Volunteers

Your interests and experiences can help with nearly every aspect of the agency’s work. Whether individually, with your family, community organization, or business, the Forest has opportunities for us to work together to care for the land. We’ve had volunteers work with specialists doing wildlife surveys, trail maintenance, construction, mapping, and research.

Become part of an army of more than 2.8 million volunteers who, since 1972, have provided more than 123 million hours of service.

Volunteering provides you a great opportunity to:

• Give back to your community
• Improve Forests and Grasslands
• Learn about natural and cultural conservation
• Meet new people and form friendships

Volunteers:

• Help manage campgrounds
• Interact with the public at visitor centers
• Help run events and lead projects, like National Public Lands Day
• Build trails
• Inventory wildlife and plants
• Serve as fire lookouts

For many of the opportunities, no experience is necessary and you will be trained for the volunteer duties. Of course, the Forest Service emphasizes safety at all turns, which means safety precautions and personal protection equipment is required for many of the projects because safety is everyone’s responsibility. Your help in making safety a number one priority for volunteer projects is appreciated.

Follow the Santa Fe National Forest on social media and learn about upcoming volunteer cleanup events and other efforts.  Find events: X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.

You don't have to sign up or join a group to make a difference—you can do that on your own each time you visit. 

Some ways to care for your public lands includes: 

• Follow leave no trace ethics
• Practice good trail etiquette
• Clean up campfire rings
• Follow regulations
• Be a good neighbor to other visitors
• Respect wildlife
• Pack out your trash