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.
Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge is committed to building partnerships which encourage conservation and preservation of our natural and cultural resources. Partnerships bring innovative approaches to solving land management and water disputes in the most environmentally protective manner. Scientifically-informed and technologically-based stewardship of our public lands, waters, wildlife and special places must be collaborative efforts between the refuge, other government agencies and private organizations if conservation efforts are to succeed.
Volunteering
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. Learn new skills, meet new friends and enjoy a sense of accomplishment from doing your part to further wildlife conservation for the pleasure of generations to follow.
Refuge volunteers are vital to the Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge mission. Volunteers contribute hundreds of hours each year to help meet this mission through monitoring bird populations, leading school groups, maintaining trails, taking photos, helping in the office and repairing equipment and facilities. No special skills are needed to be a refuge volunteer. If you have a desire to help, we need you. We hope you'll join us! The best way to find out about current volunteer opportunities is to contact the refuge.
To become a volunteer email TwoRivers@fws.gov or call 618-883-2524.
Ongoing Volunteer Roles
Weekend Visitor Center Host
Weekend volunteer hosts are an important part of the refuge staff. They welcome visitors and answer questions to help guide visitors to have the best experience at the refuge possible. Without these hosts we wouldn’t be able to have the visitor center open as often for our weekend visitors. If you like to work with people, this job is for you. Hosts are especially needed on weekends in November through March.
Scout Guide
We provide as many programs for scouts as possible but aren't able to meet every request. If you like to teach children and have fun, sign up to lead hikes with scouts. If you feel like you don’t know everything the scouts will ask, don’t worry. We’ll provide all the training and resources you need to help them find the answers to their questions.
Nature Interpreter
If you already have a love for the outdoors chances are you have something to share with visitors. Help provide weekend programs for families by taking the training to become a Nature Interpreter. Some programs include Spring Frog Walk, Story Hour, Eagle Watching Tours, Earth Day Activity leader, Animal Tracking, “Duck, Duck, Who?” and more.
Native Garden Caretaker
Two beautiful native flower beds were planted by the Great Rivers Chapter of the Illinois Audubon Society. Help keep the weeds out of these gardens and learn your native flowers.
Photographer
People love seeing beautiful photographs of the wildlife at the refuge. Help capture and share some wildlife moments with other visitors and Facebook followers.
Bird Count Assistant
Learn to identify and count the thousands of birds that use the refuge as a stop over during migration. Our expert biologists will help you fine tune your bird identification skills and teach you how to estimate the number of birds at the refuge.
Flood Clean Up Crew
After a flood, unsightly debris is left behind including plastic barrels, tires, foam and milk jugs. Help remove these things from the river bottoms to keep the refuge habitat clean.
Refuge Open House
We hold an open house annually in October to celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week. Activities generally include kids’ crafts, refuge tours, a photo exhibit and live bird presentation by TreeHouse Wildlife Center.
Our Partners
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. Partnerships foster creative solutions to challenging situations and often the results are greater than the sum of the parts. Learn more about our local partners.
Education Programs
Open the door to a potentially life-changing experience. If you land a student internship, a fellowship or a volunteer opportunity at a 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 , fish hatchery or other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service site, you’re bound to come away with new insights and excitement about conservation.