Dates: Ideal times for volunteer projects are spring (April - June) and fall (September + October). Advance notice of at least six weeks is preferred. Required: at least two weeks' notice.

Time: Projects are generally scheduled on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and some Fridays. Projects typically start at 9 am or 1 pm; each lasts between 1.5 - 3 hours.

Group size:

• Spring = Five people min. - 50 people max.
• Fall = 25 people max.
• For groups larger than 50 people, contact our Volunteer Coordinator. 
• Capacity is determined by tools, parking, staff, and general property impact. 

What to expect: Prepare to get dirty and work outside for several hours. It’s always possible to encounter bugs, prickly plants, and weather / temperature changes.

What to wear: Dress for the weather (recommended: long sleeves and pants) and wear clothes that can get beat up a bit; wear closed-toe shoes, gloves (extra will be provided), safety glasses (extra will be provided).

Park Maintenance

• Opportunity available Monday - Friday from 8 am - 3 pm.
• Available May - November

Great for individuals or small groups (four or fewer). Assist with trash clean-up, painting picnic tables, wood chipping trails, or weeding planting beds.

Invasive Species Control

• Available May-June & Sept-Nov
• Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays for at least two hours between 8am-3pm.

Do you love working outdoors and improving your local green spaces? Volunteers ages 18+ will get hands on experience with native plant and invasive species identification as well as experience with various control techniques.

Self-Guided Garlic Mustard Removal

• Available May-July
• Volunteer on your own schedule (sunrise-10pm)

Feeling independent? Volunteer on your own with no staff supervision in any park and on your own schedule (sunrise - 10 pm). We'll furnish you with a map of where to pull garlic mustard in your selected park(s) and this training video. 

Adopt-A-Park Program

Help us maintain the beauty of the County Park trails, green spaces, and garden beds with your group.

Looking for more information? Visit our main Adopt-A-Park page here.

Limited availability.

Adopt-A-Trail

Maintain and protect the beauty of the County's recreational trail systems with your group.

Looking for more information? Visit our main Adopt-A-Trail page.

Limited availability. 

Adopt-A-Drain

Spend 15 minutes twice a month to help protect our lakes and rivers by cleaning the surface of storm drains. Then report the quantity and composition of debris removed.

For more information, visit the main Adopt-A-Drain page.

Eble Park Gardens

The Eble Park Gardens are powered by our treasured Waukesha County Parks volunteers.

Whether fulfilling certification requirements or just raising the community's joy levels, you'll love digging into Florence's gardens!

Get your hands dirty in the flower and herb gardens and cultivate the vegetable gardens for donations to the Food Pantry of Waukesha.  

Special Event Opportunities

From assisting with parking, sharing visitor information, and greeting guests, look at our various special events and let us know which you would like to assist with.

Volunteer needs may vary per event.

Become a Teaching Naturalist

An apprenticeship program to become a Volunteer Teacher Naturalist who can assist Education Naturalist staff with environmental education programs for school groups, scouts, and the general public. Recommended for ages 18+. 

Bat Monitoring

Join Wisconsin Master Naturalist Carrie Frantz to conduct bat surveys with high-tech detectors that identify bats by recording their ultrasonic calls!

Recommended for ages 8+. 

• What to wear: Dress for the weather and being outdoors! Surveys may occasionally wander off trail into natural areas and tall grass. Close-toed shoes and long pants are recommended.
• What to bring: Water and bug spray
• Required: A Parks Annual Membership or Daily Permit is required for each vehicle entering a fee-based park. 
• Cancellation or rescheduling plan: If the survey is cancelled, an email will be sent to the address that you registered.

View schedule and register.

Bird Conservation

Want to learn how to identify Wisconsin’s birds? With over 300 species observed and 70+ eBird hotspots, Waukesha County is just the place to start! Join our staff on a breeding or migratory bird survey to document which bird species are using the park system’s vital natural areas during spring, summer, and fall! Great for beginners looking to build their confidence as birders and experienced birders that want to refine their skills!

What to wear: Dress for the weather and being outdoors! Surveys may occasionally wander off trail into natural areas and tall grass. Close-toed shoes and long pants are recommended.

What to bring: Water, sunscreen, bug spray, binoculars, and a camera for taking pictures! The Parks Department has binoculars to lend out to participants during surveys as well.

View schedule and register.

Bumble Bee Monitoring

You can be a partner to our community's bumble bees! You will take a bit of online training and be assigned a specific natural area within a Waukesha County Park or greenway. You will need to visit your adopted spot six times throughout the season (April/May – October) to take photographs of bumble bees and submit your photos to the Wisconsin DNR’s Bumble Bee Brigade website for verification. Ages 13+.

Get Started: Register for a Monitoring session below.

• What to wear: Dress for the weather and being outdoors! Surveys may occasionally wander off trail into natural areas and tall grass. Close-toed shoes and long pants are recommended.
• What to bring: Water and bug spray
• Required: A Parks Annual Membership or Daily Permit is required for each vehicle entering a fee-based park. 
• Cancellation or Rescheduling Plan: If the survey is cancelled, an email will be sent to the address that you registered.

View schedule and register.

Invertebrate Monitoring Programs

Butterflies, dragonflies, damselflies, bumble bees, moth, freshwater mussels, beetles and more!

Join our staff and learn more about these essential invertebrates.

Topics include:

• Bumble Bee Survey Program
• Annual Butterfly Survey
• Dragonfly & Damselfly Survey Program
• Asian Clam Survey
• Freshwater Mussel Monitoring Training
• Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol Program - Raising Beetles

View schedule, more information & register.

Wildlife Nestbox Monitoring

Do you love birds? 

You can be one of our volunteers that monitor songbird nest boxes across Waukesha County Parks and greenspaces.

A monitor volunteer visits each box once a week March 15 - Sept 30 and determines which species is using it; counts eggs, hatchlings, and fledglings; and performs minor maintenance. 10 or more boxes per location.

More information and sign up.

Eagle Scout Information

• View the Eagle Scout Project Guide
• Fill out the Project Request Form

Habitat Restoration Workday:

These volunteer projects are done alongside our park staff at predetermined parks on weekends and select weekdays. Depending on the time of year the focus will be on pulling invasive weeds, cutting invasive woody brush, or tree planting.

Work with our staff and volunteer Site Stewards to remove invasive species from our natural areas. Our habitat restoration workdays have a particular focus on the globally imperiled oak ecosystems that occur within Waukesha County. You can take part in recovering these habitats of regional importance.

What to wear: Dress for the weather (long sleeves and pants are recommended) and wear clothes that are OK to get beat up, closed-toe shoes, gloves (extra will be provided), safety glasses (extra will be provided).

What to bring: Water, sunscreen, bug spray, loppers (optional).

Cancellation or rescheduling plan: If the workday is cancelled, an email will be sent to the address that you RSVP’d from.

Register for a Habitat Restoration Workday.