Dakota County Bison Herd Ambassadors

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General Description

Bison Ambassador volunteers play an important role in helping the public better understand the importance of bison in a prairie ecosystem and introduce the public to the Dakota County Parks Bison Herd. Bison Ambassadors answer visitor questions and assist park staff by interacting with the public at education stations.

Important: Do not sign up for this opportunity if you cannot commit to all of the following requirements:

• Attend the scheduled training before the season begins.
• Complete a background check through Dakota County.
• Commit to completing 15 hours during the season (May - October).
• Complete application onboarding process in a timely manner.

Location

Lower Spring Lake Park Reserve

13690 Pine Bend Trail
Rosemount, MN 55068

Duties and Responsibilities

• Help provide a safe and enjoyable experience to park users.
• Help park users understand the importance of the Dakota County Bison Herd.
• Help park users understand the importance of bison on the prairie ecosystem.
• Set-up and take-down the bison education station (including table, tent and associated materials). Store materials so that the next shift of volunteers can easily access them.

Qualifications

• Must be 16 years old or older.
• Ability to work with audiences of all ages.
• Enthusiasm for the outdoors.
• Good customer service skills.
• Completion of all required training.
• Complete a background check with the county.

Benefits

• Great way to gather hours for school requirements, professional development, etc.
• An opportunity to grow personally: teaching skills, customer service, and outreach.

Time Commitment
Volunteers are asked to commit to at least 15 hours during the program season (May - October).

Shifts will be scheduled throughout the program season as seen below with slight variations:

• Fridays from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
• Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
• Sundays from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Required Training
Volunteers must complete a training session before volunteering. Volunteer training dates for this year will be:

Monday, May 6 from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. (virtual, for returning volunteers only)

Tuesday, May 7 from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. (in-person, recommended for new volunteers)

Training Location

Camp Spring Lake Retreat Center

13690 Pine Bend Trail

Rosemount, MN 55068

Activity Level

Medium - May involve varying amounts of activity. Comfortable, sturdy shoes recommended. Will be outdoors and exposed to weather elements such as sun, heat, wind, and rain. Must be able to cover 1/2 - 3 miles on a regional bike trail.

Contact Information

Garrett Zaffke | Community Relations and Volunteer Services Coordinator

Dakota County Communications

1590 Highway 55| Hastings, MN 55033

Direct: (651) 438-4635 | Fax: (651) 438-4405 | Email: garrett.zaffke@co.dakota.mn.us