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Volunteering
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The gardens depend on people like you! More than 500 volunteers give 10,000 hours each year to the University of Washington Botanic Gardens. Learn new skills while you contribute to plant conservation and education. We have opportunities for everyone. Please note the phone number when deciding where you are most interested in volunteering. Your call is welcome! You may also fill out our application (pdf file) and mail it in. Administration AssistantHelp with various office and record keeping-related tasks. Organizational skills and attention to detail are a must. Computer knowledge is important. Duties may include organizing files, creating reports, entering data, reviewing records, filing, compiling information, special projects, etc. Weekly commitment, 2-4 hours per day, 1-2 days per week. Contact: Carrie Cone, Manager of Administrative Services, 206-685-2579 or cmcone@u.washington.edu Class MonitorPublic education courses happen year-round and serve both horticultural enthusiasts and professionals. Class monitors assist instructors -- and they get to take the course they monitor for free! Typical duties include opening up meeting rooms, helping instructors with room set-ups, handling registration check-ins, assisting with projectors and lights, closing up the room at the end of class. Scheduling is on a per-class basis. Contact: Elizabeth Loudon, Education and Outreach Manager, 206-543-3889 or eloudon@u.washington.edu Gardener Assistant, Union Bay GardensThe Union Bay Gardens are highly visible to the public and require intensive gardening practices and ongoing maintenance. Plants in these gardens range from Northwest native species to annuals and herbaceous perennials from overseas that are being tested here. Duties include weeding, mulching, planting and plant removal, grooming of paths, light pruning to maintain plant health, perennial plant care including deadheading and division, watering and fertilizing as well as basic plant labeling and inventory. Minimum commitment of two months, including orientation of the UBG grounds and training in the gardens. Schedules vary seasonally, but volunteers usually work on-site with staff for 3-4 hours per week. You should have some knowledge of gardening duties and be willing to work outdoors in all sorts of weather. Contact: Barbara Selemon, UBG Landscape Supervisor, 206-685-2613 or selemon@u.washington.edu Receptionist, Center for Urban HorticultureWork at the hub of UWBG. Help visitors find what they need, answer phones, and perform occasional light clerical duties. No experience necessary; training available on an as-needed basis. Come receive a unique overview of the diverse activities, operations, and personnel at UWBG. Regular volunteers work one 3-4 hour shift per week, usually from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Substitute volunteers are on-call as needed. Contact: Samantha Roit, Building Services Coordinator, 206-616-9113 or slr22@u.washington.edu Herbarium AssistantThe Hyde Herbarium's plant specimen collection is constantly expanding. Herbarium specimen collections are used for plant identification and research.
Contact: Hyde Herbarium Collections Manager, 206-685-2589 or hydeherb@u.washington.edu. Visit the Hyde Herbarium website to learn more. Library AssistantHelp maintain this vital public resource! The Elisabeth C. Miller Library is the largest of its kind in the Pacific Northwest and answers questions from all over the world. Library assistants perform a variety of tasks, from shelving books and journals, to helping answer reference questions, and special projects as needed. Volunteers work a regular schedule of 3-4 hours weekly, including summers and school breaks. Seasonal internships may also be negotiated. Contact: Martha Ferguson, 206-543-0415 or hortlib@u.washington.edu. Visit the Miller Library website to learn more. Plant Production AssistantNo additional volunteers are needed at this time for this position. The Plant Production program grows and maintains collection plants for the UWBG grounds. Duties include seed treatments and germination, transplanting, fertilizing and watering of container plants, sanitizing containers, mixing soil mediums, and record-keeping. Volunteers work independently once training is completed. Minimum commitment of two months for 3 hours per week with a minimum two month commitment. Working hours are M-F, 9 am - 4 pm. Knowledge of plant nomenclature is helpful and prior experience in nursery work is preferred. Some lifting and bending required. Contact: Barbara Selemon, UWBG Plant Propagator, 206-685-2613 or selemon@u.washington.edu Plant Records AideThe Curation Office houses a records center for all plants in the Arboretum which serves as the primary basis for collection interpretation, management and planning. Assist with keeping this vital information current through field inventory and data entry. Become better acquainted with the Arboretum, its diverse collection and the record system. This is an exceptional opportunity to ‘dig deeper' and become more familiar with the largest woody plant collection in the region. Duties include: inventory of specified collection areas or taxonomic groups, verification of field status against record data, plant label placement, updating computer records and maps. Activities are year-round. Commitment of 8 hours per month. Regular meetings are held on Thursday and Friday from 12 – 5 p.m. and scheduling is flexible within these times. You should be attentive to detail and eager to learn. Knowledge of horticultural plant materials is highly desirable but not required. Contact:Randall Hitchin, Plant Collection Manager and Registrar, 206-616-1118 or rch@u.washington.edu Rare Care Plant Monitor/Seed CollectorRare Care is dedicated to conserving Washington 's native rare plants through off-site conservation, monitoring, reintroduction, and education. Get involved in protecting Washington's rare natives, from monitoring known populations to collecting and processing seed for storage in the Miller Seed Vault.
