Volunteers are the lifeblood of the programs of Audubon Canyon Ranch. Over 400 active volunteers—and the thousands of hours they collectively donate every year—make the ACR mission come to life.

Over the past six decades, ACR has trained hundreds of education docents who have in turn shared their time and love of nature with generations of schoolchildren. Thousands of other volunteers have oriented visitors, provided expert natural history interpretation, cleared trails, removed invasive plants, become field observers, maintained trail cameras, led tours, managed the M.F.K. Fisher Last House library, and even sung in a choir. ACR would be nowhere without its volunteers!

Join us today and start connecting with the beauty of our preserves, make new friends, and know you are helping protect the wildlands and wildlife of Marin and Sonoma counties as well as ACR's cultural treasures, like M.F. K. Fisher's Last House.

Become an ACR Volunteer!

I am interested in volunteering as:

Education docents are enthusiastic nature-lovers who help connect schoolchildren with the magic and mystery of the natural world through ACR's School Program. Docents receive core training in natural history, ecology and nature interpretation through our partnership with UC Extension’s California Naturalist program. Docents commit to leading school trips several times during the fall and spring seasons.

Nature guides interpret the natural environment of Martin Griffin Preserve for hundreds of visitors during our public season. Volunteers receive training in birds, plants, aquatic critters, Bolinas Lagoon ecology, as well as techniques for interpreting natural history on guided nature walks. Volunteer times are on Saturdays and holidays in May–July and October.

Hosts greet and orient visitors as they arrive at the Martin Griffin Preserve on weekends and holidays during open dates May–July and October. There is no training or experience necessary.

Stewardship volunteers provide essential hands-on assistance to our land management team, including trail maintenance, invasive plant removal, native plant propagation, and other special projects. We typically meet on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Education docents are enthusiastic nature-lovers who help connect schoolchildren with the magic and mystery of the natural world through ACR's School Program. Docents receive core training in natural history, ecology and nature interpretation through our partnership with UC Extension’s California Naturalist program. Docents commit to leading school trips several times during the fall and spring seasons.

Bouverie Preserve stewardship volunteers work intimately with the land throughout the year. This dedicated crew assists with habitat protection and restoration work, while learning about the ecology behind the project. Bouverie Stewards meet Mondays from 8:30 a.m. - noon.

ACR’s volunteer choir of nature lovers brings the concepts of nature education to life through song and skit at school assemblies throughout the North Bay. You don’t have to be a good singer—Join us for some great fun and to share your love of nature. We welcome new members at any time.

Field observers track heron and egret nesting sites throughout the five northern San Francisco Bay area counties. Your work will provide vital information about nesting Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Black-crowned Night-Herons and other species, to advance the important work of scientists, planners and conservationists. 

Since 1989, ACR has monitored seasonal populations of shorebirds on Tomales Bay with the help of volunteer field observers. Three baywide counts are completed within each early-winter and late winter census period; an additional baywide count is conducted each August and April to record peak numbers of fall and spring migrants. Volunteers should be able to identify shorebirds.

Each year since 1989, ACR has conducted four boat-based waterbird surveys on Tomales Bay to assess the number and distribution of waterbird species. Each survey is conducted by 15–20 observers on three boats in a coordinated, baywide sweep. Volunteers should have expert ability to identify waterbirds from a distance and in flight.

The Modini Preserve Stewards provide essential hands-on assistance to our land management team, including trail maintenance, invasive plant removal, native plant propagation, and other special projects. Come learn more about the preserve by getting your hands dirty! We meet on the second and fourth Thursdays of most months from 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

Research volunteers collect and record data for the Trail Camera Project by traveling in teams of 2–3 to camera sites, collecting and replacing SD cards that contain photo images, providing project updates to landowners, and transferring data to the Living with Lions office. The data collected by volunteers contribute to ACR’s intensive monitoring of mountain lion abundance and diversity in this unique and important region. Volunteers work 4-6 hours per day every 7 weeks with additional field work as needed. Minimum 6-month commitment.

ACR stewards part of the literary legacy of famed author M.F.K. Fisher by hosting events at Fisher’s “Last House” on the Bouverie Preserve. Volunteers are needed for day-of and pre-event planning.

Since 2016, ACR has been restoring Last House to capture the spirit and the flavor of her life on the preserve and as an exclusive destination honoring her love of food, wine, literature and nature. Volunteers help with cataloging books and other treasures.