Voluntourism
Photos by AZT volunteers
Tucson & Southern Arizona Volunteer Opportunities for Visitors Would you like to give something back to Tucson or Southern Arizona during your next trip? Many visitors are discovering the sense of satisfaction and pride that volunteering to maintain or sustain the natural wonder of the Sonoran Desert can bring. This new phenomena has been coined "Voluntourism." We invite you to investigate how you can help keep Southern Arizona beautiful, accessible and safe for all to enjoy for this and future generations.
Also visit the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona website for more opportunities. Or, search for additional volunteer opportunities (by interest) in Tucson on the REI website. When you get home, write about your experience and tell fellow travelers about the kind of impact voluntourism can have and what you learned along the way. Remove Invasive Grasses
www.buffelgrass.org
Volunteers are needed to remove invasive grasses that are endangering the health of saguaros and other native Sonoran Desert plants. One serious threat is buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare), a grass originally introduced with good intentions by ranchers in the 1930s for use in livestock grazing. Buffelgrass spreads rapidly and has gained a foothold in Southern Arizona. It competes with native plants, reduces critical habitat for unique desert wildlife, and introduces fire into the ecosystem. If left uncontrolled, this invasive plant will irrevocably alter the Sonoran Desert landscape. The Sonoran Desert Weedwackers organizes volunteers to dig up buffelgrass and other invasive grasses from nature preserves, washes and roadsides in metropolitan Tucson. The Buffelgrass Information Center has details on donating personal time and/or funding. Sonoran Desert Weedwackers: http://aznps.com/invasives/weedwackers.html Habitat for Humanity Tucson
www.habitattucson.org/volunteer A nationwide organization, Habitat for Humanity works toward ending poverty housing by creating opportunities for home ownership in low-income families. With help from local communities, Habitat for Humanity helps support the American dream of owning a home. Habitat for Humanity Tucson was founded in 1980, the first affiliate west of the Mississippi. Volunteer opportunities in the Tucson area vary, ranging from building homes at construction sites to helping in the HabiStore. Construction site volunteers don't need special skills, though being able to pound nails is a plus. The HabiStore sells used building materials, small appliances and household furniture; proceeds are used to support the organization's programs. HabiStore volunteers are needed to help with customer service, inventory management, merchandise pricing and store cleaning. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. Homeless Shelters (Primavera Foundation)
www.primavera.org/volunteer.php The Primavera Foundation is dedicated to addressing poverty and homelessness by acknowledging the intrinsic worth of every individual. The Primavera Foundation promotes economic and social justice while working to build a future in which all people are assured basic human rights, a livable income, and safe, affordable housing. The Foundation does this through community education and advocacy while providing a continuum of services that address homelessness and poverty. None of this would be possible without the work of its volunteers. There is a wide variety of opportunities available to help, ranging from preparing meals or admitting new clients to facilities. Primavera is always in need of new volunteers.
Phone: (520) 623-5111
E-mail: volunteers@primavera.org Native Seeds/SEARCH
www.nativeseeds.org Native Seeds/SEARCH is a nonprofit conservation organization based in Tucson, Arizona. NS/S works to conserve, distribute and document the adapted and diverse varieties of agricultural seed, their wild relatives and the role these seeds play in cultures of the American Southwest and northwest Mexico. Their mission began in 1983, springing from the nexus of cultural longing and impending loss of genetic diversity. Today they safeguard 2000 varieties of arid-land adapted agricultural crops. Some, like watermelons, were adapted from seeds brought by early Europeans. Most of the collection consists of varieties of indigenous crops developed over centuries or millennia to suit the needs of their human partners. NS/S promotes the use of these ancient crops and their wild relatives by distributing seeds to traditional communities and to gardeners world wide. Currently the organization offers 350 varieties from their collection, grown out at the Conservation Farm in Patagonia, Arizona. The group also works to preserve knowledge about the traditional uses of the crop they steward. Through research, seed distribution and community outreach NS/S seeks to protect biodiversity and to celebrate cultural diversity. Both are essential in connecting the past to the future. Contact Diana Peel, Volunteer Coordinator at dpeel@nativeseeds.org or call (520) 622-5561 for more information. Sign up online as a volunteer at www.nativeseeds.org. Volunteer Vacation - National Parks of the Southwest, AZ (Oct 19-28, 2009)
www.americanhiking.org Come and visit multiple national park sites in Southern Arizona. Beautiful fall weather in Arizona will accompany you as you work on trails in Saguaro National Park, Coronado National Memorial and Chiricahua National Monument. Volunteers will work multiple days at each location before heading off to the next site while driving through some of Arizona's most scenic highways. A vehicle will be provided and volunteers will be working with NPS Trail Crew. Multiple hikes through a wide range of scenery will be a great experience for all participants. Because this project is at three different national parks, a wide variety of elevations, terrain, and features will be experienced. Organization: American Hiking Society
Contact: Andrea Ketchmark
Phone: (301) 565-6704 Chiricahua National Monument
www.americanhiking.org
Help maintain trails at Chiricahua National Monument. The 8 mile paved scenic drive and 18 miles of day-use hiking trails provide opportunities to discover the beauty, natural sounds, and inhabitants of this 11,985 acre site. Visit the Faraway Ranch Historic District to discover more about the people who have called this area home: Chiricahua Apaches, Buffalo Soldiers, Erickson and Stafford families. There will be an opportunity to attend park tours, visit Fort Bowie National Historic Site, and have some time to walk the trails at Chiricahua. The rock formations and the weather make this trip a wonderful experience.
