Volunteer Project Catalog
Polk County Conservation
Each year volunteers are needed to help maintain pollinator gardens, rain gardens, and more at our Polk County parks. Join one of these weekly events and help make these gardens thrive! Throughout Polk County parks, pollinator and rain gardens utilizing native plants provide biodiversity, wildlife habitat, help to manage stormwater runoff and improve water quality, and beautify our parks. Join one of these weekly garden maintenance events and help us care for our gardens while picking up tips and tricks to managing your own native plant garden at home! Whether you are a beginner or experienced gardener, our gardens can use your help. All garden volunteers will be provided training and instruction as needed. Garden events in September and October may include collecting seed from plant species ready to harvest. Garden events at Easter Lake will be held at the Athene North shore and other gardens throughout the park. Registered volunteers will receive communication about where to meet for each event. Upcoming Dates at Easter Lake Park June 24th @ 8 - 11 AM July 17th @ 8 - 11 AM August 19th @ 8 - 11 AM September 11th @ 9 AM - 12 PM September 25th @ 9 AM - 12 PM
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Polk County Conservation
Each year volunteers are needed to help maintain pollinator gardens, rain gardens, and more at our Polk County parks. Join one of these weekly events and help make these gardens thrive! Throughout Polk County parks, pollinator and rain gardens utilizing native plants provide biodiversity, wildlife habitat, help to manage stormwater runoff and improve water quality, and beautify our parks. Join one of these weekly garden maintenace events and help us take care of these gardens while picking up tips and tricks to managing your own native plant garden at home! Whether you area a beginner or experienced gardener our gardens can use your help. All garden volunteers will be provided training and instruction as needed. *For events in September, volunteers may help with seed harvesting in addition to gardening activities. Upcoming Dates at Jester Park June 27th @ 8am-11am July 8th @ 8am-11am July 10th @ 8am-11am August 12th @ 8am-11am September 4th @ 9am-12pm September 18th @ 9am-12pm
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Polk County Conservation
Help restore Iowa’s Woodland habitat by removing harmful invasive species to promote the growth of native trees, grasses, and wildflowers! This volunteer opportunity offers a fun and meaningful service-learning experience. Volunteers will sharpen their skills in identifying both native and nonnative plant species, learn effective invasive removal techniques, and learn ways to positively impact Brown's Woods, Iowa's largest urban forest situated along the Raccoon River. Upcoming Dates: Saturday, September 27 @ 10 AM - 12 PM Saturday, October 18 @ 10 AM - 12 PM This activity is led by members of our very own Stewards of Brown’s Woods, a community-based volunteer group dedicated to the ecological restoration of this park. Volunteers and neighbors join together on a weekly basis to eliminate invasive plant species that threaten the forest ecosystem. *Volunteers should meet in the gravel overflow parking lot.
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Polk County Conservation
Polk County Conservation and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation welcome you to our annual fall harvest event! Under the light of the setting sun and rising Hunter’s moon, staff and volunteers will collect native prairie seed to be used in future plantings as a way to diversify and expand the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Collecting seed from plant species ready to harvest for future habitat restoration sites is an effective way to help protect this unique and important habitat. Following the harvest, we’ll gather around a campfire to enjoy a bonfire and s’mores to celebrate autumn in good company under the waxing moon. Free group tent camping is provided on Saturday evening at Camp Area #3 - register below for both the harvest session(s) you will be attending and camping. A picnic-style meal between afternoon and evening harvest sessions will also be provided for all registered participants. Lawn chairs, blankets, etc. are encouraged. Please ensure that all members of your party are registered for this event in order for each to receive a meal - register below for both the harvest session(s) you will be attending in addition to the free meal. Participants without a VolunteerMatters account, such as young children, may be accounted for by emailing ConservationVolunteers@polkcountyiowa.gov with the number of participants and any dietary restrictions. NEW IN 2025 In addition to our evening Moonlight Seed Harvest, this year we are offering an afternoon harvest session for those who prefer to enjoy a daylight harvest. Upcoming Dates: October 4, 2025 Schedule: 2:00 - 4:00 PM: Afternoon seed harvesting 5:00 - 5:30 PM: Volunteer check-in & picnic at Camp Area #3 5:30 - 7:30 PM: Evening seed harvesting 7:30 - 8:30 PM: Bonfire and s'mores at Camp Area #3
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Polk County Conservation
Be a part of a collective nationwide effort in our extraordinary corner of the country at Fort Des Moines Park. Join Polk County Conservation staff for a morning of exploring a county park and lending a helping hand in two of Iowa’s major ecosystems: tallgrass prairie and riparian woodlands. In celebration of our public lands, you will participate in native habitat restoration by removing invasive woodland plant species along the park’s pond and collecting native seeds ready to harvest from a restored tallgrass prairie. Clearing invasives improves access for fishing and recreation while also stabilizing the shoreline to reduce erosion and improve water quality for the wildlife that depend on it. Meanwhile, the seed collected from our restored tallgrass prairie will be used in future plantings across Polk County helping us return more land to native habitat that supports clean water, healthy soil, and diverse wildlife. Before we get our hands dirty with restoration work, join us for a guided hike through and learn all about what makes Fort Des Moines Park a special piece of public land. After the