Volunteer Project Catalog
Outreach & Education
The Beebe Springs Outdoor Classroom will welcome more than 400 elementary students from Chelan and Douglas counties to Beebe Springs Natural Area. Students will explore biodiversity and cultural diversity as they rotate through stations led by local practitioners. We will host 4 days of the outdoor school with around 100 students in attendance each day. We have several partners who help lead the event and stations, including Washington State Parks, Cascadia Fisheries, the Colville Confederated Tribes, on subjects including Biodiversity, Beavers, Responsible Recreation, Cultural Plant Use, and Tribal History. Volunteers can sign up for one or multiple days. Volunteers will be assigned to activities based on event needs and volunteer skills and interest. Activities may include assisting with station activities, leading student groups between stations, setup and tear down, running supplies between stations and distributing materials. Please reach out to Nick Montanari at nicholas.montanari@dfw.wa.gov with any questions.
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
This project will focus on repairing and improving existing fence lines to clearly mark the property boundary and help manage access. Volunteers will assist with stretching and re-hanging usable sections of old wire, installing new wire where needed, and setting T-posts to support the fence. The goal of this work is to better define the boundary line and prevent unauthorized vehicle access, directing traffic only to designated areas and parking lots. No prior fencing experience is required—just a willingness to work outdoors and help protect the site. Dry camping will be an option for those that would like to participate for multiple days. This project is eligible for Master Hunter hours.
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
The scope of this project is to complete the annual cleanup of the camping area before the gate opens on May 1. Volunteers will collect garbage, hand‑prune low‑hanging or broken branches, and trim the grass around the campsites. Volunteers should bring their own string trimmers for the grass‑cutting portion of the work, and WDFW will provide the fuel needed to operate them. This project is eligible for Master Hunter hours.
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
Volunteer training and fieldwork opportunities for cultural resources
How you can help:
Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery (FISH)
Welcome to the Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery (FISH) project page! As of March 4, 2026, we are still working to migrate volunteer operations to the new Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) VolunteerMatters system. If you are a new volunteer, you can get started by learning more about our volunteer activities and complete FISH registration at https://www.issaquahfish.org/volunteer/. Please do not add yourself to a project position, sign up for a shift, or log hours. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
How you can help:
Hunter Education
This opportunity is specifically for hunter education applicants in Region 4 who have not completed the process yet. This will cover hours for the Pre-Service training and the teaching portion. You MUST have an application in with the department to be added to this opportunity. If you have not yet submitted an application and would like to become an instructor, please email me at jacqueline.mcbride@dfw.wa.gov or go here for more information and the application https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/requirements/education/how-to-become-instructor. ***Once certified, your teaching hours will be recorded and tracked in Kalkomey, not here.
How you can help:
Hunter Education
This opportunity is specifically for hunter education applicants in Region 4 who have not completed the process yet. This will cover hours for the Pre-Service training and the teaching portion. You MUST have an application in with the department to be added to this opportunity. If you have not yet submitted an application and would like to become an instructor, please email me at bill.montomery@dfw.wa.gov This also goes for Master Hunters in the process of becoming Hunter Education Instructors. ***Once certified, your teaching hours will be recorded and tracked in Kalkomey, not here.
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
The Chehalis Unit is a popular spot for fishing, duck hunting, and taking a stroll near Elma, WA. Here you can expect to see open wetland, riparian shrub, and meadow habitats. Unfortunately, this site has a long history of dumping. This is where we need your help. We are looking for volunteers to help us keep this area clean of litter so that this remains a place where wildlife and visitors can thrive. As a volunteer you will be expected to pick up trash using gloves, trash grabbers, and trash bags. The trail at this site is compact. The parking lot and road leading into this unit are in rough shape so be careful of potholes when driving in. Trash can sometimes be in easy to grab spots and other times buried in thorny blackberry vines. Any help with litter clean-up is appreciated regardless of if you can get trash in hard-to-reach places. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the volunteer supervisor. Thank you for volunteering with WDFW, we look forward to meeting you! For more information about the Chehalis Unit and a map of all parking lots visit our website: https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/wildlife-areas/chehalis-wildlife-area-unit
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
The Chinook Unit is a popular spot for pheasant, duck, elk, and deer hunting in Pacific County, WA. Here you can expect to see seasonal wetland and estuary habitats. We are looking for volunteers to help us keep the area free of litter so that this remains a place where wildlife and visitors can thrive. As a volunteer you will be expected to pick up trash using gloves, trash grabbers, and trash bags. The trail at this site is compact. The parking lot is gravel. Trash can sometimes be in easy to grab spots and other times buried in thorny blackberry vines. Any help with litter clean-up is appreciated regardless of if you can get trash in hard-to-reach places. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the volunteer supervisor. Thank you for volunteering with WDFW, we look forward to meeting you! For more information about the Chinook Unit and a map of all parking areas visit our website: https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/wildlife-areas/chinook-wildlife-area-unit
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
The Johns River Unit is a popular spot for fishing, dog walking and bird viewing near Westport. Here you can expect to see estuary and riparian forest habitats. We are looking for volunteers to help keep the area free of litter so that this remains a place where wildlife and visitors can thrive. As a volunteer you will be expected to pick up trash using gloves, trash grabbers, and trash bags. The trail at this site is compact. The parking lot is gravel. Trash can sometimes be in easy to grab spots and other times buried in thorny blackberry vines. Any help with litter clean-up is appreciated regardless of if you can get trash in hard-to-reach places. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the volunteer supervisor. Thank you for volunteering with WDFW, we look forward to meeting you! For more information about the Johns River Unit and a map of all parking areas visit our website: https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/wildlife-areas/johns-river-wildlife-area-unit
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
Opportunities improve or restore habitat in the LT Murray Wildlife Area. This position may plan, coordinate, and/or supervise the work of volunteers to support program activities and agency objectives.