Organization: American Hiking Society
Contact: Andrea Ketchmark
Phone: (301) 565-6704 Ride Volunteers
www.tripsforkidsaz.org Trips for Kids Southern Arizona is looking for Ride Volunteers that will accompany a Ride Leader on a Mountain Biking outing with up to 10 Children (10-17) along with a agency representative. Volunteers will be trained and a background check will be required. Contact: Heather Moore
Phone: (623) 570-4578 Federal Land Management of Southern Arizona
www.volunteer.gov/gov/resultsZ.cfm?states=AZ Join the Friends of the San Pedro River, a volunteer non-profit corporation that provides support to the (Bureau of Land Management) BLM in its stewardship of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area and other federally managed areas. Projects vary project to project and include, but are not limited to, landscaping, surveying, trail maintenance and preservation of historic monuments. The Arizona Trail
http://aztrail-build.org/index.html The Arizona Trail, the dream of Flagstaff teacher and hiking enthusiast Dale Shewalter, is a nearly 800 mile non-motorized trail that traverses the State from Mexico to Utah. The Arizona Trail is intended to be a primitive, long distance trail that highlights the state's topographic, biologic, historic and cultural diversity. Jody Sixkiller captured the Trail's beauty and wonder in her song ... The Arizona Trail.
The trail's primary users are hikers, equestrians and mountain bicyclists (outside of wilderness or other specially managed areas). Opportunities will also exist for cross-country skiers, snowshoers, joggers and pack stock users. Government agencies, businesses and volunteers are working together to make the Arizona Trail a reality. As of late 2005 more than 720 miles has been signed and is open to the public. More than 600 miles of the Arizona Trail have been "officially" designated and signed. The Trail is made up of 43 Passages ranging from 11 to 35 miles in length. In most cases, the Arizona Trail utilizes existing trails that are also known by their original name and number. In a few areas primitive roads are temporarily being used in areas where linkages are needed. However, new trail construction will eventually be done in these areas, especially to maintain the vision of a non-motorized trail. When completed, the Arizona Trail will become one of the premier long-distance trails in the country. There is still a lot of work to do to finish the trail and there are many ways you can help. Check out the work projects and events calendar to see if there is upcoming activity that interests you. Contact one of the trail stewards to learn about a specific trail segment and what needs to be done.
Contact: Mark Flint (Arizona Trail Southern Arizona Construction Project Coordinator)
Info Line: (520) 299-9151
E-mail: mflint@dakotacom.net Tucson Botanical Gardens
www.tucsonbotanical.org
Some opportunities available include general grounds care including sweeping, raking, parking lot beautification, grounds clean up, and sign cleaning. Also,volunteer in the areas of preventive and on-going maintenance on projects that are designed to improve the condition of Garden facilities. Or if you do have a green thumb, consider assisting the horticulturists and help maintain living plant collections - planting, watering, weeding, etc.
Tucson Botanical Gardens, designated as America's Best Secret Garden by Reader's Digest and an Arizona Treasure by Governor Napolitano, is an urban oasis in the heart of Tucson. Featuring a 5 ½ acre collection of 16 specialty gardens, the grounds represent a variety of gardening traditions and botanical themes. The Gardens also offers a seasonal indoor, tropical butterfly exhibit Butterfly Magic. This beautiful oasis was originally the home and nursery of Bernice and Rutger Porter. Dating to the 1920s, the earliest buildings on the property were constructed of adobe bricks made right on site. The Gardens has identified five core collections, which translates into over 5,000 individual plants: the cacti collection, the tree collection, the Tucson Basin Natives Collection, Low-water-use ornamentals and the Historical Garden surrounding the original Porter home. It promotes responsible and appropriate use of plants and water in a desert environment through education and demonstration and provides a place of beauty and tranquility for Tucson residents and visitors. Located at 2150 North Alvernon Way, the Gardens is open daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 p.m. For more information about how you can help, call 520.326.9686 ext. 39 or email volunteer@tucsonbotanical.org. No green thumb required! | 
