fun to talk to, and it’s just a great place to be.”