Volunteer Directory

Environmental opportunities

STATE PARKS – Florida Department of Environmental Protection St George Island State Park is always looking for volunteers, especially those who want to come out for a few hours per week/month. Volunteers assist in cleaning up shorelines, collecting trash from road shoulders, painting, assisting in construction projects, turtle monitoring, just to name a few activities. Contact Melody Brennan at the SGI Ranger Station at 850-927-2111 or by email at [email protected] or Friends of the Franklin County State Park at fcfcsp.org.

APALACHICOLA NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE (ANERR) – ANERR is part of a network of 29 areas representing different biogeographic regions of the United States. The local entity protects the area for long-term research, water quality and habitat monitoring, education, and coastal stewardship. ANERR’s home is located at 108 Island Drive, just across the bridge at Cat Point in Eastpoint. Volunteers play special roles critical to ANERR’s work. The Reserve operates in accordance with CDC guidelines and follows strict safety protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Email Janice Becker [email protected].

Specialized Work in the Field:

Sea Turtle Patrol – Volunteers take part in identifying and recording turtle nests during the summer nesting season on St. George Island. This activity requires participants to be fit enough to walk long stretches of beach. The most valuable turtle volunteer is the one who replaces exterior lighting with fixtures that meet federal standards that prevent disorientation by turtle hatchlings. Check here for information on fixture types and penalties at https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/sea-turtle/lighting

Citizen science microplastics sampling – Volunteers work at their own time and pace to collect microplastics from water and sediments around the estuarine system. Supplies and training provided by ANERR.

Research Assistants - Volunteers assist Reserve scientists with collecting data in projects related to water quality, nutrients, meteorology, fisheries, zooplankton, and climate change. Volunteers need to be fit enough to lift equipment (as much as fifty pounds). They may also be on a boat for hours at a time with high exposure to inclement weather and conditions.

Roles at the ANERR Nature Center, located on Island Drive in Eastpoint, north of the bridge

Greeters at the Nature Center
Greeters and docents for special events like Estuaries Day in September
Assistants with special on-site K-12 education programs
Writers and graphic artists for creating press releases/stories/photography and brochures

SGI TRASH PATROL – Whether joining one of the three-a-year organized business district-wide events or just picking up random trash, the most visible impact you can have on our environment is keeping it litter free. Volunteer to “work the grid” when you are on the island by taking responsibility for an assigned area within the residential streets. Join the team post Chili-Cook-Off Trash patrol on Sunday, March 7 at 9 a.m. at the porch of the Lighthouse Museum. T-shirts, gloves and other equipment available upon request. All open air, social distancing required. Email [email protected]

GARDENING ACTIVITIES – The island and surrounding community offer multiple opportunities for volunteers to help create and maintain small venues of landscaped area.

ISLAND CENTER: St George Island Civic Club - Volunteers meet with hand tools and gloves three times a year to trim and clear the six tiny landscaped beds along Franklin Blvd and Chili Drive. Most work sessions take one hour on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Additional volunteers will be needed in the coming years to assist in the maintenance of brand new beds planted on the Causeway to the bridge.
Contact: [email protected]
FRANKLIN SCHOOLS – Manicured landscaping around school grounds and athletic fields has never been a priority for the school system. Volunteer who share a love of flowers and plants know that an attractive environment can make for school pride and community spirit. Time requirement varies. Background checks required.
Contact: [email protected].
HOLY FAMILY SENIOR CENTER IN APALACHICOLA – Once a school serving African American children, this beautiful historic facility is the home of many services for local seniors. Its grounds feature Monarch Butterfly gardens featuring native plants and pollinators. Volunteer gardeners work independently or with others to tend these beds. Strict Covid guidance is followed. Call 850-370-0116 or visit www.ecccfranklin.org
ANERR – As part of its mission to protect the natural environment of this area, the Reserve’s striking Nature Center maintains a demonstration garden of native plant species that can thrive here and contribute to a healthy ecosystem. Volunteers can serve independently or at designated times to tend to these low maintenance plants. Contact: [email protected].
FLORIDA MASTER GARDENER CLASSES & PROGRAM – UF/IFAS Extension Office. In addition to traditional agricultural and horticultural services to the community, the county Extension Service provides the popular Master Gardener Program for volunteers interested in teaching others about the science and art of gardening in a Covid-safe fashion. The class will be scheduled soon. Check the website for information: Franklin County - UF/IFAS Extension (ufl.edu)