Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Ways to Get Involved

Updated November 7, 2026

Volunteering

Volunteers at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge provide their talents and energy to help in many different ways. From invasive species removal to answering visitor inquiries at the information desks, from hiking trails to helping with school programs, volunteers are invaluable to us for all of the support they provide! By volunteering you'll gain knowledge about the refuge and its purpose and will become part of a community of people dedicated to the stewardship of wildlife and natural landscapes. If you have questions about the refuge's volunteer program, please contact the volunteer coordinator.

To start the process of getting involved, please complete the Natural Resources Volunteer Application and email it to the Volunteer Coordinator at minnesotavalley@fws.gov or mail it to: Minnesota Valley NWR, Attn: Volunteer Coordinator, 3815 American Blvd. East, Bloomington, MN 55425.

Once received, we will be in touch with you to schedule a volunteer interview to get to know you a little more, discuss interests, and see where the best match may be.

Potential volunteer opportunities:

Biological Projects

  • Invasive species removal
  • Maintain pollinator gardens
  • Monitor bird feeders for Project FeederWatch
  • Seed collection

Community Outreach

  • Assist with outreach programs and events
  • Guide nature programs such as Nature Smart Library program
  • Provide on-site translations for events and programs
  • Help in Fishing in the Neighborhood programs

Visitor Services

  • Join Refuge staff to help monitor trailheads
  • Assist with environmental education programs
  • Lead programs as an interpretive guide
  • Become a trail ranger and share trail reports
  • Donate your photography and videography skills
  • Interact with visitors at our information desk and Friends’ nature store 

Residential Volunteers

  • Staffing Rapids Lake Education & Visitor Center
  • Support outreach and education programming
  • Habitat Restoration
  • Maintenance Projects
Explore more:

You are leaving the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Destination:

We do not guarantee that the websites we link to comply with Section 508 (accessibility requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act. Links also do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Continue to External Site