RV Winter '25/'26 Volunteer

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Background: The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is home to 146,000 plus acres of cypress swamp, tree islands, and wet prairies- all part of the beautiful Everglades! Our headquarters area contains the headquarters office, visitor center and over 20 miles of trails, and is conveniently located just 3 miles restaurants, groceries, and other activities. We are a bustling Urban Refuge with many community partnerships. Our refuge is not just a place for outdoor recreation, but learning, exploring, and teaching!

Duties : We have 2 RV site available from November 2025 - April 2026. Couple volunteers are asked to contribute 24 hours each week. At least one day a week will be spent doing maintenance. Other duties will include visitor services related duties.

Application notice: We are prioritizing couples, those with USFWS heavy equipment certification, or those who have prior experience volunteering with the USFWS. We are accepting applications from November - April in three month intervals, with possibility for extension. Priority months are from December - March.

Benefits and reimbursements: Volunteers are not federal employees, and will not receive payment for their time, medical or health insurance, retirement benefits, or federal status. All volunteers are covered under Workers' Compensation Program for medical expenses for any work-related injuries.

Housing: Volunteers must be able to provide a suitable motorhome or travel trailer in good repair. The RV sites are located .3 miles away from the headquarters office and visitor center. Each RV site is a cement pad equipped with water, sewage, and electric. A shared washer and dryer is located on site. A shower is located in an adjacent building if needed. Volunteers will receive a Wi-Fi hotspot upon arrival. The RV site shares a lot with staff and intern residences and the Everglades Program Team building, a shared office space. No pets are permitted in federal buildings (visitor center or maintenance area), nor in federal vehicles. The Headquarters area gate closes at 10:00 pm at night and opens at 5:00 am in the morning. Resident volunteers will be given a gate code to enter and exit outside of public hours.

Policies and training: Volunteers must have a valid Driver’s License and complete USFWS Defensive Driving training. Volunteers must follow station policies and complete a volunteer orientation training. Volunteers may also have additional training opportunities if available and open to non-employees.

Age and uniform requirements: Must be over the age of 18 to drive a government vehicle and over the age of 21 to use certain equipment. All volunteers are required to wear an official FWS volunteer uniform with name tag. Volunteers will be provided with a set of shirts. Volunteers must provide their own pants/jeans/shorts and choose appropriate clothing for each task and weather. Volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes when on duty.

Start Date - 2025-11-01

End Date - 2026-04-30