Explore our Volunteer Calendar below to find meaningful ways to get involved. Click any opportunity title to view full event details—including meeting location, items to bring, and sign-up instructions. We offer plenty of ways for you to make a difference! Check out the opportunities listed below and click the calendar link to register. If a photo release form is required, you’ll find it below. Completed forms can be submitted to Tamra Baxter.
Buffelgrass Pulls
Buffelgrass is an invasive species that is spreading throughout the Sonoran Desert. To protect native biodiversity, we manually remove buffelgrass from the West Desert Trails area. Please join us to learn more about how invasive species such as buffelgrass and stinknet pose a risk to the rich biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert. During these events you will learn about how to identify buffelgrass and the threats that it poses to the Sonoran Desert. For those who are willing and able, stick around to help with manual removal throughout West Desert Trails. There is something to learn for everyone and food and refreshments provided.
Date/Location/Time: Please see calendar below.
Sign-up required? Yes. Please fill out this form and we will be in touch.
Photo Release required? Participants can fill one out in person at the time of event.
Nest Box Monitoring
The Sonoran Desert is home to a variety of native birds. To keep our native birds happy and healthy, we have three different kinds of nest boxes in the West Desert Trails. Boxes for Lucy’s Warblers, Western Screech Owls and Ash-Throated Flycatchers are regularly monitored by volunteers to assess the success of hatchlings each year.
-
Multiple routes available
- Our program has grown to a total of 96 nest boxes located along 6 routes, with an average of 16 boxes per route.
-
Endoscopic cameras
- To our dedicated volunteers, we will provide an endoscopic camera for you to use during the nesting season to monitor inside nest boxes. Some of the boxes have been mounted higher in the trees, so this camera will allow you to see inside the box from the ground, as well as take high quality pictures and video.
-
Mapping and GPS data available
- Maps and GPS data (.gpx format) will be available to use with your personal handheld GPS units (smartphone).
-
Variety of monitoring methods for all volunteers
- We have created a digital monitoring form to make it easy to collect and report monitoring data using your smartphone.
- Instructions on how to utilize the digital monitoring forms available (slight changes in process since 2024).
- Paper forms are also available.
Join us this season to monitor Arizona’s native birds! This volunteer opportunity has a lot of flexibility. Each route is an approximate 2-hour commitment. Feel free to sign up for as many commitments as you like.
Volunteers with multiple routes can do them consecutively in a day or break them up throughout the week. For all volunteers, monitoring can be done anytime during the week that you have signed up for. After signing up, you will receive an email about equipment and mapping.
Sign-up required? Yes. Please fill out this form and we will be in touch.
Details: A smart phone is not required to participate but is preferred.
No photo release requirements
