Volunteer

See Where You Can Help

RSVP for Volunteer Orientation

ECWR has multiple repeat volunteer opportunities available for those interested in helping us achieve our mission. As of June 2023, we have changed our volunteer orientation process. All volunteers must RSVP for orientation (there is limited space at each session). Orientation includes a presentation detailing the different volunteer opportunities available and a tour of our facility (wear shoes you can walk through sand in!).

Volunteer orientation is only available for interested volunteers 16 years of age or older. If you or your child is under 16, please do not RSVP or attend volunteer orientation. Students 9-15 can apply for our Youth Advisory Council - applications are open in January and August.

Upcoming Volunteer Orientations:

October 22nd 10-11:30am

There is a small volunteer fee for repeat volunteers that covers the cost of your volunteer shirt and any training (this fee is not due at the first orientation).

If you are interested in one time volunteer opportunities, you do not need to attend orientation. At this time, one-time volunteer opportunities are limited to our once-a-month community work days. See details below!

You can also find information about other/special volunteer opportunities at the bottom of the page.

Animal Care Volunteering

Required Qualifications:

Age Limit: 18 or Older
Hours per Month: 12 Hours - 3 Shifts per Month
Preferred Availability: Mornings - Shifts are 8am-12pm, 7 Days a Week
Keep in Mind: You must be willing to work outdoors in a variety of Florida weather, around foul odors and scat, and be exposed to typical Florida levels of insects
- This is a very competitive volunteer opportunity. It can and will take weeks or months to add you to the training schedule rotation. Animal Care volunteers must undergo rigorous and extensive training shifts.
- There is an additional Animal Care specific orientation required after the initial volunteer orientation, led by our Animal Care Director, before you will start training shifts. She will reach out when there are spots open.
Helpful Personality Traits: Dependable, Good Listener, Hard Worker
Possible Opportunities: 5 Levels - Introductory Ambassador Husbandry, Advanced Ambassador Husbandry, Rehab Animal Husbandry, Nursery, and Vet Shift
Volunteer Fee: $50 (Covers T-Shirt & Training)

Watch the video below to learn about Animal Care volunteering.

Education & Outreach Volunteering

Required Qualifications:

Age Limit: 16 or Older
Hours per Month: 8 for Adults, 4 for High School Students
- Education volunteer shifts are more felxible than the Animal Care shifts, so the hours can be spread over multiple days (two 4 hours shifts, four 2 hours shifts, etc.)
Preferred Availability: Mornings and Weekends (Not all weekends, but we do have community outreach events on weekends)
Keep in Mind: Education and Outreach primarily happens outdoors - you should be willing to work outdoors in a variety of Florida weather, around occasional foul odors (blame Loxy), and be exposed to typical Florida levels of insects.
- While an existing knowledge base and experience is appreciated, it is never expected. More important than existing knowledge is your willingness to learn!
- There is one required training session and various resources provided by the ECWR education team to prepare you for the various opportunities available for volunteers with this department.
Helpful Personality Traits: Enthusiastic Personality, Dependable, Able to Work Independently and as a Team Player
Possible Opportunities: Leading Tours in the Education Center, Teaching Field Trips, Tabling at Community Events, Assisting with Fundraisers, Working On-Site Events, and More!
Volunteer Fee: $25 (Covers T-Shirt & Training)

Maintenance & Beautification Volunteering

Required Qualifications:

Age Limit: 16 or Older
Hours per Month: No Monthly Minimum Shift Requirement
Education volunteer shifts are more felxible than the Animal Care shifts, so the hours can be spread over multiple days (two 4 hours shifts, four 2 hours shifts, etc.)
Preferred Availability: Mornings and Weekends (Especially Monday and Tuesday mornings!)
Keep in Mind: Maintenance & Beautification opportunitiyes primarily happens outdoors - you should be willing to work outdoors in a variety of Florida weather, around occasional foul odors (blame Loxy), and be exposed to typical Florida levels of insects.
- Maintenance & Beautification is the opportunity that is most likely to cancel/reschedule if there is extreme hot, cold, or rain
Helpful Personality Traits: Dependable, Creative Thinker (Out of the Box Problems require Out of the Box Solutions), & Team Player
Possible Opportunities: Habitat Building & Maintenance, Groundskeeping, Garden, Assisting with projects as needed

Youth Volunteering

9-15 Years Old: In 2023, Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge (ECWR) established a Youth Advisory Council (YAC). YAC is designed to be an opportunity for students ages 9-15 who are passionate about wildlife (and the wider environment) and want to put that passion into action, all while learning more about our wildlife from our education team! YAC applications are only accepted once a year. Applications are now closed! If you have submitted a completed application, you will hear from our Education team by Friday, August 23rd.

High School Students (16-18): If you are a high school student interested in getting bright future hours with ECWR, you can join our Education & Outreach volunteer group or our Maintenance & Beautification volunteer group. Check out more details on those tabs! Orientation is required before you can start to accumulate volunteer hours.

