Volunteer
- Phone: 302-654-4707
- Email: devolunteer@tnc.org
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Get Involved with Delaware
Thank you for your interest in dedicating your time to conserving nature! Find volunteer work or sign up to become a volunteer by filling out the short interest form below.
Current Volunteer Openings
There is more than one way to volunteer for The Nature Conservancy in Delaware. In addition to participating in scheduled volunteer events and work days, we have several ongoing volunteer opportunities.
Trail Monitors
Trail monitor volunteers are needed to walk the trails on our Delaware Preserves, tend to light trail clearing, and notify us of any large, downed trees or other issues that need attention.
Volunteers will use their smartphones or tablets to connect to the Preserve Monitoring App and track their visits.
More details are available on the Preserve Monitoring Information Sheet.
Please fill out our interest form and select “Outdoor Opportunities (Field Work, Monitoring, Research)” to sign up or receive more information.
Please contact Molly Anderson with any questions.
Nature Advocates
We’re seeking advocacy volunteers as the new legislative session in Dover kicks off for 2023.
Volunteers can help influence and shape the Delaware policies needed to create a future in which people and nature thrive.
No experience is necessary and we will provide all the tools. Learn more about our public policy agenda today.
Please fill out our interest form and select “Policy/Advocacy Opportunities” to sign up or receive more information.
Photographers/ Videographers
We are always seeking volunteer photographers and videographers to help us capture the beauty of Delaware, the biodiversity of our preserves, and our work across the state.
Volunteers will have the opportunity to have their work showcased on our social media channels, webpages, and publications with content credit.
If you’re interested in volunteering your time and skills, please fill out our interest form below and indicate “photography and/or videography” in the “Interests/Skills” section.
Social Media Ambassadors
Social media ambassadors help us reach new audiences and spread the word about our work in Delaware.
Ambassadors are needed to tag us in photos at our preserves on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Ambassadors will have the opportunity to have their content showcased on our social media channels, webpages, and publications with content credit.
We are also seeking assistance with reposting and resharing our content on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Contact devolunteer@tnc.org for more information about current opportunities or fill out the interest form below to receive regular updates.
Guide to iNaturalist
Join a growing group of community scientists using our iNaturalist fact sheet.
Become A Community Scientist
We are creating a community science database of all kinds of life—from lichens to ants, mushrooms to plants, birds to mammals and everything in between for our preserves in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
TNC's roots began with local citizens and scientists concerned about special places and species. That legacy continues today. Across our lands, we are utilizing iNaturalist—a digital platform that gives users an opportunity to share and discuss their findings.
Of the 14 preserve projects in iNaturalist, nine have observations recorded; help us increase that number and our understanding of the species—good and bad, native as well as invasive—that can be found on TNC lands across the state. This information can also help guide and inform our conservation staff's management and monitoring decisions.
Get Started
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- Woodbourne Forest & Wildlife Preserve
- Chrome Barrens Preserve
- Eales Preserve at Moosic Mountain
- Hamer Woodlands at Cove Mountain
- Florence Shelly Wetlands Preserve
- Thomas Darling Preserve
- Long Pond Preserve and Hauser Nature Center
- Bristol Marsh Preserve
- Tannersville Cranberry Bog Preserve
- Brush Mountain
- Edward H. McCabe Preserve
- Harry and Mary Goering Preserve
- Pemberton Forest Preserve and Ponders Tract Trails
- West Branch Forest
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In this video tutorial, learn how to make an observation on iNaturalist using the mobile app. Watch now.
2025 Delaware Volunteer of the Year
Anita Janney Giving Back to Nature and Community
For Anita Janney, volunteering isn’t just an activity; it’s a calling. “The short answer: it means a lot,” she explains. “It’s a chance to give back to my community, help preserve natural beauty for the next generation and give my life meaning.”
Her passion for conservation runs deep. Growing up in the 1960s and ’70s, a time of rising environmental awareness, she was inspired by books like Bird’s Nests, Turtles and Fish and dreamed of becoming a naturalist. “I’ve always been a hippie tree-hugger,” she says. “When I see laws being rolled back and great natural places disassembled, I get mad all over again. Volunteering with TNC gives me hope because I’m part of an organization with the vision to protect what we have and plan for the future.”
Favorite Places and Projects
Among Delaware’s preserves, the Edward H. McCabe Preserve tops her list. “The kayak launch is such a peaceful way to approach this beautiful, wooded site,” she shares. Milford Neck Preserve is a close second, where she learned about the critical role wooded areas play in songbird migration.
Beyond Delaware, she admires TNC’s global work with Indigenous Peoples on sustainable farming practices across 64 countries, a testament to the organization’s far-reaching impact.
A Lifelong Connection to TNC
Anita’s relationship with TNC began in the early 1980s with a simple donation and a bumper sticker. A chance encounter on Cape Cod with a scientist studying shorebirds, funded by TNC, cemented her commitment. “That interaction brought home the valuable impact TNC has,” she recalls. “I’ve been a devoted contributor ever since, and now I’m thrilled to volunteer.”
Memorable Moments
One standout experience during her time as a TNC DE volunteer was a guided kayak tour to McCabe Preserve, organized with Camp Rehoboth. “We introduced TNC to a whole new group,” she says. “When you can excite people about TNC’s goals, that’s so rewarding!”
Why She Keeps Volunteering
For Anita, it’s about community and impact. “Delaware is a small state, but we make a big difference,” she notes. “Every cleanup, tree management day and guided tour reminds me why I do this, because together, we’re protecting nature for generations to come.”
While Anita is our Volunteer of the Year, she’s quick to recognize that it’s the small but mighty core group of dedicated volunteers across Delaware who truly make up a dream team, working together to make this critical conservation work possible in our small but vibrant state.
Thank you, Anita!
For more information about volunteering in Delaware, fill out the short form below and we'll be in touch with opportunities!
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