No horticultural or gardening experience required!!

Los Voluntarios

Los Voluntarios (Los Vols), the adult volunteer support organization for the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, is a self-organized group of allmost 300 women and men who annually contribute over 30,000 hours of service to this flagship public garden, administered by the County Department of Parks & Recreation.

Membership is open to adults and requires a minimum of 50 hours of service annually.
Depending upon availability, volunteer assignments may include administrative & customer
services, educational programming, gardening, gift shop, library, field docents, historic
preservation, floral arrangements, Santa Anita depot docents, walking tours, and membership
services. Volunteer activities also include interesting and informative meetings, presentations,
and annual volunteer luncheon and picnic. Members of Los Voluntarios receive a volunteer
focused newsletter and complimentary Family Membership to The Arboretum.
Participation in the volunteer orientation program is required.
The Spring orientation is closed.

Volunteers Needed for "Beatrix Potter in the Garden - an Easter Celebration at The Arboretum"

The day's activities for children ages 10 and younger include the annual Easter egg
scramble, readings from the many famous works of Beatrix Potter read by Beatrix Potter
Society members, art and gardening activities, botanic demonstrations, games, live animals
from the Beatrix Potter stories, and "Brunch with Peter Rabbit."

Event Date:   April 3 (Saturday), 2010
Event Time:   10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location:   Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Volunteers needed to assist with:
Event set-up • Clean-up • Craft  & Children’s Activities
Greeters & Visitor services • Decorations • Refreshments

Volunteer Shifts:
8:00 a.m.– 12:30 p.m.
12:00 p.m.– 4:30 p.m.
Work one shift or all day – it’s up to you
Student volunteers to be supervised by adult volunteers & staff
Refreshments provided

Questions and sign-ups:
Nancy Carlton, Volunteer Manager
626.802.8471 or nancy.carlton@arboretum.org

Special Event Volunteers

Add your name to our special event volunteer contact list and receive detailed
information when special events (i.e. L.A. Garden Show, Halloween Family Festival,
educational programming) or projects become available.

Student Volunteers

High school students (minimum age of 14) can fulfill community service hours requirements by volunteering
for special events and projects, or on an on-going basis.

Los Voluntarios and Volunteer Orientation is not open to students.

Do You Love Watching Birds at the Arboretum?

Volunteers Needed for Peacock Mating Behavior Research

Although they lack the fantastic plumage of males, female peafowl face a surprisingly
difficult task during the breeding season. They visit a number of different males and
assess their displays before choosing a mate. Roz Dakin, a visiting scholar from Queen's
University in Canada, is here to study this fascinating behavior, as well as the role of
iridescent plumage ornaments in the mate selection process. She needs help monitoring the
peacock leks (the sites where males court and mate with females). This is an opportunity
for Arboretum volunteers to participate in scientific research on mating strategies and
the use of color signals in birds.

This project takes place during the period of March 15-27,
 2010. Interested volunteers are welcome to join the team on any day(s) during that period.
Volunteers will be stationed at posts around the Arboretum to monitor specific male
territories. The primary task will be to observe and record all female visitation and
mating behavior occurring in that area. Requirements include binoculars (to read
identification numbers on the birds' leg bands) and a digital watch (for recording precise
times). You might want to bring a portable/folding chair, since the job requires staying
in one area for a prolonged period of time. Partners or groups are welcome to work
together!

We will have two 4-hour time slots each day (morning and afternoon). Volunteers
can sign up by contacting Nancy Carlton at (626) 802-8471 or nancy.carlton@arboretum.org.
You will then discuss preferred slots and the total number you would like to sign up for
with Roz Dakin.

Dates:
Monday March 15 - Saturday March 27 (inclusive), 2010

Time slots:
Morning 7:30-11:30 am
Afternoon 1:30-5:30 pm

Volunteer Opportunities for Summer Nature Camp 2010

Student volunteers are invited to earn community service hours by assisting with the Summer Nature Camp 2010 at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.

