Volunteer Opportunities at Santee National Wildlife Refuge

Are you interested in wildlife and natural resource management? Do you enjoy talking to people and working with visitors? How about working on hiking trails, landscaping around the Visitor Center, or helping a refuge biologist? Then volunteering at Santee National Wildlife Refuge is for you!

 

Visitor Center Volunteers

The Santee National Wildlife Visitor Center is located off of Hwy 95 (exit 102) right on the banks of Lake Marion in Clarendon County, South Carolina. The visitor center has numerous displays of local wildlife including an osprey nest with its own viewing platform!! The refuge is looking for volunteers who are interested in working at the visitor center information desk – responsibilities include answering questions about the refuge, and disseminating refuge maps, literature, and other information about natural and cultural history. Volunteers should be outgoing and be willing to work with visitors. The preference is that volunteers commit to work one day a week. The Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.

 

Trail Maintenance Volunteers

The refuge has hiking trails on the Bluff, Dingle Pond, and Cuddo Units and hiking and biking trails on Pine Island and Cuddo Units. Trail maintenance volunteers may perform duties like trimming, cleaning and maintaining boardwalks and observation towers, and installing/maintaining signage on trails. Volunteers should be willing to work outdoors in the elements and should be able to walk and stand for extended periods.

These are just a few volunteer opportunities available at Santee National Wildlife Refuge. We have volunteer opportunities in maintenance, visitor services, and biological programs throughout the year. Here is a full list of opportunities:

Maintenance

• Mowing and trimming
• Trail maintenance
• Sign maintenance
• Carpentry
• Exhibit/kiosk maintenance
• Vehicle maintenance
• Litter control

Visitor Services

• Assist with hunt program – work at check in station
• Work at information desk at VC
• Lead interpretive walks/tours
• Work with visiting groups to the refuge (boy/girl scout, school groups)

Biological

• Collect biological data for hunt program
• Band ducks
• Bird surveys
• Prothonotary box construction
• Blue bird box construction
• Prothonotary box monitoring
• Blue bird box monitoring
• Invasives control/monitoring

For more information about the volunteer program at Santee National Wildlife Refuge, contact Susan Heisey, Lead Park Ranger, at the refuge office 803-478-2217 or susan_heisey@fws.gov.

Volunteer Application For Natural Resources Agencies