morning’s restoration work, you are invited to continue celebrations of our public lands with a shared meal and recreation from 12 - 1 PM. Fishing poles will be available to try your hand at casting a line along the newly opened shoreline, and lunch will be provided for all registered participants. About National Public Lands Day Spearheaded by the National Environmental Education Foundation, National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest volunteer effort for public lands. It celebrates the connection between people and green spaces in their communities, inspires environmental stewardship, and encourages outdoor education, recreation, and wellness. Each year, hundreds of thousands of volunteers roll up their sleeves to help restore and preserve public lands of all types and sizes - from iconic national parks and rivers to local urban green spaces and everything in between. Upcoming Dates: September 13, 2025 at Fort Des Moines Park - meet at the picnic tables in the Arboretum Schedule: 8:45 - 9 AM: Hiker check-in at the Arboretum 9 - 9:45 AM: Guided hike 9:45 - 10 AM: Volunteer check-in at the Arboretum 10 - 10:15 AM: Project introduction and safety chat 10:15 AM: Mobilize to volunteer activity sites 10:20 AM - 12 PM: Volunteer activities 12 - 1 PM: Free lunch and fishing provided for registered participants
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Polk County Conservation
Join us for a hands-on day restoring Iowa’s natural solution to current water quality issues - our tallgrass prairie habitat. Once covering nearly the entire state, this critically endangered habitat now survives on 0.01% of its original range. Its loss is a significant factor in the serious environmental issues threatening our lands and waterways today. Alongside staff and fellow volunteers, you’ll collect seed from native plants ready for harvest. These seeds will be planted into the landscape and grow into deep-rooted native plants that naturally filter water, trap excess nutrients (like nitrates) before they reach rivers, and protect against flooding and soil loss. Your efforts directly help Polk County Conservation expand prairie across our parks and conservation areas, reducing contaminants at their source and improving water quality for everyone. You’ll also gain plant identification skills, learn about the connection between prairie and clean water, and be part of a team directly tackling one of Iowa’s biggest environmental challenges. By bringing prairie back, we bring back the land’s natural ability to clean the water. Join us to be part of the solution - for our community, our land, our rivers, and future generations. Upcoming Dates: September 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 30 @ 9 AM - 12 PM & 1 - 3 PM October 3, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24 @ 9 AM - 12 PM & 1 - 3 PM Schedule: 8:45 - 9 AM: Volunteer check-in 9 - 9:15 AM: Project introduction and safety chat 9:15 - 9:30 AM: Mobilize to harvest location 9:30 AM - 12 PM: Morning harvest session 12 - 1 PM: Break 12:45 - 1 PM: Volunteer check-in for new afternoon participants 1 - 3 PM: Afternoon harvest session
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Polk County Conservation
Join staff on select evenings this fall as we gather native prairie seed ready to harvest in restored tallgrass prairie habitat. Seed harvesting is both a relaxing and rewarding volunteer experience that directly benefits Iowa’s critically endangered tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Alongside staff and fellow volunteers, you’ll collect seed from plants ready for harvest. These seeds will be planted across the county and grow into deep-rooted native plants that naturally filter water, trap excess nutrients (like nitrates) before they reach rivers, and protect against flooding and soil loss. Your efforts directly help Polk County Conservation expand prairie across our parks and conservation areas, reducing contaminants at their source and improving water quality for everyone. You’ll also gain plant identification skills, learn about the historical and ecological importance of this habitat, and be part of a team directly tackling Iowa’s biggest environmental challenges. Join us and contribute in a meaningful way to land restoration and waterway protection efforts across Polk County. Upcoming Dates *If you are unable to join at the start of either of these event, no problem - a staff member will be at the meeting location throughout the evening to welcome you, get you checked-in, and help you join the harvest in progress. Fall Equinox Celebration: Thursday, September 18 @ 6 – 8:00 PM | Volunteer check-in @ 5:45 PM Bid farewell to summer and celebrate the coming fall equinox while harvesting native seed under the golden light of sunset. Meet at the Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt Longhouse | 8700 NE 126th Avenue, Maxwell 50161 Indigenous Peoples Day: Monday, October 13 @ 5:30 -7:30 PM | Volunteer check-in @ 5:15 PM This event will be held in recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day, where we’ll honor the land and the generations who have cared for it by collecting seeds to restore the tallgrass prairie to its rightful place in Iowa's landscape. Meet at the Yellow Banks Park Outdoor Interpretive Exhibit at the park entrance | 6801 SE 32nd Avenue, Pleasant Hill 50317
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Polk County Conservation
Join us for a day of citizen science as we monitor over 100 sites across Polk County to collect data and create a "snapshot" of the health of our waterways. Volunteers will work in small teams to collect water samples and measure important parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. The data collected during this event will be used to assess the health of our waterways, identify potential areas of concern, and inform future conservation and management efforts. By participating in this event, you will be making a valuable contribution to our community's efforts to protect and preserve our natural resources while enjoying the great outdoors getting to know more about our local waterways. September 23, 2025 @ 8 am to 1 pm All volunteers will meet at Des Moines Waterworks and will then disperse to water monitoring sites with their team. PREREGISTRATION IS REQUIRED by September 10.
