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Many volunteers are involved in Swan Ecosystem Center activities and contribute significantly to the success of SEC programs. Volunteers serve on committees, help with education program, and participate in monitoring activities that integrate scholarship with local knowledge and create opportunities for interaction among agencies, industry, universities and the public.
Volunteers contribute thousands of hours of labor annually. Since 2001, 25,000 hours have been donated. In 2009, donated time totaled 3,937 hours, including volunteers assisting the backcountry rangers. Many of the grants SEC receives require in-kind matches and these volunteer hours can be used toward these matches. Check out the volunteer opportunities below to help with a project and have fun too!
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2010 Volunteer Opportunities
Celebrate the Swan Footrace
- Event Planning
- Event Day – Registration, timekeepers, etc.
Clean-Up Day
- Participation in roadside clean-up, plus “spring cleaning” of the grounds and parking areas. SEC schedules in mid-May each year.
Education
- After School Club – adult supervision
- Planning Committee
- School Field Trips – assistance
- Stream Monitoring – assistance
- Workshops for adults participation
Forest Stewardship
- Field Tours – participation
Fundraiser
- Event Planning
- Event Day – assistance
- Finding donors/sponsors
Swan Ecosystem Center Trails
- Revamp trails and review self-guiding pamphlets
- Trail maintenance
- Interpretative Exhibits – uncovered/covered per the season
Water Quality
- Event Planning
- Event Day – assistance
- Field Tours – participation
- Water Quality Monitoring – assistance
Weeds
- Hawkweed and new invasive plants mapping (put a mark on a map.)
Wildlife
- Neighborhood contact (Swan Valley Bear Resources)
- Bear Wake-Up Social – event assistance (spring)
- Bear Fair – event assistance (summer)
- Bird Counts – participation
Visitor Center
- Regular maintenance, greenery replacement
Visitor Services
- Assistance during summer “busy” season, after training.
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Local Youth Recognized for Volunteer Work
Taylor Wilcox of Seeley Lake, son of Tim and Margot Wilcox, was selected as Montana Environmental Education Association's (MEEA) Student of the Year for 2008.
Each year MEEA recognizes one student, statewide, for their contribution to environmental education. In Taylor's case the award is in recognition of his more than one hundred hours of volunteer time for Swan Ecosystem Center's (SEC) volunteer water quality monitoring program.
Taylor has also contributed to other SEC programs including field trips for elementary students and wetland restoration work. Taylor's interest in the natural world includes hunting, fishing and camping. He has initiated his own research into the types of lichen in the area and their occurrence at various elevations, and looks forward to college, majoring in environmental studies.
Taylor was presented with a plaque at the MEEA conference in Helena, March 14th, during the annual banquet. The presentation was made by Kari Gunderson executive director of MEEA and Diann Ericson, education coordinator for SEC. |
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Swan Ecosystem Center
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U.S. Forest Service Condon Work Center • 6887 Highway 83, Condon, MT 59826
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| Office: (406) 754-3137 • Fax: (406) 754-2965 • Email: swanec@blackfoot.net |
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