2025 Volunteer Opportunities
Invasive plant removal at VT Old Growth Forest (formerly Stadium Woods)
Sundays and Tuesdays from 3:00 to 5:00 pm
Meet at the VT Engage parking lot at the north end of Stadium Woods (417 Clay St. SW). Parking: VT Engage parking lot is restricted to F/S 24/7 which means you have to have a faculty/staff parking permit. There may be a parking space on Green Street. If not, you can park (on Sunday!) across the street from the VTPD and walk up the paved path. If you cannot find us, text or call 540-257-2489. If there is precipitation, high winds, or the temperature is higher than 90 degrees or lower than 38 degrees, we will cancel the event. Please bring work gloves, snacks, water, insect repellent and wear closed toe shoes. Contact person is Fred Umberger at 540-257-2489 or fred915beth@gmail.com
Take care of native plants at the Montgomery Museum garden
300 Pepper St SE in Christiansburg
Wednesdays from 9 to 11 am and 3 to 5 pm and Saturdays from 2-4 pm
Park on the street or behind the museum in the Montgomery County Dept of Social Services parking lot. Contact: Lori at publicprograms@montgomerymuseum.org or 540-382-5644 for more details. Mornings are discontinued during the colder months. Be advised, there is no bathroom at the site.
Blacksburg Heritage Park Restoration Project Volunteer Day
Gateway Trail Parking Lot, 2701 Meadowbrook Dr., Blacksburg
The third Monday of each month from 9:00 to 11:00 am
Contact: Submit form at Sustainable Blacksburg website, or via email to sawdon@msn.com. Join us for monthly mechanical removal of Asian Bittersweet vines in a two-acre Town of Blacksburg stream and park restoration project at Heritage Community Park and Natural Area. Autumn olive has been removed, and 900 native tree and shrub seedlings have been planted. Now we’re removing bittersweet from native trees. Our efforts will reduce the need for herbicides to control invasive regrowth.
– Arrive by 9 am or shortly before
– Bring your own hand tools (pruners, loppers, hand-saws, shovels) and gloves
– Wear closed-toed shoes/boots and clothing to protect against sun, ticks and thorns
– Use sunscreen and tick repellant
– Bring your own water and snacks
Pulaski Heritage Park Pollinator Garden Volunteer Day
Located at Heritage Park, Dora Highway, Pulaski
Tuesdays at 9:00 am
BEFORE you come, please contact: Friends of Peak Creek at info@friendsofpeakcreek.org. Join us to help cultivate and maintain pollinator-friendly plant species. More details found here: https://www.friendsofpeakcreek.org/our-work/completed-projects/pollinator-gardens.
Pandapas Pond Pollinator Garden Adopt-a-Garden, or just come for the day and help
Wednesdays from 9:00 am to 11:00 am
The garden consists of plants all native to our area, to both support pollinators and educate the public about native plants. Work with the group or come on your own. Workdays vary based on season and weather. Contact person is Barb Walker at brwalker@earthlink.net
Invasive plant removal and improvement of native plants at Historic Smithfield Plantation
Wednesdays from 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Parking is free without the need for a VT parking permit. The group is generally between the main house and the pavilion. If you cannot find them, text or call (727) 488-7378. If weather conditions present precipitation, high winds, or temperature lower than 40 degrees (F) or higher than 90 degrees (F), the event will be canceled. Recommend gloves and closed toed shoes. Bring a shovel, if you want to help dig shrubs, or loppers if you want to cut English ivy. Contact person is David McEwen, (727) 488-7378 or dmcewen@davidmcewen.com
Tree Rescuers of the New River Valley
Friday, April 18 and the third Friday of the month from 3 to 5 pm
If you want to rescue local trees on the town of Blacksburg land from killer invasive vines, check out the details at https://sustainableblacksburgva.org/nrv-tree-rescuers/. Currently they are working at the Wong Park in Blacksburg at 303 Wilson Avenue. Wear gloves and closed toe shoes. Bring clippers or loppers if you have them. Will be cancelled in the event of precipitation, high winds or temperatures of 40 or below.
Pollinator Garden maintenance at SEEDS
Blacksburg Nature Center, Price House, 107 Wharton Street SE
Days and hours are flexible and are either in groups or by yourself.
Needs help to weed, remove invasives and maintain several native planted pollinator beds there. Contact person is Rosemarie Sawdon at sawdon@msn.com
Hale Community Garden Volunteer Workday
215 Maywood St., Blacksburg
Irregular days of the month (listed individually in the monthly list of events)
Contact is Emma Jensen (Steve Krueger has moved on to another job), at gardens@liveworkeatgrow.org. Live Work Eat Grow is seeking volunteers this year to help maintain the native plant propagation center at the Hale Community Garden in Blacksburg. Tasks include removing invasive species around the parking area, in the fences, and in the native and food forest plantings. Other opportunities include propagation from some of their native plant beds, weeding and mulching, and seed collection and division later in the season. Tools and gloves will be provided. Please fill out their form to give them your contact information. To find out specific workdays, see calendly.co/lweg/volunteer.