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Polk County Conservation
Come lend a hand in our native pollinator and rain gardens! Throughout Polk County parks, pollinator and rain gardens utilizing native plants provide biodiversity, wildlife habitat, help to manage stormwater runoff and improve water quality, and beautify our parks. Garden volunteers help take care of gardens in a location of their choosing for a few hours each month on a schedule that works for them. Whether you area a beginner or experienced gardener, there is a place for you in our garden volunteer program. All garden volunteers will be provided training and instruction as needed. Garden volunteers are not fully responsible for their garden(s). Throughout the year, staff and public volunteer events focused on gardening help to maintain these garden spaces. Many hands make lighter work! Garden volunteers are expected to: - Meet with volunteer staff for onboarding and training - Volunteer in their designated garden areas a couple hours every two weeks or more if desired - Communicate needs and requests for more training/education if needed - Submit their volunteer hours
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Polk County Conservation
Help support our mission to restore Iowa’s native habitats by harvesting seed grasses and wildflowers from PCC tallgrass prairies, wetlands, and woodlands. All seed harvested is used for future habitat restoration projects across Polk County. As a seed harvester volunteer, you will collect native seed by hand that is ready to harvest from select plant species. This role will require bending at the knees, standing, kneeling, and walking through uneven terrain through grasses and wildflowers. Volunteers can be approved to work independently or with local stewardships groups to harvest seed within Polk County parks and along trails. Once onboarding and training are complete along with continuous ongoing support and direction from PCC staff, volunteers can harvest seed from approved locations on their own time. Each volunteer holding this position is required to report volunteer hours dedicated to harvesting efforts within designated areas. Volunteer hours that are self-reported are those that are completed outside of publicly promoted events led by PCC staff.
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Polk County Conservation
Whether you are seeking an inspiring setting in which to give back to the outdoor community; a senior looking to enjoy retirement; or simply wishing to spend quality time in a beautiful county park, all are invited to share their unique talents and passion for the outdoors and conservation with park visitors entering into their adventure at Jester Park. What Will You Do? Volunteers will be serving an important role at the Jester Park Nature Center welcoming visitors into their outdoor adventure at Jester Park. Volunteer Duties: *Welcome and assist visitors *Direct visitors to the various amenities that Jester Park provides *Provide information regarding events and programs *Check in and out Park Packs *Help set up and clean up for programming and events
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Polk County Conservation
Help beautify our parks and community through litter cleanup! Removal of litter from waterways and beyond has lasting impacts on water quality, animal health, and more. Volunteers can be approved to work independently or with friends and family to remove litter within Polk County parks, trails, and watersheds during. Volunteers that sign up for this role will identify parks or focus areas with PCC volunteer staff for litter removal and will be given supplies including trash bags, trash grabbers, and gloves. This volunteer position is designed to be flexible allowing volunteers to participate on schedules that work for them. Volunteers are required to report volunteer hours dedicated to litter removal within our parks, trails, and watersheds. When possible, volunteers are asked to weigh and report the trash removed. Locations volunteers can participate include any Polk County park or trail. Find a list of our trails here: https://www.polkcountyiowa.gov/conservation/parks-trails/ *Hours should be reported for litter removal completed outside of publicly promoted litter removal events.
