Volunteer with us!
Outdoor U and the Abbey Arboretum rely on a dedicated crew of volunteers for all of our work. For most jobs, experience is not required, but enthusiasm and an interest in the environment definitely are!
Have a group interested in service-learning? Sign up for one of the opportunities below or contact us for other options.
Land Stewardship
Be part of a team donating time, talent, and treasure to land stewardship projects in the 2,944-acre Abbey Arboretum. As part of the growing Abbey Conservation Corps, participate in land stewardship projects such as: tree planting/care, invasive species removal, prescribed fire, trail maintenance and more.
Wednesday Workdays
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Meet in Science Lot 1 and participants will drive individually to work sites each week. No experience necessary.
Prescribed Fire
Prescribed fires help to replenish the nutrients in the soil and fend off invasive species. We will have various shifts with jobs for everyone! No experience is necessary to volunteer, but volunteers must be 18 years or older. More information about prescribed burns and a schedule of potential dates will be shared online and to our volunteer email list during the burn season (typically April-May and Oct-Nov).
Saint John’s Maple Syrup
Hundreds of volunteers make the Saint John’s Maple Syrup operation possible. Full production years will occur every other spring where volunteers can help with anything from tapping trees, collecting sap, cooking syrup or washing buckets to working at a Maple Syrup Festival or assisting with education activities. The volunteer season for syruping is typically in March and April.
Education & Program Support
Be in the center of it all and sign up to help with a number of community events, lead tours, or help with preK-12 field trips.
Or stay more in the background and write articles for Sagatagan Seasons, take photos for events or marketing, or assist with grant-writing and fundraising.
Volunteer Training
For most volunteer opportunities, no experience is required and training can be provided the day-of. But if you enjoy learning about the natural world, sharing knowledge with others and support conservation, consider becoming a Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteer. Saint John’s Outdoor U typically hosts one of the 40-hour classes annually and there are many additional training opportunities throughout the state.
