Volunteer
We’re so happy you’re here. Volunteer opportunities range from using an app to upload casual wildlife sightings, to participating in one-day monitoring events, or committing to long-term wildlife monitoring.
All skill and knowledge levels welcome! Each community science project is facilitated by our staff, who provide project-specific training and instructions. If you have questions, please contact Community Science Coordinator Dana Williams at dwilliams@vtecostudies.org.
We're Currently Recruiting Volunteers For:
Eastern Meadowlark Conservation
The Eastern Meadowlark, a large member of the blackbird family, is a favorite among birders for its bright yellow breast and gentle, whistled song. VCE is working to keep this iconic grassland bird on the Vermont landscape through outreach, targeted monitoring, and community-sourced data. By tracking meadowlark locations and population trends, you can help ensure future generations can continue to experience the songs and presence of the Eastern Meadowlark across Vermont.
Learn more and join »
Mountain Birdwatch
Every year for 25 seasons, Mountain Birdwatch's community scientists have hiked over 100 routes across eastern New York and Northern New England in June. The data they collect provides powerful insight into the health of bird populations that reside in our montane spruce-fir forests.
Learn more and join »
Pollinator Interactions on Plants
In February of 2023, VCE launched a community science project studying plant-insect interactions across the northeastern United States. It's called the Pollinator Interactions on Plants project, or ‘PIP’ for short. You can contribute—all you need is a camera (or your phone), and an enthusiasm for observing insect life and flowers around you.
Learn more and join »
Second Vermont Butterfly Atlas
The Vermont Butterfly Atlas is a five-year survey that is completed every 20 years with the help of volunteer community scientists, who document the abundance and distribution of butterflies across Vermont.
Learn more and join »
Vermont Atlas of Life
The Vermont Atlas of Life is a library of knowledge on Vermont’s animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms—an online, real-time resource with maps, photographs, and primary biodiversity data open for anyone to use.
Learn more and join »
Vermont Vernal Pool Monitoring and Atlas
Vernal pools are one of the Northeast’s most dramatic seasonal ecosystems, bursting with life as frogs and salamanders gather to breed. While vernal pools provide critical breeding habitat for charismatic species and serve as hidden powerhouses within forest ecosystems, they face an uncertain future in Vermont.
Learn more and join »