This camp program is an opportunity for children, ages 5 – 10, to experience the wonders of nature through outdoor hands-on experiences, including hiking through the 127 acre gardens and discovering the amazing animals and plants from around the world found throughout the grounds.  Children will discover the science behind gardening and explore their creative side with nature crafts.

Camp Dates and Programming:
Session 1:  June 14 (Monday) – 18 (Friday)
One week, Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.     Extended care
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon   Morning session – Wilderness Adventures/Gardening
12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.   Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.     Afternoon session – Art/Cooking
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.     Extended care

Session 2:  June 21 (Monday) – 25 (Friday)
One week, Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.     Extended care
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon   Morning session – Wilderness Adventures/Gardening
12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.   Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.     Afternoon session – Art/Cooking
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.     Extended care

Session 3:  June 28 (Monday) – July 02 (Friday)
One week, Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.     Extended care
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon   Morning session – Wilderness Adventures/Gardening
12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.   Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.     Afternoon session – Art/Cooking
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.     Extended care

Session 4:  July 05 (Monday) – 09 (Friday)
One week, Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.     Extended care
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon   Morning session – Wilderness Adventures/Gardening
12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.   Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.     Afternoon session – Art/Cooking
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.     Extended care

Session 5:  July 12 (Monday) – 16 (Friday)
One week, Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.     Extended care
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon   Morning session – Wilderness Adventures/Gardening
12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.   Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.     Afternoon session – Art/Cooking
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.     Extended care

Session 6:  July 19 (Monday) – 23 (Friday)
One week, Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.     Extended care
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon   Morning session – Wilderness Adventures/Gardening
12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.   Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.     Afternoon session – Art/Cooking
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.     Extended care

Session 7:  July 26 (Monday) – 30 (Friday)
One week, Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.     Extended care
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon   Morning session – Wilderness Adventures/Gardening
12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.   Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.     Afternoon session – Art/Cooking
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.     Extended care

Volunteer Shifts:
Students must make a commitment to volunteer for at least two full sessions (but are welcome to volunteer for all seven sessions), and work a full day (7:45 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.) or a half-day (7:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. or 12:00 noon – 5:30 p.m.). 

Responsibilities:
Under the supervision and direction of a staff member or adult volunteer, assist instructors and campers with extended care, morning and afternoon session programming, and lunch coverage.

Training:
No summer camp experience required. Volunteers must attend one 4-hour training session (date to be determined) and will include basic CPR training.
   
Minimum Age: 15 years old

Tools & Supplies:
All necessary tools and supplies will be provided by The Arboretum, including a summer camp T-shirt and stainless water bottle.

Volunteers are responsible for bringing their own lunch.

Attire:
Camp T-shirt
Jeans or Shorts
Good walking or tennis shoes (no flip flops or opened toed shoes)
Hat (recommended)

Application Deadline:  May 14 (Friday), 2010

Contact for volunteer application and questions:
    Nancy Carlton
    Volunteer & Special Events Manager
    The Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden
    301 North Baldwin Avenue
    Arcadia, CA. 91007
    (626) 802-8471
    nancy.carlton@arboretum.org

Group Volunteers

Organizations (i.e. corporate and school groups, Scouts, etc.) are invited to arrange for
group volunteer projects.

Library Volunteers

Members of the community can choose to volunteer anytime the library is open. The
Library and its staff are very flexible with scheduling working hours for our volunteers.
We can take up to four volunteers at a time. The Library volunteer duties can include
shelving, magazine check-in, book processing, computer data entry, stack shifting,
website design and maintenance, library programming (such as children's story time,
book clubs and programming in conjunction with the plant societies,) development of the
children's book collection, managing and working library book sales, book conservation
and repair, magazine binding, inventory, retrospective conversion, grant development and
writing and any other duties that the librarian and the volunteer can negotiate depending
on desire and skill level.

For more information about these opportunities, please contact Nancy Carlton, Volunteer and Special Events Manager 626.802.8471
nancy.carlton@arboretum.org