Field Schedule
Logistics: Unless inclement weather is forecast or an update indicates otherwise, you can assume that we will be out. (We'll notify all registered volunteers in the event we have to cancel a volunteer day.) Bring work gloves, if you have them, and a bottle of drinking water. Unless otherwise noted, we will provide tools. Wear sturdy shoes to our field events. Please do not wear sandals or open-toed shoes! And if you are coming out to one of our field sites you're better off wearing long, light-weight pants, rather than shorts. (But shorts are fine at the nursery.)
Students: If you need hours for a class requirement, a staff member can sign a verification form if you bring one, but we do not provide these forms ourselves.
All visitors must abide by the following rules:
All volunteers must be pre-confirmed through our online volunteer sign-up system. Email Maddie at info@earthsangha.org with questions about the process. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own work gloves and water bottles.
Upcoming Events
Wild Plant Nursery Workday
Click here to register to volunteer.
When: Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays from 9am to 1pm. The last regular nursery volunteer day of 2024 will be Sunday November 24th.
What: We need help potting up plants, weeding, distributing labels, and a variety of other tasks to keep the nursery running! We'll provide all tools and gloves. Please bring your own water, dress for the weather, and wear closed toe shoes.
Where: Wild Plant Nursery is located at 6100 Cloud Dr, Springfield, VA 22150
Contact: If you have any questions about volunteering at the nursery or weather concerns, contact Maddie at mbright@earthsangha.org or call 703.859.2951.
Seed Cleaning at the Office
Click here to register to volunteer.
When: Sundays December 1st, 8th, and 15th from 9 AM - 12 PM
What: After a busy year of seed collecting, it's time to go inside for some seed cleaning! Take a seat around the table and help us clean stems and chaff from the seeds our staff has collected from wild local eco-type plants (with permission!). The seeds will be sown, grown at our nursery, and the new plants will eventually make their way to restoration sites and private lands. These events will take place inside and can result in dust/allergens so if you have a sensitive respiratory system it may be a good idea to bring a mask.
Where: Earth Sangha Office at 5101-i Backlick Road, Annandale VA 22003
Contact: If you have any questions about volunteering at the office, contact Maddie at mbright@earthsangha.org or call 703.859.2951.
Sangha Stewards
The Sangha Stewards is a way for volunteers looking for more independent and technical work to join us at our nursery, our field sites, and our office to help us manage more complex tasks and receive extra training.
Sangha Stewards are invited to work more closely with our staff and to join our monthly staff training sessions (we’ll have snacks!). Days and times are more flexible and we’re looking to work with our Stewards to develop their skills and what sort of work they’re most interested in.
We are not currently accepting applications for the Sangha Stewards program.
We have four categories for Sangha Stewards:
Nursery and Propagation: While we already do a lot of potting up, we frequently have species that need a little bit more detailed care: perhaps it’s a tray with mixed species, maybe we have delicate seedlings that need to be teased apart, or we need someone with a keen eye and a steady hand to remove weeds among rare or sensitive native plants. Or maybe you just want to relax and help us hand water through the summer. This is work that can be done independently or as part of our regular volunteer days.
Building and Infrastructure: We always have a backlog of maintenance and construction tasks at the nursery, whether it’s adjusting irrigation lines or helping us build more of our oak and hickory rodent exclosures. If you’re handy with tools, we could use the help here!
Invasives and Field Sites: The invasives never sleep, so we could use an extra set of eyes and hands out at some of our field sites. This could mean checking sites periodically for Early Detection Rapid Response species or even doing a little bit of independent pulling or helping us lead volunteers at our field days. We’ll make sure to familiarize you with our sites and train you on the species and areas we’re looking to target. Keeping invasive vines off our Habitat Refuges will be one of our top priorities.
Office: For those of you who would rather be inside, we do need periodic help at our office. It may not be as frequent as the other categories, but printing labels, helping us organize our Acorn newsletter mailings would be a big help!
Banner: Volunteers planting native meadow species at the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Chris Bright.
