Organization: Imago

About this opportunity: 

Come out to Imago for a fun morning of volunteering on Saturday, April 29 from 9:00 am-12:00 pm! Your support is how we keep this amazing urban preserve healthy and thriving.

Started in 1978 by two social workers, Imago is an ecological education organization that is rooted in the concept that living in harmony with the natural world is not only good for the planet, but good for ourselves, our families and our communities. Through our preservation of urban nature, our hands-on green workshops, and our education programs for youth, Imago is fostering an exciting, sustainable future that benefits us all.

Imago is located at 700 Enright Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45205

Register to volunteer here.

Organization: Boone County Arboretum

About this opportunity:

Boone County Arboretum's annual Dogwood Dash 5k will take place at the Arboretum on April 29th, 2023! They are in need of detail-oriented volunteers to join the planning committee for this important fundraising event. Whether you are an avid runner or just enjoy event planning, they want your help in making this year's race a success.

The committee will meet once per month, and duties may include picking up donations from local businesses, soliciting sponsorships, and assisting the volunteer coordinator with any other tasks related to planning this event. If you are interested in volunteering for the Dogwood Dash Committee, please contact Kelly Reedy at kreedy@bcarboretum.org

Organization: Cincinnati Earth Day

About the opportunity:

Over 125 exhibitors, local music, local vegetarian foods, and Madtree Brewing Company’s craft beer make the festival one of the best environmental education events in the region. Typically, attendance is over 8000. Activities and presentations about environmental education will be featured at the event. Families from all over the region are encouraged to get out and enjoy Earth Day even if it's only at their local park, traditionally the first fun family outdoor event of the year!

We are looking for volunteers to help with the event as well as serve on our board. The event is Saturday April 22, 2023, 12:00-5:00 pm at Summit Park in Blue Ash

Find more information here.

Organization: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

About the opportunity: 

We need your help to make our events zero waste! The zoo is working very hard to meet our goal of Net Zero Waste by 2025. To do this we are working to divert as much waste from the landfill at our events as we can. We need your help to achieve this goal and make Cincinnati a little more green!

Find more information here.

Email questions to: sustainability1@cincinnatizoo.org

Events we need your help with:

Tunes & Blooms 4/6, 4/13, 4/20, 4/27

Easter Celebration 4/8

Toast to the Wild: Bourbon Flights 5/11

Toast to the Wild: Wild About Wine 8/10

Toast to the Wild: Zoo Brew 10/12

HallZOOween 10/14-15, 10/21-22, 10/28-29

Organization: Butler Soil and Water Conservation District

About these opportunities:

Cleanup along historic canal and bird sanctuary - Hamilton, Ohio

• Saturday, March 25
• This cleanup will take place on Saturday, March 25 from 9 am until 12 noon. We will be cleaning the banks of the historic hydraulic canal that runs through the Fordson Heights Neighborhood in Hamilton. A backwater of the canal contains a small bird sanctuary, which has also accumulated a lot of trash.
• Gloves, trash bags, and garbage grabbers will be provided.
• Parking Location: North End Recreation Building, 700 Joe Nuxhall Blvd, Hamilton OH 45011.
• Please register here

Cleanup at Ellis Lake Wetlands in West Chester

• Saturday, March 25
• This cleanup will take place on Saturday, April 22 from 9 am until 12 noon. Our goal is to collect trash from Seward Road through to St Rt 747 along the bike trail and along the wetlands. This is an important birding area, where bald eagles, cattle egret, and many warblers have been seen.
• Gloves, trash bags, and garbage grabbers will be provided.
• Parking Location: Ellis Lake Wetlands parking along Firebird Lane, Fairfield, Ohio 45014.
• Please register here

BEST Volunteers: Butler Environmental Stewardship Team

About this opportunity: Be one of the BEST with Butler Soil and Water Conservation District! We hold at least one, if not more, volunteer events each month. Each event has a conservation theme, such as packaging wildflower seeds, removing invasive species, river cleanups, and BioBlitzes. Find out all of our oncoming events, and sign up.

More information can be found here.

Organization: Mill Creek Alliance

About these opportunities:

Join the Mill Creek Alliance (MCA) A-Team for a WorkPARTY in the Watershed where  you'll clean up trash, remove invasives, and plant native species among the Mill Creek watershed communities.

Upcoming March Work PARTIES

• Live Stake Harvesting, March 4, 1-4pm
• Live Stake Plantings, March 5th, 1-4 pm(morning)
• Live Stake Plantings, March 5th, 1-4 pm(afternoon)
• Live Stake Planting, March 18, 10-1pm

Contact Bennett Kottler at bkottler@themillcreekalliance.org with any questions or concerns regarding any of the Work PARTIES in the Watershed.

More information can be found here.

Organization: Friends of White Water Shaker Village

About this opportunity:

What is the White Water Paint Project?

