Volunteer At The Center

The Center is a busy place, and community support makes it all happen. From our 54 acres of restored landscape and gardens to our educational programs, volunteers from all walks of life aid the Center in providing nature education and protecting habitat along the Yellowstone River. 

Are you interested in our internship program for college credit? Scroll to the bottom of the page for more info and a link to apply. 

Are you a current volunteer at the Center? Click here for our volunteer resources page.

Types of Volunteer Opportunities

Land Stewards

The Center rests on 54 acres of restored habitat thanks to the Yellowstone River Parks Association, community volunteers, and local agencies. This work continues today and is completed primarily by community volunteers. Land Stewards have the opportunity to assist with Garden Maintenance, Citizen Science, and Restoration Projects. 

• Garden Maintenance: The Center has three demonstration gardens and a memorial garden that volunteers help to maintain through weeding, mulching, planting, and watering. 
• Citizen Science: Interested in contributing to our knowledge of the landscape? Help us survey individual bird species, nesting bird populations, and other animals and plants. Opportunities occur year-round and are flexible to work with your schedule.
• Restoration: To continue providing beneficial wildlife habitat, our restoration program focuses on invasive weed control, as well as habitat preservation and maintenance. No experience in botany or wildlife management? No problem, we provide training on all you need to know!

Education

Educational Programs are a large part of what we do at the Montana Audubon Center. Whether it’s a field trip, homeschool science program, summer camp, special events, open house, or any of the other programs we offer, we need a good team of volunteers to engage participants and assist staff. 

Behind the scenes 

Aside from restoration and program volunteering, the Center provides a host of other volunteer opportunities from social media development to general building upkeep and construction projects to special events coordination. Do you have a special skill you’d like to put to work for us? Please let us know in our volunteer application! 

Volunteer Training

• Formal training is provided, however much of our training includes active learning while on the job. 
• If you want to learn more about Montana’s flora and fauna, take advantage of the Master Naturalist course and other programs for adults that are offered at the Center. 

Individual Volunteers

Interested in joining us? Fill out our volunteer information form and our staff will be in touch! Or check out our calendar of events for upcoming drop-in volunteer opportunities

Group Volunteering

• We love working with groups of varying abilities and skill sets. Volunteer groups may help with our Restoration and Garden programs, depending on group size and ability.
• Sign up today to set up a day and time for your group to come out by completing our group volunteer application form. 

Questions? Please contact Emily Chilcoat at 406.294.5099 or  by email  

Internships at the Center

As an intern, you’ll work with our dedicated staff  of teacher naturalists to gain hands-on experience leading outdoor and environmental education programs. Using our 54-acre outdoor classroom, you’ll learn how to facilitate engaging science lessons, nature-based games, journaling activities, and cultural history lessons. Interns assist our staff in delivering programs, and may develop and lead unique programs of their own. As part of your training, you’ll develop naturalist interpretation skills for educating people about plants, birds, mammals & more. Interns may also have opportunities to assist with landscape restoration.

These are unpaid internships. You may earn academic credit through your college or university. Enjoy being part of something bigger than yourself – you will be supporting programs that provide nature education to people of all ages!

Ideal candidates have the following qualifications:

• Some prior courses in environmental studies, biology, ecology, natural history and/or education and child development.
• Passion for the outdoors & sharing it with others
• Ability to co-teach groups of up to 25 students
• Ability to commit to a regular schedule

Interested? Fill out the application at this link.

Montana Audubon Center Wish List

• magnifying glasses
• 4 x 4 pop-up picnic shelters
• lifejackets – all sizes
• canoes
• kayaks
• animal skulls and hides
• professionally mounted birds/animals
• field guides: plants and animals
• office supplies: dry erase markers, rubber bands, copy paper, duct tape
• education supplies: hot chocolate, tempera paint, flashlights, colored pencils
• work truck
• black oil sunflower bird seed
• specialty bird seed (sponsor a feeder for $50 or purchase seed from Wild Birds Unlimited)

For more information on how to get involved contact the Center Director at 406.294.5099