Highlights

• Conservation work throughout the western US, including in some of America’s most amazing national parks
• Camping under the stars with fellow volunteers
• Have time to travel the States on days off.

Help protect America’s amazing natural beauty

How you can help

• Assist with re-vegetation of regional and national parks
• Help with trail maintenance
• Build or repair fences
• Help protect local endangered species.

Why your help is needed

The USA boasts some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world, and volunteers on this project have the rare opportunity to live and work in amongst these incredible surroundings for up to 12 weeks.

While on project, volunteers will camp under the stars in the heart of some of America’s most breath-taking scenery; but while the backdrop is stunning, the natural beauty and abundant wildlife in these areas are increasingly threatened by the environmental challenges of the modern world, such as air pollution and climate change.

Although America’s parks are in constant need of conservation work in order to protect their rich environments, initiatives are often underfunded, making volunteer help highly valued. Volunteers work in groups in regional and national parks, forests and wilderness areas in the western United States and get involved in trail maintenance, fencing, re-vegetation and invasive species removal. The work is physically demanding, normally in remote areas, and sometimes involves a long hike just to get to base camp! Days are long (up to 10 hours) and volunteers should be prepared for extreme weather conditions, but the camaraderie and sense of achievement is immeasurable, and working in the locations provides a truly memorable experience!

Most projects are based in and around Arizona, Utah and Nevada and are 4 days to 4 weeks long, with days off in between.

Arizona

Arizona’s landscape is among some of the most amazing in the US, beginning in the Grand Canyon and continuing through 21 highly varied national parks, monuments and recreation areas. One in twenty inhabitants of Arizona is Native America and one quarter of the Grand Canyon State (Arizona’s new moniker) is Indian land, meaning the area has extraordinary cultural and historical significance as well as environmental.

Utah

Utah’s National Parks boasts breath taking destinations such as Monument Valley, the Navajo reservation and the north rim of the Grand Canyon, and its numerous national parks include Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol and Reef Arches.

Nevada

The Reno-Tahoe Territory, which borders California, boasts beautiful and historic landscapes, while the state is also famous for the bright lights of Las Vegas.

Whichever National Park your Volunteer USA experience takes place in, you can be guaranteed to be outdoors and surrounded by some pretty awe-inspiring scenery!

The project gives wild-at-heart volunteers who are up for a challenge and love the Great Outdoors the opportunity to discover some of the USA’s most spectacular national parks while making a real contribution to protecting some of the most amazing natural environments in the world.

There may also be limited spaces available to work on conservation projects in California. Volunteers may be placed on this project on request or if places on the projects mentioned above are full.

How long can I go for? 8, 10 or 12 weeks

Working hours: Up to 10 hours a day on projects of 4 – 9 days, as well as occasional 3 – 4 week projects. Volunteers will have days of in between shorter projects and on site during the longer projects.

Eligibility: British/Irish, 18 - 39, eligible for the US Visa Waiver Programme
Volunteers should be willing to work long hours in extreme temperatures, work well in a team and be happy to get their hands dirty. It is important that volunteers are in excellent fitness and health as there is unlikely to be medical facilities near to the project locations.