Volunteer Opportunities

We are currently have the following volunteer opportunities for registered volunteers.
You can learn more and register as an APCC volunteer here.

NATIVE PLANT SALE SUPPORT – sign up for shifts here

WHAT WE NEED HELP WITH
Each spring, APCC hosts a native plant sale. We receive over 1,000 native plant plugs and we work with our volunteer team to prepare our plants for the sale.  Volunteers help with labeling stakes, printing signs, re-potting plant plugs, watering, setting up the sale, and filling orders.

SKILLS NEEDED
Depending on what task(s) you sign up to help with, volunteers must have the ability to write neatly for stake labeling, stand for a few hours for re-potting, lift about 20-30 pounds for plant sale preparation, stand and lift plant trays for plant sale event support.

WE WOULD PROVIDE
APCC will provide all materials needed for all plant sale preparation and sale. Volunteers who sign up to help with re-potting should bring their own gardening gloves.

MORE INFO
You can read more about our Native Plant sale here.

FRESH WATER POND MONITOR – sign up here

WHAT: As part of the county-approved Freshwater Initiative, the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC) was contracted by Barnstable County and the Cape Cod Commission to conduct pond monitoring of 50 ponds Cape-wide from 2023 through 2025. This three-year program involves monitoring each pond seven times per year from April through October.  Pond Monitor Volunteers can sign up to monitor ponds in the area they live in. They meet up with our lead technicians in the morning, head out on a pond in a canoe, and assist with the freshwater pond monitoring. A typical day starts at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 1:30 p.m., and includes monitoring two ponds. Volunteers can sign up to do one day or several days depending on their availability and interest. Volunteers must be comfortable sitting in a canoe for several hours and must be able to turn themselves around in a sitting position, once in the canoe.

WHERE: Locations, close to your home. Two ponds are monitored each day and are normally in the same town just a few miles away from one another.

HOW: Sign up to be an Pond Monitor on our website here. Be sure to check off the town or towns that you would like to monitor in, on your form. Training and details will be provided by APCC’s science staff. You can learn more about this program

OUTREACH EVENT SUPPORT – sign up here

WHAT WE NEED HELP WITH
We have several annual events throughout the year. We invite volunteers to help setting up and staffing our tent, table, educational, and outreach materials. Events range from our annual plant sale, annual meeting, outreach events, and more.

SKILLS NEEDED
You must have the ability to lift and carry materials less than 40 pounds, and a car or mode of transportation. Volunteers should have a working knowledge of APCC’s mission, science and preservation programs, and be comfortable talking to event attendees.

WE WOULD PROVIDE
APCC will provide all materials needed for set up and outreach table.

SCIENCE PROGRAM FIELD WORK – sign up open soon

WHAT:The Ecosystem Restoration Program at APCC need assistance with salt marsh monitoring and data collection.

WHERE: Work will be done mostly around Barnstable Great Marsh and Chase Garden Creek in Dennis.

HOW: Sign up to be an APCC volunteer on our website here and be sure to mention field work in the comments section.

COMMUNICATION CONTACTS RESEARCH – no current opportunity

WHAT WE NEED HELP WITH
Update contact lists for municipal offices and other organizations.

SKILLS NEEDED
You must have a computer, a way to make an electronic document, and internet service.  This would involve going onto websites and finding specific contacts and emails and/or calling the organization’s office and getting contact information. The contact information gathered would need to be compiled in a word document, a google doc, or email and emailed to the volunteer coordinator at APCC.

WE WOULD PROVIDE
APCC will provide a list of organizations for you to search.

EDUCATIONAL HANDOUTS FOR DISTRIBUTION – no current opportunity

WHAT WE NEED HELP WITH
Distributing APCC educational pamphlets throughout the Cape’s towns. This will involve coming to APCC to pick up educational pamphlets and then driving to your town, or another town of your choice and distributing our materials to Town Halls, Libraries, COA’s, Senior Centers, Community Centers, Chambers of Commerce, etc.

SKILLS NEEDED
You must have a valid driver’s license and a car.  We do not reimburse for gas, so it is best to stay local to your town.

WE WOULD PROVIDE
APCC will provide a list of towns and organizations that would need to be visited.

TIMELINE / DELIVERABLES
This work would be done during office hours. This is not an urgent task, but ideally would be completed in a few weeks’ time.

MAILINGS – no current opportunity

WHAT WE NEED HELP WITH
Folding and stuffing envelopes with donor and membership letters and educational outreach materials.

SKILLS NEEDED
You must be able to pick up and drop off these materials in a timely manner.

WE WILL PROVIDE
APCC will provide all materials needed. Volunteers normally work in their homes.

TIMELINE / DELIVERABLES
Materials are picked up and returned to APCC during normal business hours between 9 a.m and 4 p.m. Requested turnaround time for completion is normally 1-2 business days.

HERRING MONITOR – 2024 sign up closed

WHAT: Help to monitor and count the Cape’s herring population during spring migration. APCC partners with many organizations, towns, agencies and individuals to promote river herring monitoring, protection and management. Monitors will receive training and guidance, and be assigned to a specific area in a town of their choice.

WHERE: Locations, close to your home. Training and details will be arranged with APCC’s science team and the local town program coordinators.

HOW: Sign up to be an Herring Monitor on our website here. Be sure to check off the town or towns that you would like to monitor in, on your form.

CONTACT

Dee Marsh, Assistant Education & Outreach Coordinator at dmarsh@appc.org