Ways to Get Involved
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 by doing what you love. National wildlife refuges partner with volunteers, youth groups, landowners, neighbors and residents of urban and coastal communities to make a lasting difference. Find out how you can help make American lands healthier and communities stronger while doing something personally satisfying.
Volunteering
The refuge was established to ensure the ecological integrity of Canaan Valley and the continued availability of its wetland habitats, and the botanical and wildlife resources for the citizens of the United States. Volunteer opportunities are growing. Qualified volunteers are needed to lead refuge programs, assist with maintenance projects, staff the visitor center, maintain refuge trails and help with special work days or events. There are also a limited number of opportunities for qualified volunteers to help with biological work. The projects range from a few hours to long-term. Schedules can be worked out to accommodate the volunteer’s needs. Contact canaanvalley@fws.gov to inquire about volunteering.
Seeking Resident Volunteers Summer/Fall 2026
Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge is recruiting dedicated resident volunteers for the 2026 summer/fall season (May-October) to support operations at the Visitor Center and Bookstore, maintain the native garden, assist with light maintenance activities, and—if desired—participate in public educational programming. This position plays an important role in welcoming visitors and supporting refuge operations.
An RV site is provided with water, sewage, and electric hook-ups situated at the foot of Cabin Mountain overlooking an open field. A washer and dryer are available for use as well.
Duties
- Open and close Visitor Center, stock supplies, sell items in bookstore, and operate cash register.
- As a public point of contact, greet visitors and answer phone calls to concisely explain important refuge information and regulations including trip planning and orientation, refuge purpose and mission, safety, and rules.
- Replenish exterior information kiosks and bulletin boards.
- Maintain the Visitor Center’s native garden, including weeding, mulching, planting, and mowing.
- Perform light trail maintenance and report more complex maintenance issues to refuge staff.
- Assist with on- and off-site interpretive programming and outreach events.
Requirements
- Weekend work will be required.
- Contribute 24 hours per week (per person if applying as a couple).
- Six-month commitment preferred.
Applicants should send two professional references from their most recent employment, camp host, and/or volunteer position to canaanvalley@fws.gov.
Visitor Services
Visitor Center attendant
The Visitor Center welcomes around 10,000 visitors annually and is typically the first stop for people visiting Canaan Valley. Help share you love of Canaan Valley by helpings visitors find their adventure on the refuge. Volunteers in this role greet visitors and provide general orientation to refuge trails and offerings. You would also respond to visitor questions about refuge information and regulations as well as keep stock of brochures and other outreach materials. The Friends of the 500th also operate a bookstore/gift shop located within the Visitor Center. If you like interacting with the public we encourage you to volunteer at the Visitor Center for a half-day or entire day. Come as often as you would like, or just a few days a month when you are able. Training will be provided.
Native Garden
Do you enjoy getting your hands in the ground and helping promote native species? Surrounding the Canaan Valley NWR visitor center, one will find numerous native plants filling our garden beds. Our volunteers help weed, transplant, plan, and expand the garden through our garden parties. Garden parties occur spring through fall- keep tuned to learn the updated garden party times.
Interpretive and program guides and presenters
Do you have some specialized knowledge of an aspect of the natural environment (i.e. birds, wildflowers, nature photography, etc.) that relates to the Refuge setting? We need interpretive guides who can organize walks or deliver interpretive programs as part of our regular series of events. See the Events section of this website for examples of the programs offered at Canaan Valley NWR.
Special event volunteer
Special event volunteers help with traveling exhibits, special events or outreach, both on and off the Refuge. Candidates should enjoy talking to people and present a clean and neat appearance. Volunteers will help visitors enjoy and learn from interactive exhibits, provide information about the refuge, and help with logistics.
Environmental education volunteer
Are you interested in working with kids and sharing what you know about nature? Volunteers help with planning, logistics, and delivery of field trips for school children, scouts, church groups, camps, and more!
Biology
Chronic Wasting Disease Sampling
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a disease that affects deer and related species. We collect deer heads from roadkill from throughout Tucker County to test and monitor for CWD in the area. Please report roadkill deer to canaanvalley@fws.gov for collection.
Water Quality Monitoring
Volunteers are needed to monitor water quality testing sites on a regular basis. We need volunteers who can follow a predetermined protocol and are comfortable in using basic scientific monitoring instruments. We use these measurements to determine the overall health of a stream and whether native brook trout could be reintroduced. Training will be provided.
