Introduction
Volunteers play a vital role in accomplishing the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service mission. Under the National Forest System, volunteers care for the land (figure 1) and provide visitors with recreational and educational opportunities. Through research and development, volunteers help scientists to improve the health and use of national forests and grasslands. Volunteers help the International Institute of Tropical Forestry's scientists and staff generate and disseminate scientific information that supports the sustainable use of tropical forests (figure 2). Volunteers help the State and Private Forestry program with surveys and monitoring projects that help landowners and resource managers sustain the Nation’s forests and protect communities and the environment from wildland fires. The help volunteers provide in each of these areas ensures that important interpretive and resource management work gets done, especially during times of reduced budgets.
Figure 1—A native garden volunteer removes nonnative invasive
species as
part of the North Beach rare plant monitoring project for the
botany program. Courtesy of Deb LeBlanc, Hiawatha National Forest
Figure 2—A volunteer sorts organic litter. Courtesy of
Elizabeth
(Liza) Hernandez,
Forest Service, International
Institute of Tropical Forestry
We don't have the money to fund the people. There are
people out there extremely talented and dedicated who
want to help us. So it is a perfect match, it is a perfect
match whether it is to build Web sites or do advertising or
hike a trail, or talk to people.
Karen Takai—Cibola National
Forest, Sandia Ranger District
A lot of what our volunteers do, we wouldn't be able to
do...a lot of that work wouldn't get done.
Loyal Clark—Uinta National
Forest
In the 21st century, the Forest Service's volunteer program represents a growing population that the agency cannot live without. It is vital that you, as a volunteer coordinator, administer a safe and successful program. Your volunteers will need supervision and management. The direction, expectations, and leadership you provide will be reflected in their attitudes and service.
This desk guide is intended to give you the resources and tools you need to accomplish your work. The guide covers a range of topics on volunteer management and is designed to be used as a step-by-step guide or as a reference. For each of the topics in the guide, you will find the latest Forest Service regulations and real work practices of experienced volunteer coordinators.
