VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteers make the world go round and make so many things possible that wouldn't otherwise be feasible! Join us for one of our on-going opportunities and check back often for new opportunities as they arise.

Don't want to miss an opportunity? Fill-out volunteer interest form to get on our volunteer list. We will email you and let you know when we have opportunities to work together. ​

Adopt-A-Trail Volunteers

​BRN has adopted the Millville Historic Townsite and Rock Art Discovery Trail, a 1.8 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Sierra Vista, Arizona. This trail is a portion of the greater San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA) trail system.

In 2019, the area Bureau of Land Management (BLM) office put out a request to the public asking for help to maintain some of the 28 miles of trails at the SPRNCA to help keep them open to the general public.  

BRN is seeking volunteers who could join us a couple times a year to help maintain this trail. Duties include some mowing, and cutting back limbs and obstructions from around the trail. Volunteer sessions will be set-up at the conclusion of monsoon season in the fall and in the spring during the morning hours.

Volunteers must wear close toed shoes, long pants and be able to provide their own loppers for trimming back limbs. 

Join our adopt-a-trail team and help keep the San Pedro and this especially historical trail open and in great shape for all to enjoy!

Next trail dates: Spring 2021! Check back for dates or contact us to get on the list to be notified when dates are selected. 

Contact Sarah Taylor with questions and to sign-up!

Native Seed Lab Seed Cleaning Volunteer Mondays        Mondays 9am - Noon Winter, Spring, Summer
**Temporarily suspended due to COVID.**


Join us at the BRN Seed Lab for a morning of seed cleaning! Help us clean the native seeds that we have collected from the area and be part of restoration process.

Protective gear is provided, and the work is all indoors with outdoor options.

Contact ​horticulture@borderlandsrestoration.org or call, (520) 216-4148 to sign-up.

Native Plant Nursery Propagation Work Days                 Tuesdays & Thursdays: 9AM - Noon Year Round


​Spend your morning at the BRN Plant Nursery with a great group of plant-lovers, propagating native plants.  Bring water and be prepared for outdoor work.

Contact ​horticulture@borderlandsrestoration.org or call, (520) 216-4148 to sign-up.


Montezuma Quail Habitat Restoration Volunteer Days                                           Multiple Dates

The Montezuma Quails’ limited distribution and scenic habitat bring thousands annually to southeastern Arizona, the only area in the United States these birds can be seen in abundance. It is more important than ever to restore habitat and food sources for the Montezuma Quail so that they continue to be abundant across our special landscape.

Generous grant funding from the Sonoran Joint Venture is allowing Borderlands Restoration Network to work in the Wildlife Corridor north of Patagonia, AZ using watershed restoration practices to improve quail habitat and increase quail forage.

https://sonoranjv.org/habitat-enhancement-for-montezuma-quail-in-arizona/

Similar practices in nearby Smith Ranch and El Coronado Ranch have resulted in an observed increase in bird occurrence and increased opportunities for recreational activities, to the benefit of landowners, bird-watchers, and wildlife.

As part of our ongoing effort to improve quail habitat, we are very excited to invite you to join us in this effort through three volunteer days, February 20, February 27, and March 26.

Volunteers and restoration experts will work together in the Wildlife Corridor north of Patagonia to transform the landscape into habitat that will enhance quail forage and abundance. This is a great opportunity to get your hands dirty for a cause that benefits us all!

WHEN: TBD, Paused due to COVID. 

WHERE:
We will meet at the Wildlife Corridor kiosk by the Wildlife Corridor entrance off of Highway 82 in Patagonia.

DETAILS:
We will treat drainages with erosion control structures to improve Montezuma Quail habitat. This is physical work that includes hiking on uneven terrain, moving and placing rocks, and using hand-tools to dig into the earth.

Please wear closed-toe shoes, a long-sleeved shirt and long pants that you don't mind getting dirty, and sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen).

Please bring 2 liters of water, snacks, and a bagged lunch. Tools will be provided. Erosion control experts will be on-site to teach participants how to install structures, guide work, and provide insight.

Agave Mapping Volunteers

Now accepting volunteers for Agave palmeri surveys. Help us identify and observe populations of Agave palmeri in southern Arizona. These mapping efforts will create a baseline for Agave palmeri population health as part of our Bacanora for Bats project funded through the Salazar Center's Connectivity Challenge.

Our lead mapping scientist, Erin Riordan, will analyze previous mapping efforts and distribution modeling to highlight regions of key agave population importance.  Volunteers will help with both counts, as well as identification of juvenile agaves to assign health of a population through visible succession of the species if there are seedlings and pups found in each population.