Contact: Wendy Gibble, Program Manager, 206-616-0780 or rarecare@u.washington.edu. Visit the Rare Care website to learn more. UBNA Research Project AssistantHelp with restoration and research projects at the Union Bay Natural Area, a former landfill that has become an important urban greenspace and wildlife habitat. Duties include transplanting, weeding and watering in the nursery, removing weedy plants, preparing research plots, and research and monitoring tasks. Volunteer hours are arranged with the supervisor. Contact: Caren Crandell, 206-685-8755 Seed Exchange AssistantIndex Seminum is an international seed exchange program between botanical gardens. Many Arboretum plants have been grown from seed received through exchange with nearly 500 reciprocating institutions throughout the world. The annual exchange begins with seed collection in summer and fall and ends with shipments the following spring. Come participate in seed collection and processing, management of the seed bank, catalog preparation, and mailing and order processing. Get to know the native flora of the Northwest. Activities are ongoing but vary with the season, according to the annual program cycle. Commitment of 6-8 hours per month. Regular meetings held on Fridays from 12-5 p.m.; scheduling is flexible within these times. Volunteers should be attentive to detail and eager to learn. Native plant knowledge highly desirable but not required. Contact: Randall Hitchin, Plant Collection Manager and Registrar, 206-616-1118 or rch@u.washington.edu Special Events/Outreach AssistantThe UW Botanic Gardens sponsors events that attract many visitors, and these rely on volunteers to plan, publicize, set-up, and carry out the activities. Utilize your special talents, or just have a strong desire to help make special events a success. Contact:Elizabeth Loudon, Education and Outreach Manager, 206-685-8033 or eloudon@u.washington.edu WPA Arborist AssistantWork with the staff arborist on pruning or removal projects. Climbing arborists should provide their own equipment. If necessary, the Arboretum will supply the use of its chipper. Contact: David Zuckerman, Grounds Supervisor, 206-543-8008 or dzman@u.washington.edu WPA Work PartiesBring your community service group for a work-party event. Volunteer groups provide crucial support for plant collections by controlling invasive plants such as ivy and blackberry. Staff lead group projects on-site at a ratio of one staff person to 10-20 volunteers, depending on project complexity. Activities include weeding, mulching, edging beds, cutting brush and blackberries, and removing invasive plants. Minimum work period is 2 hours. Groups must include 5 people or more, ages 10 and up. Adult supervision required for children. The Arboretum provides some tools, and volunteers are encouraged to bring appropriate hand tools. Work parties happen during weekday work hours or on weekends. Scheduling depends on staff availability and the availability of appropriate work assignments. Spring is a time of critical need, before the weeds go to seed and the ground gets too dry. Contact: David Zuckerman, Grounds Supervisor, 206-543-8008 or dzman@u.washington.edu WPA Gardener AssistantWork on a variety of plant care and grounds maintenance activities. Learn about the maintenance and development of plant collections. Duties include: weeding, mulching, planting, and other horticulture activities. Hand-tools and work gloves provided. Work boots, rain-gear and long pants recommended. Use of power equipment and utility vehicles is prohibited. Any skill level welcome! Work takes place rain or shine. Volunteers work as a group Tuesdays from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Minimum commitment of four Tuesdays preferred. Alternate days may be arranged within staff work hours (M-F, 7a.m.-3:30 p.m.). Tuesdays in the Garden: Have a few hours to spare? Join a monthly drop-in work party from 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm. Enjoy the Arboretum while you help us weed and groom the plantings. Learn about plants and garden maintenance. Wear gloves and bring your favorite hand tool. We provide the rest. Contact: David Zuckerman, Grounds Supervisor, 206-543-8008 or dzman@u.washington.edu WPA GuideIntroduce the public to the Arboretum and its collections through 60-90 minute tours. Tour themes include seasonal interest, history and ecology of Foster Island , native plants and ethnobotany. A background in botany, ecology or horticulture is helpful. Teaching experience is a plus! Volunteers lead guided tours during the week or on weekends. You should be willing to work in inclement weather and have time to attend training and enrichment programs. Commitment of two tours per month on a seasonal or year-round basis. Contact:Shawna Hartung, WPA Education Coordinator, 206-543-8801 or shlea@u.washington.edu WPA Saplings School Program GuideLead 90-minute, hands-on programs for school groups in grades K-12. Program topics include Discover Plants, Life Cycle of Plants, Wetland Ecology Walks and Native Plants and People. Guide training is offered prior to each Saplings season in the fall and spring. You should enjoy working with children, be willing to work in inclement weather, and have time to attend training and enrichment programs. Commitment of one program per week during the three-month fall and spring seasons. To learn more, read the job description. Contact:Shawna Hartung, WPA Education Coordinator, 206-543-8801 or shlea@u.washington.edu Other opportunitiesTo volunteer for the Arboretum Foundation, the Arboretum's support organization, including helping in the gift shop and selling plants, visit http://www.arboretumfoundation.org/volunteer/volunteer.cfm
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