The Friends of White Water Shaker Village is continuing the restoration at White Water Shaker Village in Crosby Township near Harrison, Ohio. The “White Water Paint Project” will be the first restoration project of 2023 – bringing some of the interior spaces back to their original appearance. We are looking for individuals, couples and small teams that would be interested in being involved in this restoration effort of the Shaker Village, as part of the 200th anniversary of its founding this year.

Volunteers, from the inexperienced to professional interior painters, are needed. Besides painting, there will be jobs such as securing drop cloths/floor protection, sanding, and taping windows to prep for painting. Many hands volunteering one or two days will make this project a success. Hands to Work!

What is the White Water Shaker Village?

White Water is one of 24 communal villages founded in the United States between 1787 and 1824 by the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, generally called the "Shakers". It is the only remaining village of five Ohio Shaker villages, retaining most of its original buildings in their original settings and home of the only standing brick Shaker meeting house in the country. Learn more about White Water here. 

Why was this project created?

• To reverse the years of wear and neglect by restoring peg rail, wainscot, plaster and painted surfaces to their 1832 appearance.
• As the kick-off project for the 200th anniversary by providing an opportunity for present and potential historical preservationists to be a part in preserving part of Southwest Ohio’s Shaker history.
• A time for individuals and volunteer teams of 2-6 to join in the restoration of the Dwelling within the Shaker Village.
• To enable The Friends of White Water Village to expand their scope and vision for their future with the public.

Who?

Volunteers (Adults of at least 18 years of age) from the inexperienced to professional are needed to continue the restoration.

• Removing wallpaper
  
• Sanding walls and woodwork
  
• Priming and painting walls
  
• Taping and painting windows
  
• Drywall patching and plaster repair
  

When?

• Friday, Mar. 3 - Saturday, Mar. 4 - Sunday, Mar. 5
  
• Saturday, Mar. 11 - Sunday, Mar. 12
  
• Saturday, Mar. 18 - Sunday, Mar. 19
  
• 4-6 hour work sessions throughout the month of March
  

Additional work sessions will be scheduled as the work progresses.

All correspondence and registration will be through email: friendsofwwsv@gmail.com

What commitment is needed of the volunteers?

• Please visit the Friends of White Water Shaker Village website 
  
• Pre-register for one or more sessions by email: friendsofwwsv@gmail.com
  

Workplace attire, workplace safety, needed tools or supplies, volunteer waiver and safety guidelines will be available upon registration.

Organization: Valley View

About this opportunity:

Spend time outside, connect with fellow nature enthusiasts and help create great visitor experiences.

Steward the Land

• Harvest food for those in need
• Remove invasive plants
• Trim the Trails
• Restore native habitat

Engage the Community

• Help with a hike
• Take pictures to share
• Lead a volunteer task
• Welcome visitors to the trails

Support our Team

• Serve on a committee
• Organize a volunteer group
• Join the annual Toast event team
• Connect people with our story

More information can be found here.

Organization: USGBC

About this opportunity:

Call for Volunteers using USGBC's digital advocacy tool to encourage your city to apply to the 2023 LEED for Cities Local Government Leadership Program. The program supports U.S. local governments to set goals and apply for LEED for Cities certification, while receiving training and engaging in peer-to-peer networking and collaboration. To date, USGBC has engaged nearly 80 cities, towns and counties in LEED for Cities, helping them create and operationalize responsible, sustainable and specific plans.

You can find the template letter here. Applications for the 2023 cohort are open until February 24, 2023 -- the sooner you send a letter to your city officials, the more time they have to prepare their application!

Please reach out to publicpolicies@usgbc.org if you have any questions.

Organization: Civic Garden Center

About this opportunity:

This year, CGC IS launching a new system for organizing their volunteer program: Volunteer Teams. There are five teams broken up by interest. No prior experience or training is needed to be a part of any team—they'll provide you with training and learning opportunities throughout the season. And yes, you can be a part of more than one team!

When you sign up for a team, you'll receive updates from CGC staff specific to the focus of that team. These may include upcoming workdays led by the CGC or other Cincinnati-based organizations doing good work in our community, classes pertaining to the team's focus area, and interesting articles or podcasts on related topics that they think you might enjoy.

First thing first: Choose your team(s)! You can read more about each team on their website.

Horticulture Team – This team is focused on our grounds or propagation related activities. Nearly all workdays will happen on-site at the CGC.

Conservation Team – This team is focused on forest or prairie restoration efforts, including invasive removal and replanting with native vegetation. All workdays take place off-site.

Urban Agriculture Team – This team is focused on assisting community gardens and urban farms in maintaining their gardens. All workdays take place off-site.

Education Team – This team is focused on field trips and educational programming at and for local schools. Programs take place both on-site at the CGC and off-site at different school locations.

Events & Outreach Team – This team is focused on organizing CGC events, raising awareness about the CGC within the community, and finding ways to activate our grounds, Hauck Botanic Gardens.

Please use this form to sign up for the team(s) that interest you most. They'll be using these teams to communicate about upcoming workdays this spring, so be sure to sign up soon!

More information can be found here.