Volunteer Opportunities
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Friends of the Desert Mountains!
Volunteers are very important in our work to support the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument and to preserve open space lands in and around the Coachella Valley. Our volunteer opportunities are listed below.
Here's How It Happens!
We have fun, exciting, and rewarding ways you can help. Let us know how you’d like to get involved:
Contact us by email, phone, mail, or fax. Our Volunteer Coordinator will contact you to talk about your interests and our needs. Then you’ll be interviewed in person by the Volunteer Coordinator. (Additional screening will be required for volunteers involved in the school program.)
Email: ssegal@desertmountains.org
Phone: (760) 568-9918
Fax: (760) 568-9908
Mail: Friends of the Desert Mountains, P.O. Box 1281, Palm Desert, CA 92261-1281
Want a Volunteer Application?
Email Application Form: Click here.
PDF Application Form (print out and mail in or fax): Click here.
Need Acrobat Reader? Click here.
How You Can Help:
Hit the Trail! Clean up a Canyon!
- Lead interpretive walks on the short nature trail at the National Monument Visitor Center.
- Become a trained guide for our new hiking program for the National Monument.
- Help with invasive plant cleanup and habitat restoration projects in the National Monument and other natural areas.
- Monitor plant and animal species native to the Monument.
Become a Natural Ambassador
- Greet visitors to the National Monument Visitor Center. Provide suggestions on hikes and other sites in the Monument. Explain the programs and services available. Give information on local attractions in the valley.
- Provide hospitality services at public programs and events at the Visitor Center: greet visitors, provide refreshments, assist with parking and directions, help set up and tear down presentation area.
Work with Kids and Nature
- Teach environmental education lessons in the schools and lead educational field trips.
Unleash the Artist Within
- Contribute articles or photos or your talents in graphic design to our quarterly newsletter, or for use in our educational and promotional materials.
- Distribute event flyers and other materials to various information centers.
- Help to solicit and schedule presentations to community groups.
- Attend events and hand out outreach materials and information to attendees.
- Present our Adopt a Desert Acre slide show or PowerPoint presentation to groups.
- Assist with data entry and other computer-related tasks.
- Assist with administrative tasks; help assemble mailings and do various clerical tasks (no computer skills required).
Bring In the Dough
- Assist with grant research or grant writing, which bring in funds for our critical mission.
- Attend fundraising events and help as needed.
- Staff a shift at our Bobcat Bookstore and Gift Shop at the National Monument Visitor Center, selling items and giving information to visitors. Click here for Bookstore Page.
Volunteering has its benefits:
- Field trips to unique and beautiful wild places we save
- Parties and volunteer recognition events
- Uniform shirt and name tag
- Volunteer-only newsletter
- Training and educational opportunities in the National Monument and beyond
- And other fun rewards and experiences!