One-Time Volunteer Opportunities: Community Work Days

Community Support Days are the perfect short-term opportunity for families, individuals, and more to earn some extra volunteering hours. There's no orientation or requirements to be able to participate, other than signing up ahead of time and come with a positive attitude ready for some dirty work! Our community work day teams typically take on projects such as habitat builds, habitat maintenance, monofilament line collector construction, and general maintenance and beautification.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

Group Volunteer Days: If you're interested in scheduling a volunteer day with your company, organization, or other group, please reach out to our Executive Director at Director@EmeraldCoastWildlifeRefuge.org (click the email to auto-populate the subject line).

Eagle Scout Projects: If you're interested in completing your Eagle Scout Project at ECWR, please reach out to our Executive Director at Director@EmeraldCoastWildlifeRefuge.org (click the email to auto-populate the subject line). These projects can take some time to set up, so the longer you have to complete it, the better!

Bright Future Hours: Are you a 16 or 17 year old student looking for Bright Future Hours? Join our Education & Outreach or Maintenance & Beautification volunteer teams! You can do so by RSVPing for volunteer orientation at the top of this page. If you're looking for one-time volunteer opportunities, RSVP for our community work days!

Marine Mammal Stranding Team

Required Qualifications:

UWF Marine Biology Student (Undergraduate or Graduate)
18 years or older
Must be able to stand, sit, and walk for more than 30 minutes
Able to safely lift 50+ pounds
Must be willing and able to work outdoors in any Florida weather conditions, especially the typical high heat and humidity indexes
This includes exposure to biting insects such as mosquitoes and flies
Ability to withstand strong foul odors
Must participate in deceased recoveries and necropsies
Able to contribute a minimum of 8 hours a month

Volunteer

See Where You Can Help

Marine Mammal Stranding Team

Required Qualifications:

UWF Marine Biology Student (Undergraduate or Graduate)

18 years or older

Must be able to stand, sit, and walk for more than 30 minutes

Able to safely lift 50+ pounds

Must be willing and able to work outdoors in any Florida weather conditions, especially the typical high heat and humidity indexes

This includes exposure to biting insects such as mosquitoes and flies

Ability to withstand strong foul odors

Must participate in deceased recoveries and necropsies

Able to contribute a minimum of 8 hours a month

Injured or Orphaned Wildlife
850-684-1485
Daily
8 am - 4 pm
If we are unable to answer to phone during the times above, or a call is after hours, listen to our detailed voicemail for guidance and leave a message.

Stranding Hotline
1-855-787-2631
Always active
Report beached, stranded, or abnormal behavior of marine mammals and sea turtles ONLY. This is NOT an after-hours phone for injured wildlife.

3051 Cloptons Circle
Navarre, Florida
32566
Education and Medical Facility
If you arrive to drop off an animal between 8 am - 4 pm, but when our Education Center is closed, you will need to call at the gate. We will then have someone assist you.

Subscribe to our newsletter: the Pelican Post!

Volunteer

See Where You Can Help

Marine Mammal Stranding Team

Required Qualifications:

UWF Marine Biology Student (Undergraduate or Graduate)

​18 years or older

Must be able to stand, sit, and walk for more than 30 minutes

Able to safely lift 50+ pounds

Must be willing and able to work outdoors in any Florida weather conditions, especially the typical high heat and humidity indexes

This includes exposure to biting insects such as mosquitoes and flies

Ability to withstand strong foul odors

Must participate in deceased recoveries and necropsies

Able to contribute a minimum of 8 hours a month​

Injured or Orphaned Wildlife 850-684-1485 Daily 8 am - 4 pm If we are unable to answer to phone during the times above, or a call is after hours, listen to our detailed voicemail for guidance and leave a message.

Stranding Hotline 1-855-787-2631 Always active Report beached, stranded, or abnormal behavior of marine mammals and sea turtles ONLY. This is NOT an after-hours phone for injured wildlife.

3051 Cloptons Circle Navarre, Florida 32566 Education and Medical Facility If you arrive to drop off an animal between 8 am - 4 pm, but when our Education Center is closed, you will need to call at the gate. We will then have someone assist you.

Subscribe to our newsletter: the Pelican Post!

18 years or older

Able to contribute a minimum of 8 hours a month

Injured or Orphaned Wildlife
850-684-1485
Daily
8 am - 4 pm
If we are unable to answer to phone during the times above, or a call is after hours, listen to our detailed voicemail for guidance and leave a message.

Stranding Hotline
1-855-787-2631
Always active
Report beached, stranded, or abnormal behavior of marine mammals and sea turtles ONLY. This is NOT an after-hours phone for injured wildlife.

3051 Cloptons Circle
Navarre, Florida
32566
Education and Medical Facility
If you arrive to drop off an animal between 8 am - 4 pm, but when our Education Center is closed, you will need to call at the gate. We will then have someone assist you.