Answers to questions about scheduling, impact, and more!
Volunteer with Us With Ease
Frequently Asked Questions
We offer a range of opportunities depending on the season and current projects, including:
- Creek and river cleanups
- Habitat restoration and invasive plant removal
- River ambassador summer program
- Community outreach and tabling events
- Event and program support and logistics
- Pro-bono or special student projects
Some opportunities are one-time events, while others are ongoing or project-based. You can sign up as a general volunteer or event assistant for a single cleanup or invasive species removal event by signing up for current events at www.russianriverkeeper.org/volunteer . Ongoing volunteer opportunities require an application to get started.
No experience is required for most volunteer opportunities. We provide instructions and support at cleanup and invasive species removal events and demonstrate safe practices and tool use. Some special projects may require training or specific skills, which will be stated in posted recruitments.
We’ll work with you to set up a cleanup event as long as the location has safe, accessible parking and is suitable for volunteers. We’ll make every effort to make it happen, and if we’re unable to host an event, we can help report the issue so it can be addressed by Sonoma County.
Age requirements vary by activity. Minors 14 and under need to be accompanied by an adult, guardian or chaperone for all events, and all minors under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult during Adopt a highway and Adopt a Road events. Volunteer opportunities are marked by difficulty level-difficult cleanups are not recommended for young children or adults that are not physically fit due to environmental conditions or other factors.
Yes! We welcome:
- Corporate volunteer groups
- School or student groups
- Community organizations and clubs
Group opportunities require advanced scheduling. Please contact us ahead of time so we can plan a meaningful and safe experience.
It’s flexible. You can volunteer once for a single event, volunteer occasionally throughout the year, or commit to a project-based role with a defined timeline. There’s no minimum commitment unless specified for a particular role.
Yes. Advance registration helps us plan, provide supplies, and communicate important details. Some events have limited capacity and may fill up.
We understand that plans change. If you can, reply to the confirmation email and we’ll receive your cancellation and appreciate you keeping us informed!
This depends on the activity, but generally:
- Comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting dirty
- Closed toe and sturdy shoes (required for outdoor work)
- Sun protection, especially for summer days (hat, sunscreen)
- Refillable water bottle and anything you might need for a 2 hour cleanup
We provide tools, gloves, pickers and bags and will haul away the trash at the end, so you don’t have to!
Cleanups and invasive species removal events involve walking, bending, lifting, kneeling, or standing, but we encourage volunteers to take care of themselves and stay within limits of health. Alternative roles involving tabling and coordinating the “home base” communications are an available option.
We want volunteering to be as inclusive as possible. If you have accessibility needs or concerns, please reach out before the event and we’ll do our best to accommodate or suggest appropriate opportunities.
Since volunteering generally involves holding a trash picker and bag in each hand and/or other tools, dogs are not recommended, except for adopt-a-road and adopt-a-highway events where dogs are strictly prohibited. Service animals or well-behaved dogs need to be on a leash and attended to at all times at other events.
Volunteers play a critical role in:
- Removing trash and pollutants
- Restoring habitat and natural areas for wildlife and people
- Educating the community about watershed protection
Your time directly supports the health of the Russian River and surrounding ecosystems. With your help, the amount of trash we remove from the Russian River and surrounding areas continues to grow. We now remove nearly half a million pounds of trash from the watershed annually. Additionally, we’ve been able to remove hundreds of acres of Arundo donax (a highly invasive reed) over the past few years with the help of our volunteers working with the Restoration team.
Yes. We can provide confirmation of volunteer hours for school, work, or service requirements when requested. We have verification forms at events if needed, or you can sign your organization’s form onsite, or email us at volunteers@russianriverkeeper.org. Repeat volunteers will be notified of their hours periodically when specific milestones are reached.
In most cases yes, please let us know in advance if you need documentation or verification.
Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media. We share upcoming opportunities regularly, especially during peak volunteer seasons.
That’s great! Volunteers interested in deeper involvement can explore project-based roles. Let us know your interests when you sign up or reach out directly.