Agave palmeri is a diverse agave species that comes in many sizes, but is characterized by its long, thin leaves, cold hardiness, and late summer bloom time, making them ideal for nectar feeding bats on their return trip to Mexico from saguaro land. They are also the most common agave found in the mid-elevation grasslands of southern Arizona and northern Sonora.

Agave Mapping volunteers will locate and map agave populations on your own time March - August 2021. Training will be provided with the first orientation on March 13th 10AM- Noon via zoom. This session will be recorded for anyone unable to make the session.​

National Pollinator Week Agave for Bats Planting                                                       8AM - 11AM  /  Tuesday, June 22, 2021 


​Join BRN staff and Bat Conservation International to plant agaves at the Appleton Whittel Research Ranch in Elgin, Arizona as part of our Agaves for Bats restoration work and in celebration of National Pollinator Week. 

Help us plant Agave palmeri grown from seed from Borderlands Nursery & Seed to help provide nectar for migrating bats as they make their journey back to central Mexico from Arizona. 

Contact horticulture@borderlandsrestoration.org to reserve your spot. Space is limited to 20 participants. 
​
**Please note, work will be conducted outdoors in the heat of summer. Please bring plenty of water, snacks, and appropriate field gear (wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, sunscreen, close-toed boots suitable for rocky terrain). 

Dragonfly Pond Restoration Planting, Along the Path of the Jaguar                                   8AM - 11AM  /  Friday, July 23, 2021
 
Volunteers needed for an exciting opportunity to help further restore Dragonfly Pond, a small perennial water feature at the Borderlands Wildlife Preserve, that provides habitat and water for a diversity of wildlife. The Borderlands Wildlife Preserve (BWP) protects a critical migratory corridor for jaguar, bear, and other wildlife in southeast Arizona.
 
Thanks to the generosity of donors and as part of our two-year climate adaptation grant project, Restoration Along the Path of the Jaguar, we are building on our past restoration efforts by adding more native plants in and around the pond and we need your helping hands to get the plants in the ground!
 
This is a great opportunity to learn about BRN’s multi-pronged approach to ecological restoration and help restore an important area for wildlife at the BWP. The native plants we will be planting are from our own Borderlands Nursery & Seed. We will open our retail nursery for volunteers following the event so you can purchase some of your favorite native plants to restore your own yard.
 
**Please note, work will be conducted outdoors in the heat of summer. Please bring plenty of water and appropriate field gear (wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, sunscreen, close-toed boots suitable for rocky terrain). Snacks will be provided.
 
Event Date: Friday, July 23, 2021 / 8AM - 11AM
Location: Borderlands Wildlife Preserve, Patagonia, AZ  

Contact Tess Wagner at twagner@borderlandsrestoration.org to reserve your spot and receive information about meeting logistics. Space is limited to 20 participants.

Watering, Along the Path of the Jaguar                                                                  8AM - 11AM  / Friday, September 3rd, 2021  

​Help us care for previously planted native plants along the critical wildlife migration corridor, the Borderlands Wildlife Preserve as part of our two-year climate resiliency and restoration project, Restoration Along the Path of the Jaguar!

We will spend the morning watering native plants from Borderlands Nursery & Seed outplanted previously during the summer of 2021, ensuring they have the best chance at thriving in their new homes. Learn about native plants, ecology, and restoration while volunteering alongside BRN staff and contributing to the ecological restoration and climate resiliency of this important corridor.

Contact Tess Wagner at twagner@borderlandsrestoration.org to reserve your spot. Space is limited to 20 participants. 

​**All work will be conducted outdoors in hot conditions, so please bring plenty of water, snacks, and appropriate field gear (wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, sunscreen, close-toed boots suitable for rugged terrain).

**Please note that this event may be canceled if adequate monsoon rains are received. If it is canceled, we will notify participants via email.

Erosion Control, Along the Path of the Jaguar                                                               9AM-12PM   /  Friday, October 8, 2021    ​

Join our Watershed Restoration Crew in building erosion control structures along an important migration corridor, the Borderlands Wildlife Preserve! Learn about different types of erosion control structures, their uses, and how to construct ECS's using locally available materials.

**Please note that work will be conducted outdoors and it may be hot, so please bring plenty of water, snacks, and appropriate field gear (wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, sunscreen, close-toed boots suitable for rugged terrain).

Please email twagner@borderlandsrestoration.org to reserve your spot today! Space is limited to 20. 

Board Members

Borderlands Restoration Network is currently seeking a few dedicated professionals to join our Board of Directors. We seek individuals with skills in a variety of professions including, fundraising, financial management, nonprofit management, legal, special events, environmental backgrounds and more!

If interested, please contact Executive Director, Kurt Vaughn at kvaughn@borderlandsrestoration.org