You do not have to be an expert birder to become an LSLBO volunteer.
If you have a passion for birds and wish to see some of the most sought-after bird species in North America, we’d like to hear from you! Volunteers can help in many ways, including:
- scribing field data,
- maintaining buildings and trails,
- helping with educational programs,
- documenting observable migration,
- extracting captured birds from nets,
- joining our board of directors,
- and more!
If you have any specific volunteer projects in mind beyond volunteering with our avian monitoring programs, please reach out and tell us about it at info@LSLBO.org
Volunteer Requirements
Volunteers are expected to do their share to maintain and improve all facilities. We may request a Vulnerable Sector Check obtained from your local RCMP office, especially when helping with education programs. All volunteers must hold a current membership with the LSLBO which can be purchased online here or in person at the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation.
If your heart is set on fieldwork, opportunities for learning new skills are many and rewarding. Keep in mind, however, that fieldwork involves working early mornings and long hours in the outdoors and can be physically demanding. A detailed Volunteer Handbook must be read thoroughly prior to your first day on-site. We can often provide accommodations for volunteers from out of town, but space is limited. Register early to avoid disappointment.
Types of Volunteers
When volunteering with field monitoring you are likely to fall into one of these categories:
- Local volunteers: Those that live in the Town of Slave Lake or a nearby community. Schedules for local volunteers are flexible. While we encourage you to join us from the day’s start to finish, you may leave early so long as you are committed to helping regularly throughout the season. For example, you may wish to come out for the early morning rushes every Tuesday before going to work mid-morning. Often the first four hours are the busiest each morning and when we need the most help.
- Travelling volunteers: Travelling volunteers stay for a minimum of two days of monitoring and a maximum of one month. Accommodation is provided, but you must supply your own food, bedding, and toiletries. If you use the provided accommodation, you must participate in full monitoring efforts and prearrange days off for longer stays. You must register at least two weeks in advance.
- Visiting banders: The same restrictions apply to visiting banders as to travelling volunteers. Please be aware that regardless of your experience, you will not be able to open nets, or handle, extract, or band birds until the BIC has assessed your skills and given you explicit permissions. We may overlap stays of visiting banders with inexperienced volunteers provided we have the accommodations available, but if required, those with more experience will be given priority.
Interested?
Space is limited. All volunteers to the field station must complete an application, become an LSLBO member, and read the Volunteer Handbook prior to their arrival. Please e-mail info@LSLBO.org or call us at 780-849-8240 for more information. We endeavour to respond to all volunteer applications within two weeks. If it has been two weeks since you submitted your application and you have not heard back, please contact us since our response may have been blown off course.
APPLY ONLINE TO VOLUNTEER | BECOME AN LSLBO MEMBER |
PRINT APPLICATION FORM | VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK |
* 2024 AVAILABLE DATES * | * Available dates update within 24 hours of written acceptance of intended volunteer periods. |