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Polk County Conservation
At Jester Park, over 6 miles of cross-country ski trails provide winter recreation opportunities for our local community. Each year, members of the Des Moines Nordic Club in partnership with Polk County Conservation and other members of our community help to maintain the trails and utilize equipment to groom the ski trails as the snow flies. Volunteers can help maintain these trails in primarily two ways: 1) Seasonal maintenance including mowing, removing sticks and other debris from the trails 2) Trail grooming utilizing Polk County Conservation's grooming equipment during the ski season To have either of these roles, volunteers are expected to complete a training provided by Polk County Conservation staff and pass a motor vehicle record check. In addition, volunteers will work closely with members of the Des Moines Nordic Club who provide leadership on annual maintenance and care for these trails.
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Polk County Conservation
Are you interested in becoming a water quality monitor volunteer? Across Polk County, volunteers help monitor 70 sites along our local waterways as a part of the Polk County Conservation Water Quality Monitoring Program (PCCWQMP). Each month volunteers monitor sites collecting data on weather, stream conditions, and basic chemical testing (pH, nitrate/nitrite, chloride, phosphate, and dissolved oxygen). WHAT TO EXPECT: TIME COMMITMENT Water quality monitoring occurs the first and/or third weeks of each month of the year. Monitoring takes 15-20 minutes at individual sites during most of the year. In mid-July/early August additional habitat assessments and biological (benthic macroinvertebrate collection) assessments are completed. These assessments typically take 1-2 hours. TRAINING and SUPPLIES All monitors receive free training prior to taking on a monitoring site. Online independent learning modules are available. All supplies, including equipment needed to complete water quality, testing will be provided to each volunteer. Field monitors submit their data through an app. FIELD ENVIRONMENT Monitoring takes places along our local waterways throughout neighborhoods of Polk County. Monitors are asked to monitor in the flow of the stream, although sometimes this is not possible so sampling along bridges is allowed in those cases. If becoming a water quality field monitor sounds like a good fit for you, we encourage you to sign up! After signing up, you will be asked to complete the agreement and the 5 modules of water quality training. Please contact the coordinator if you have questions. Thank you!
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Polk County Conservation
The Polk County Conservation Bat Monitoring Program is designed to learn which bat houses around the county are being utilized and by what type of colony. Monitoring is done by performing bat house emergence counts which entails counting how many bats exit and reenter bat houses shortly after sunset. Bat house emergent counts can vary in lasting between 25 minutes to 1 hour. Regular intervals of monitoring provides valuable insight regarding distribution, roost preferences, and population estimates bats found across the county. Volunteer Bat Monitor Requirements: - Perform at least 6 emergent counts throughout the monitoring season at your selected park (or roughly 1 per month if beginning monitoring after season has started) - Submit emergent count data online at https://forms.gle/DLorcK4f9xZtBQDR9 within 3 days of monitoring - Submit bat monitoring volunteer hours at the end of each month *Volunteer bat monitors are asked to monitor at least 6 times per park and not per bat house location.
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Polk County Conservation
The purpose of the central Iowa bluebird monitoring program is to provide habitat for and protection of bluebirds. Bluebird populations face the threat of habitat loss due to encroachment of urban construction as well as the usurpation of nesting cavities by European Starlings and House Sparrow, both of which were illegally introduced into the United States. Organizations partnering within the bluebird monitoring program address the bluebird habitat issue through bluebird box trails and weekly trail monitoring. Bluebird boxes are designed with openings too small for the European Starlings to enter through and monitors exclude House Sparrows from the boxes throughout the nesting season. The boxes and weekly monitoring efforts help to provide protection from predators and other threats and to benefit other bird species. Volunteer Bluebird Monitor Responsibilities: - Close and prepare their designated boxes between 2/15 and 3/15 each year - Perform weekly nest monitoring checks April 1st through August 31st, or until the last fledgling has left - Submit bluebird hatch record summary data using the designated online form to the wildlife programs volunteer coordinator no later than September 15th. - Submit bluebird monitoring volunteer hours at the end of each month Hatch record summary data should be submitted online at https://forms.gle/TLY2gztkd5K9qfAV9
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Polk County Conservation
In 2021, Polk County Conservation (PCC) began partnering with the Iowa Butterfly Survey Network (IBSN) to monitor butterflies. Monitors are asked to complete a virtual training with IBSN and to monitor designated route(s) 6+ times between June 1 and August 8. IBSN and Polk County Conservation aim to utilize butterfly data to better understand the health and distribution of native butterfly species and the habitats they are living in. Volunteer Butterfly Monitor Responsibilities - Work with PCC volunteer coordinators to select a portion of hard or soft trail to monitor - Make an account with IBSN and complete their online training - Complete 6 runs of your designated route between June 1st and August 8th - Upload data to IBSN in a timely manner - Submit your butterfly route monitoring volunteer hours at the end of each month *Volunteer hours will need to be tracked for both IBSN's records/database and for PCC's records/database. For PCC's records and ease of reporting hours, if you cover another monitor's trail one or two times please simply report the monitoring time under your primary butterfly route's volunteer hours. *During a monitoring run, volunteers are going through and trying to identify which butterfly species they encounter along their route
