Accessibility InfoNatural Areas Volunteers
Natural Areas Volunteers (NAV) supports the restoration and protection of New York City’s forest and wetlands through volunteerism and training. Sign up for an event below.
What is NAV
Natural Areas Volunteers is a service program that recruits, trains, and supports volunteers for ecological projects across the city. You can help keep New York City’s forests, wetlands, and coastlines thriving. Join us to plant trees, shrubs, and grasses; remove harmful invasive exotic vegetation; care for street tree beds; and remove debris from our wetlands.
What We Offer
You’ll be led by an experienced staff that provides all of the tools and equipment needed to properly care for our natural areas. Get hands-on, educational experience in some of the most beautiful and diverse habitats throughout NYC!
Who Should Volunteer
Our volunteer program is for anyone who loves nature. We can accommodate local organizations, individuals, corporations, “voluntourists,” schools, universities and visiting service organizations. We welcome a wide range of experience levels, abilities, and group sizes.
Become a NAVigator!
As part of MillionTreesNYC, NYC Parks is restoring parkland to ecologically healthy, multi-story forests. NAVigators are needed to adopt MillionTreesNYC sites to help these young trees grow into healthy forests. NAV staff provides NAVigators intensive training in invasive weed identification and removal techniques in return for a commitment to volunteer 12 hours over the summer in your adopted site. We provide tools and other incentives. Look for NAVigator Volunteer Opportunities in the registration section below in your borough.
Watch It's My Park: Natural Area Volunteers
| Name | Program Dates | Registration Dates | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5/25: Pelham Bay Park/Burr Ave Planting Trees
| 5/25/2013 | Online registration for this program has ended | ||||||||||||
5/29: Pelham Bay Park: Garlic Mustard Pull
| 5/29/2013 | |||||||||||||
6/11: Van Cortlandt Park, Garlic Mustard Pull
| 6/11/2013 | |||||||||||||
6/13: Pelham Bay Park, Caring for Young Trees
| 6/13/2013 | |||||||||||||
NAVigator Registration: Pelham Bay Park - May 18, June 8, & Aug. 24
| 5/4/2013 - 8/17/2013 | |||||||||||||
NAVigator Registration: Van Cortlandt Park- May 4, June 1, & Aug. 17
| 5/4/2013 - 8/17/2013 |
| Name | Program Dates | Registration Dates | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5/22: Marine Park Sowing Native Seeds
| 5/22/2013 | Online registration for this program has ended | ||||||||||||
6/24: Highland Park, Caring for Young Trees
| 6/24/2013 | |||||||||||||
NAVigator Registration: Floyd Bennett Field - May 4, June 1, & Aug. 17
| 5/4/2013 - 8/17/2013 | |||||||||||||
NAVigator Registration: Marine Park - May 18, June 8, & Aug. 24
| 5/4/2013 - 8/17/2013 |
| Name | Program Dates | Registration Dates | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6/19: Little Bay Park, Caring for Young Trees
| 6/19/2013 | |||||||||||||
6/22: Powell's Cove, Caring for Young Trees
| 6/22/2013 | |||||||||||||
NAVigator Registration: Alley Pond Park - May 18, June 8, & Aug. 24
| 5/18/2013 - 8/24/2013 |
| Name | Program Dates | Registration Dates | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NAVigator Registration: Clove Lakes Park - May 4, June 1, & Aug. 17
| 5/4/2013 - 8/17/2013 |
Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Groups of children must be accompanied by adults, maintaining a 1:5 ratio of adults to children (for example, two adults must lead a group of ten children).
For large group registration, please email NAV@parks.nyc.gov or call (212) 360-3318.
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