A Day in the Life: Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Volunteer

It’s a sunny Monday morning in November, and Amy Swanson is dressed for the coolness within the air. She arrives at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary with a light-weight jacket over her uniform and is prepared for the day’s project: sweeping the boardwalk. After assembly up with fellow boardwalk sweeper volunteers on the storage shed, she grabs her broom and gloves and heads out for the morning.

The job is easy and simple: she makes use of the broom to push leaves and different natural particles off the boardwalk. However she additionally is aware of this job is a critically necessary a part of sustaining the two.25-mile-long, iconic picket construction that’s on the heart of the Sanctuary customer expertise, enabling guests of all skills to entry this watery wilderness.

“Good morning,” she says quietly as guests move by. Some cease to ask her a query (to which she virtually all the time has a solution) or to thank her for her work. She smiles as she goes about her day as a result of her reference to this particular place runs deep. After her first go to in 2015, Amy signed on as a volunteer and has since donated greater than 6,000 hours to the Sanctuary.

“In case you care about a spot, you wish to do what you may so it is right here for others to take pleasure in,” says Amy. “That features volunteering. I really like Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Each historic tree, endangered species, and tiny insect: it’s all price defending,” she provides.

Amy is a part of a small military of volunteers who fill many roles on the Sanctuary to assist Audubon meet its mission of supporting the conservation and restoration of pure ecosystems all through the Western Everglades. The Sanctuary depends on volunteer energy for a wide range of actions with the schooling, conservation, and amenities groups, however the Blair Customer Middle and boardwalk are the place the Sanctuary’s volunteer wants are persistently the best.

All through the day, Amy takes the time to understand the therapeutic views, sounds, and smells. When her project on the boardwalk is full, she returns her broom after which stops by the Blair Customer Middle to test on the chicken feeders and take a peek on the pollinator backyard, which is the place she’s going to volunteer later within the week. 

“It is a enjoyable place to volunteer,” says Amy. “Not solely are you serving to to take care of and develop an unequaled place of magnificence, however you get to do it with a few of the finest folks,” she provides.

Volunteer alternatives embody every thing from backcountry tractor mowing and prescribed fireplace crew member to campus clean-up, youth schooling, boardwalk restore, and tour information.

Volunteer Wants within the Winter Season:

• Boardwalk Naturalist
• Customer Middle Ambassador
• Public Program Information
• Volunteer Youth Educator

Prior expertise isn’t required to be thought of for many volunteer positions on the Sanctuary. Curiosity and availability are rather more necessary than expertise, and volunteering is an effective way to study a brand new ability. Orientation and coaching are offered.

Audubon has already convened a various neighborhood of tens of millions of chicken and nature lovers. Assist us maximize our collective affect by becoming a member of the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary volunteer flock. Learn more about volunteering.