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Polk County Conservation
The Polk County Conservation Kestrel Monitoring Program originally began in partnership with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and monitors kestrel nest box use within Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt. The American kestrel is the smallest native bird of prey of North America. Its current population is regarded as "least concern", but its total numbers are in a sharp decline without the a clear cause on what is driving it. In response to the decline, groups and individuals across the country have began to monitor kestrel nest boxes. Polk County Conservation's nest box data is documented internally for trend tracking and shared with the American Kestrel Partnership for their research. Volunteer Kestrel Monitor Requirements: - Monitor designated nest boxes 1-2 times per month throughout the monitoring season (March 15th - August 31st) - Climb ladders (10 - 15 feet) to nest boxes for seasonal maintenance - Remove nests of invasive species from nest boxes as needed - Use a borescope/snake camera to look into nest boxes while monitoring - Document the animal species and number of adults, eggs, and offspring found within each nest box - Coordinate sharing monitoring supplies/equipment with Polk County Conservation staff and other volunteer(s) - Submit kestrel monitoring volunteer hours at the end of each month *Monitors can borrow Polk County Conservation's snake/borescope camera(s) as well as a ladder for nest box monitoring
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Polk County Conservation
Jester Park is home to two purple martin colonies. Purple martins are the largest North American species of swallow. They roost in colonies that can consist of thousands of birds. Colony monitoring used to be a much more common practice, and the species adapted to using manmade structures. Today, purple martins east of the Rocky Mountains tend to utilize artificial homes while those west of the mountain range favor their natural habitat. Colony monitors are tasked with collecting data on the colony's nesting and reproduction success throughout the summer. They are asked to change the nesting material if the interior of the nesting structure has become wet/saturated due to weather and/or when the nestlings are about 10 days old. Depending on the year, purple martin nesting areas may become infiltrated by various bugs/pests/mites. Based on guidance from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Purple Martin Conservation Association, monitors may perform a nest change for pest control. However, save for the nest change when nestlings are 10 days old, monitors are not asked to perform nest changes for bug/pest/mite control. This is in part due to a 3-year study on the benefit of nest changing that revealed no clear, long-term benefit from the practice when they compared nest structures with and without nest changes.
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Polk County Conservation
Each spring and fall, Polk County Conservation (PCC) staff and volunteers keep an eye out for snakes in the landscapes PCC manages. Originally started to monitor the local smooth green snake population within Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt, Polk County Conservation's snake monitoring program keeps tracks of what species of snakes are being spotted and where in order to better understand where different populations reside and how land management practices may impact snake populations overtime. Polk County Conservation has 7 total established snake monitoring routes located at Chichaqua and Brown’s Woods Park. Volunteers can choose to monitor a specific monitoring route once a week or they can also help to record chance snake encounters within Polk County Parks and trails. Monitoring is only done during daylight hours between 50-80 degrees Fahrenheit, and when it is not actively precipitating. Volunteer Snake Monitor Requirements: - Complete training with Polk County staff - Monitor designated routes once per week - Follow trails and roadways within Polk County Conservation managed parks and trails to look for snakes for chance encounters - Document any snakes that you come across by recording the species, quantity, location, time, date, temperature, and cloud cover - Record your snake sighting online at tinyurl.com/pcc-snakes - Record your snake monitoring volunteer hours at the end of each month
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Polk County Conservation
Polk County Conservation is working in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, IA DNR, and the City of Des Moines to collect data for the Urban Wildlife Information Network. A primary goal of the Urban Wildlife Information Network (based out of the Lincoln Park Zoo) is to gather and share data so that partners can quantify differences in the composition of urban wildlife communities both within and among cities. This study utilizes 25 trail camera traps placed along a linear transect to document wildlife sightings within various cities across the United States. Volunteers are assigned folders of images captured by the camera traps and are asked to go through each photo and to tag any animals they can locate within each image. The online photo library utilizes a Google library, and a Google email will be required to participate. This volunteer activity can be done from anywhere with a secure internet connection. Volunteers interested in this position will be asked to review information and training prior to participating in the UWIN camera study.
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