How you can help:
Hunter Education
Master Hunter exam proctors will log their proctoring time here.
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
Your help is needed to improve elk habitat on the Mudflow Unit of Mt. St. Helens Wildlife Area! WDFW and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) will be working together to control invasive weeds, primarily scotch broom and hawkweed. These weeds outcompete native shrubs and grasses that are used as forage for the St. Helens Elk herd. Equipment will be provided, but please bring sturdy shoes, work gloves, and rain gear. There will be a potluck lunch at this event, with planning and coordination to follow. Dry camping on Weyerhaeuser property near the site (No Recreational Permit will be required), is an option for those that would like to participate for multiple days. You do not need to be a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to participate. This project is eligible for Master Hunter hours.
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
This project assists with outreach and the closure of Rat Island, part of the Marrowstone Unit of the North Olympic Wildlife Area, during summers. Volunteer as a docent to help inform beachgoers about the wildlife that uses Rat Island and the reasons for summer closures to the public.
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is partnering with Pheasants Forever on an upcoming Habitat Restoration improvement project at the Revere Wildlife Area (30 minutes south of Sprague, Washington). We are seeking help from volunteers to help us plant 775 native shrubs across one plot, measuring 80' x 300'. This is a very critical project as it aims to restore habitat that was lost due to the Wagner Fire in 2022. This project will build upon the work that volunteers helped us complete last year, with planting almost 1,600 native shrubs. The project will commence on April 25th, and hot lunch will be provided for all of the volunteers. On the day of the project, we will meet at the east end of the Revere Wildlife Area off Wagner Rd (47.08887, -117.90512). We will provide an overview of the goals with the project as well as a safety briefing.
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
Be a part of this volunteer-led initiative in Sequim to restore an area to a diverse oak habitat. Just north of Carrie Blake Park, the Bell Creek Wildlife Area Unit was planted with over 2,000 oak trees in the early 2000s by many volunteers. Ongoing work includes the removal of predator-prevention cages for trees that are outgrowing them, and work to restore the understory of the area.
How you can help:
Fish Program
This is an opportunity to aid in wild native salmonid recovery. From April to end of May we will be counting the out-migrating coho, cutthroat and steelhead smolts at the Snow Creek Weir located in Discovery Bay, WA. Here you will learn proper fish handling techniques, fish identification skills, as well as becoming more knowledgeable with salmonid trapping operations. We will run volunteer crews 3 days/week. If you love to see salmonids up close and personal, this is a great opportunity. Please only sign up for this project if you have emailed me and confirmed a spot with me (Kevin.Yuskaitis@dfw.wa.gov). Most of our volunteers return season after season.
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is partnering with Pheasants Forever on an upcoming riparian improvement project at the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area (30 minutes southeast of Davenport, Washington). We are seeking help from volunteers to help us plant 675 shrubs across Z-Lake and the Lake Creek Drainage. This is a very critical project as it aims to improve riparian habitat that was lost in the Whitney Fire of 2022. This project will build upon the work that volunteers helped complete in 2024 when WDFW partnered with Pheasants Forever and Spokane Audubon Society. The project will commence on May 16th, and a hot lunch will be provided for all of the volunteers. On the day of the project, we will meet at the Z-Lake entrance off Telford Rd (47.59226, -118.40044). We will provide an overview of the goals with the project as well as a safety briefing.
How you can help:
Wildlife Program
Come celebrate Earth Day at the Waikiki Springs Wildlife Area in Spokane! We will be meeting at the Trailhead off Mill Road at 9:00 on April 22nd. The scope of this project is to make improvements to the Wildlife Area through litter pick up, repairing damaged fencing, and closing social trails. Social trails are unauthorized trails that cut through the natural areas of the landscape, damaging plants and destroying habitat leading to severe erosion. Fencing has been installed to encourage the people using the trail system to stay on the established trails. Over time, much of the fencing has been destroyed. We will be repairing the broken fencing and, using large woody debris and mulch, blocking the social trails and preparing the eroded areas for replanting of natural vegetation later in the fall. This project includes partnerships with Inland Northwest Land Conservancy, Washington Trails Association, and Spokane Mountaineers.
How you can help: