Volunteers wanted at Florida State Parks

The Florida Park Service manages 160 state parks on more than 700,000 acres. With more than 21 million visitors a year, it's a challenge to provide quality visitor services with about 1,000 employees.

The fact is, the park system relies on the help of thousands of volunteers. Last year, these volunteers contributed more than 1.2 million hours -- the same as 581 full time positions. Many of these volunteers are RVers.

Volunteers can do many things -- greet visitors, conduct tours, help rangers remove exotic plants or maintain the natural beauty of a beach, waterway or trail. Groups can adopt trails, portions of a park or even an entire park. Students can participate in internship programs or bring a group to a park to provide service as an alternative "spring break."

Campground hosts, almost always RVers, are "special" volunteers who aid the managers of a state park camping area. They answer campers' questions, help with maintenance and are available for late-night emergencies. In return, campground hosts get a free campsite and the satisfaction of performing an important and much-needed job.

To find out more about volunteer programs in individual parks, including available positions, please check out the volunteer link on park websites. The Florida Park Service does not recruit or place volunteers from its central office. Keep the following in mind:

--Research the parks that might interest you, or a region of the state you like, and contact those parks first.
--Would-be volunteers should contact the park directly by telephone and inquire about available volunteer positions.
--Plan ahead: most parks book winter volunteers as far as one year in advance. So contact parks at your earliest opportunity.
-- Small isolated parks in north Florida and parks in the panhandle are more likely to have sites in the winter than south Florida parks.
-- Many parks seek camper volunteers in the summer.

If you would like to become a state park volunteer, contact:
Coordinator of Volunteer Services
Bureau of Operational Services
Division of Recreation and Parks
3900 Commonwealth Blvd., MS 535
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-300
(850) 245-3076