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 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
From its start in 1903, the National Wildlife Refuge System has owed its very existence to concerned citizens eager to protect America's natural resources. Discover for yourself what tens of thousands of volunteers have learned: Volunteering for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is fun and rewarding in many ways. Thousands of volunteers donate their time and ideas each year to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Whether they work on the land, in a visitor center or with youth, they contribute to the conservation mission that reaches back more than a century. Master new skills. Meet new friends. Enjoy a sense of accomplishment from doing your part to further wildlife conservation for the pleasure of generations to follow.
Turnbull's Volunteer Program
Interested in making a contribution to the preservation of our natural heritage? Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge has opportunities for individuals with special skills and interests to assist with
- wildlife research
- biological surveys
- habitat restoration
- environmental education
- photography
- administration
- maintenance
- trail maintenance
Volunteers play an integral role in all refuge programs and Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge receives extraordinary support from the community. Over 800 volunteers donate an average of up to 18,000 hours annually.
If you are local to Spokane County and are interested in volunteering at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, please contact contact Ranger Josh at 509-559-3034, or via email at joshua_contois@fws.gov for more information.
Alternatively, you can search for volunteer opportunities on Volunteer.gov.
Volunteer Opportunities
Our Partners
The National Wildlife Refuge System is committed to building partnerships which encourage conservation and preservation of our natural and cultural resources. Partnerships with the Refuge System bring innovative approaches to solving land management and water disputes in the most environmentally protective manner. Nature does not recognize human-made boundaries. In order to conserve our natural and cultural resources effectively, we must work with others to bridge these boundaries. Scientifically-informed and technologically-based stewardship of our public lands, waters, wildlife and special places must be collaborative efforts between the Refuge System, other government agencies, and private organizations if conservation efforts are to succeed. Partnerships foster creative solutions to challenging situations and often the results are greater than the sum of the parts. In eastern Washington, there are millions of acres of public lands to explore, and we invite you to join us there.
Outreach
At Turnbull NWR, we strive to offer opportunities for visitors to engage with refuge staff and participate in public programming.
You can also find the refuge on Facebook, where many events, videos, and the latest information is shared.
Education Programs
Environmental Education Programs
Turnbull NWR has been connecting people with nature since the 1990s. With the support of Friends of Turnbull, a non-profit organization established in 1997, refuge staff and volunteers have been able to increase environmental awareness throughout the Inland Northwest. Turnbull's Environmental Education (EE) program promotes the development of an educated and informed constituency, proactive in protecting and restoring natural ecosystems. This program has been developed to meet the refuge goal of providing quality environmental education, interpretation, research and wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities compatible with the refuge’s purposes and mission.
The environmental education program is directed by a full-time Visitor Services Manager. The refuge works with AmeriCorps and Student Conservation Association interns as well as volunteers to assist with facilitation and curriculum development.
The Refuge provides facilitated field trips on the refuge and in-classroom outreach programs to local schools which are free.
Please contact the refuge for scheduling all field trips and any other environmental education activities. For more information on the refuge’s environmental education program, please contact contact Ranger Josh at 509-559-3034, or via email at joshua_contois@fws.gov.
Note: There are currently no environmental education programs or field trips being offered at Turnbull NWR. The entire program is being redeveloped with the desired outcome of updating programs to be more inquiry-based, meet Next Generation Science Standards, and allow for a more user-facilitated experience. The anticipated resumption of programs and field trips is Fall 2025.
Participate in the Junior Duck Stamp Program
The Washington Junior Duck Stamp Contest is an annual tradition that mixes art and science. The contest is open to all Washington residents under the age of 18.
Internships
Internships are a great way to get involved in public lands. The refuge periodically offers internships to current students and/or recent graduates. To search for internship opportunities, please visit:
- Student Conservation Association (SCA)
- American Conservation Experience (ACE)
- AmeriCorps
- Hispanic Access Foundation
- Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANNRS)
- The Corps Network
- Environment for the Americas
Learn more on our internships and fellowships page.
Careers
A job with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is perfect for anyone with determination, persistence, imagination – and a passion for conserving America's natural heritage.
Learn more on our careers page.