Volunteer-In-Parks Program
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"Volunteering is an American tradition that has made an immeasurable contribution to communities, organizations, and individuals throughout the country. In 2002, 44 percent of American adults over the age of 21 volunteered. Today's volunteers are active, dynamic, creative individuals who possess the skills, desire, patience, and time to accomplish a wide variety of tasks.
Volunteers-In-Parks are Very Important People (VIPs)! In Fiscal Year 2004, 140,000 volunteers donated 5 million hours to your national parks at a value of $85.9 million. VIPs come from all over the world to help preserve and protect America's natural and cultural heritage for the enjoyment of this and future generations. Volunteers of all ages give of their time and expertise to help achieve the National Park Service mission."
(From the National Park Service)
In August 2002, FRIENDS OF THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY was asked by the Blue Ridge Parkway/NPS to take a lead role in moving the VIP program forward at a time when the need for volunteerism in national parks was greater than ever. The NPS goal is to increase the number of volunteers, and FRIENDS' objective is to help the Blue Ridge Parkway exceed its goal - and we can do this with your help!
The primary mission of FRIENDS is to mobilize and provide leadership for volunteers who assist with a wide variety of Parkway projects. FRIENDS' initiatives include viewshed protection, Volunteers-In-Parks, trail maintenance and construction.
Viewshed protection is the signature project for FRIENDS. To help protect the views that have made the Parkway "America's Favorite Scenic Drive," FRIENDS provides professional site plans, recruits and works with volunteers from local communities, and gathers private funding support for tree planting projects to buffer views that are being compromised by nearby development.
FRIENDS plays a leadership role in developing and administering the Parkway volunteer program. Recognizing the importance of volunteers, FRIENDS recruits, trains and supervises volunteers along the Parkway's 469-mile length.
- Our Volunteer Spotlight, highlighting the contributions of our volunteers
- Current Volunteer Job Openings by Region
- Online Volunteer Application