Vernal Pool Surveys
The Refuge has been involved in a regional vernal pool study for over 18 years. This study is in partnership with USGS, other Refuges and a few National Parks. Scientists are busy looking at trends of spotted salamanders and wood frogs that use the pools for breeding and laying eggs. Unfortunately, Canaan is seeing a large decline in both species, which makes monitoring their populations even more important. Helping with this project will include walking long distances over uneven ground to the pools, taking measurements and recording the number of egg masses or larvae. Egg mass counts are in April and larval counts will occur in June.
Forest Restoration Project
Tree planting occurs each year during Earth Day weekend. This event focuses on the Refuge's efforts to restore some of its beautiful, biologically important, high elevation forests. Balsam fir and red spruce are typically planted. An orientation to the day starts with a discussion of the historic role of this forest, and why the Refuge and partner organizations are working to restore it. Then we will carpool to the work site and plant some trees! More volunteer hands are always welcome.
Invasive Species Surveys and Management
Invasive species are starting to take over the refuge! Help us to find, record and remove the invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species through appropriate management practices. We are looking for volunteers who can identify these species, or are accompanied by someone who is able to. Invasive management occurs from spring through fall.
Maintenance
Volunteers work with maintenance staff to keep facilities and equipment in good working order. Mowing and trail work may also be involved. Work involves skilled and semi-skilled knowledge in the use of basic hand tools, such as saws, screwdrivers, hammers and basic power tools for several trades. Trades consist of carpentry, electrical, plumbing, flooring, painting and snow removal. Volunteers with skilled labor experience are sought for projects that include:
- Carpentry
- Small Engine Repair
- Landscaping
- Trail Work
- Welding
- Painting
- Heavy Equipment Operation
- Tree Removal
For more information please contact Daryl Johnson at 304-866-3858 ext. 3012
General Refuge photography
The Refuge needs photos of wildlife observation areas, overlooks, scenic views, visitor walking trails, etc. Images of our local flora and fauna are welcomed. We also periodically need event photographers who are comfortable taking photos of people. Photographs are used for print publications and reports, for interpretive products, to inform visitors about events, and for social media applications.
Our Partners
The mission of the US Fish and Wildlife Service is "working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people."
Friends Group
The Friends of the 500th was formed in 1996 to preserve and enhance the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the Nation's 500th national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Learn more about national wildlife refuge . The Friends is a non-profit citizen's group devoted to conserving the unique natural and cultural resources of the refuge and promoting nature-oriented education. They work to promote awareness, enlist volunteers for refuge and recreation program assistance, and sponsor special events, such as bird and wildflower walks and special studies and provide understanding and appreciation of ecology and people's role in their environment.
You may contact the Friends at:
Friends of the 500th
P.O. Box 422
Davis, WV 26260
or by e-mail: info@friendsofthe500th.org
Education Programs
Every year, Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge becomes an outdoor classroom for hundreds of students. Check out some of the educational programs we offer.
Wild School
Each spring, sixth grade students in Tucker and Randolph Counties participate in Wild School, a wetlands education program focused on the functions of wetlands, their importance, and what students can do to help protect them. The program is broken down into two classroom visits where refuge staff and volunteers bring wetlands to the classroom, followed by a field trip to the refuge where students rotate through educational stations set in the largest wetlands in West Virginia.
If you would like your class to take part in the Wild School program, please send us an email at canaanvalley@fws.gov before January each year. We would love to incorporate your class as staff and volunteers are available. Please note, your school must be within an hour drive of Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge to sign up for classroom visits.
Field Trips
The refuge offers opportunities for students to explore local habitats, experience local wildlife, and learn about the natural world. Field trips are designed to support the learning goals of each visiting group, and we have something for all school age groups. The refuge is a popular place and reservations for educational groups are required.
All groups are limited in size to a maximum of 100 students; and no more than 100 students from any number of groups may visit on any given date. This is done to reduce impact on other visitors using the same trail system. All groups must reserve their date with us in advance.
Requests may be made for any combination of the following:
Independent trips - Teacher-led field trips. Refuge staff provide pre-trip planning assistance.
Orientation talks - Refuge staff meet with your group to provide a welcome and orientation.
Guided trail explorations - Refuge staff and volunteers lead small groups on guided trail explorations.
Indoor activities - Refuge staff and volunteers lead indoor programming in our Visitor Center. At this time, we must limit indoor activities to no more than 30 students.
Requesting a Field Trip
If refuge staff and volunteers are available, we would love to welcome your group to the refuge for a field trip program. When making a request, we will need the following information:
- The number of students, teachers, and chaperones.
- The grade level(s) of the students, pre-K to college. We can also accommodate home school and multi-age student groups.
- Learning goals and objectives.
- A first and second choice date for the field trip.
Please send this information to canaanvalley@fws.gov and we will be happy to review the request.