Ways to Get Involved
Interested in getting involved with any of the five Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuges or the Providence Urban Wildlife Conservation Partnership? Opportunities include volunteering, internships, employment, and becoming a member of the Friends of the National Wildlife Refuges of Rhode Island. Whether you want to further conservation, learn more about nature or share your love of the outdoors, you've come to the right place. National wildlife refuges provide many opportunities for you to help your community and fish and wildlife by doing what you love. Rhode Island's national wildlife refuges partner with volunteers, youth groups, landowners, neighbors and residents of urban and coastal communities to make a lasting difference.
Paid Summer Internships
Maintenance Infrastructure Fellowship Program
Through its partnership with the US Fish & Wildlife Service, MobilizeGreen is implementing the FWS Maintenance and Infrastructure Fellowship program. Fellows will work on a variety of maintenance projects at the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex. As a Fellow, you will work in a beautiful setting, learning maintenance, project management, equipment use, and leadership development. Through mentorship and training, Fellows will gain the opportunity to launch their career. Learn more and apply here.
Shorebird, Biology and Visitor Services Internships
We offer a wide variety of internship opportunities in the summer for college students and recent graduates. Join the shorebird crew to survey and protect endangered shorebirds. Join the biology crew to do hands-on field work that supports New England Cottontail rabbits, box turtles, native plants, and more. Be part of the active Visitor Services team to do outreach, public programs, shorebird stewardship and more. Learn more here.
Volunteering
Volunteering
From trail maintenance to environmental education to the front desk, there are many opportunities to contribute! Volunteers provide thousands of hours annually to the refuges every year. Their time and dedication are critical to the refuge’s ability to accomplish our mission and connect people to nature. Volunteer roles include:
Visitor Center Volunteers
The Kettle Pond Visitor Center would not be able to remain open to the public without the support of volunteers. Visitor Center volunteers are the friendly faces that greet and orient visitors, help maintain a clean and well-stocked facility, and run the gift shop.
Maintenance Volunteers
Maintenance volunteers ensure that the refuge remains in good condition year-round. Duties include: mowing, trimming overgrowth, cleaning up trash, filling erosion, painting, carpentry, invasive plant removal, and more.
Environmental Educators and Interpreters
Do you have experience teaching, working with kids, or a degree/career in conservation? Consider volunteering to offer public interpretive programs! Programs could be guided walks, presentations, or crafts and activities. When school field trips visit Ninigret, Environmental Education volunteers help orient the school groups and maybe even provide a guided walk.
Trail Monitors
Having a presence on the trails and beaches is important. Trail monitors help answer questions on the trails, educate the public about refuge regulations, pick up trash, and notify staff of any unusual findings or prohibited activities.
Shorebird Stewards
Shorebird stewards teach the public about the piping plovers, American oystercatchers, and least terns that nest on our beaches each summer. Stewards ensure that beach visitors are informed on regulations to keep the nesting shorebirds safe.
Special Events
Volunteers help run special events like Sachuest Point’s “Take Me Fishing Day”, which takes place in August & attracts hundreds of people to Sachuest.
Planting and gardening
Native plant gardens, run by URI Master Gardeners, exist at Trustom Pond NWR and Kettle Pond Visitor Center. Occasional planting opportunities also occur in Providence and at Sachuest Point NWR.
Please visit volunteer.gov to find available volunteer opportunities. Or, email rhodeislandcomplex@fws.gov with a filled out volunteer application.
Our Partners
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Rhode Island NWR Complex is committed to working collaboratively with national, state, local, and community partners. A few key partners include:
Friends of Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuges
The Friends of the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuges is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization engaged in a wide diversity of projects, programs, and services which serve to raise awareness of and support for the Rhode Island Refuges, as well as the National Wildlife Refuge System and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The Friends assist the refuge complex in meeting their mission in a variety of ways including managing two nature stores, hosting special events, providing funding for the Providence Urban Wildlife Conservation Partnership, and much more! To find out how you can get involved, visit https://www.friendsnwrofri.org/ .
Providence Urban Wildlife Conservation Partnership
The Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuges have been engaged with urban communities through the Providence Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership (Established in 2013) and the Providence Urban Bird Treaty (Established in 2019). The Service, and our conservation and community partners continue to work with underserved communities, with a focus on connecting with community leaders and youth on conservation issues that affect their neighborhoods, parks and landscapes. Learn more by visiting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Urban Wildlife Conservation Program page, and the Urban Bird Treaty page.
Some of our partners include (but are not limited to): Department of Providence Parks, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society of Rhode Island, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Providence Schools Teachers, Woonasquatucket River Watershed, Rhode Island Department of Management, Parks Friends Groups, and Groundworks Rhode Island
