Volunteer

Volunteers are the backbone of Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center — there is always work to be done! We rely heavily on the skills and labor of student, community, and retired volunteers for a wide variety of tasks. To get started, please begin answering the questions below.

We are Penn State's nature center and free-to-public native wildlife zoo. We are not a rehabilitation center — all our animals are permanent residents at Shaver’s Creek, serving as ambassadors for their wild counterparts. The Wildlife Education & Engagement Program (previously named the Animal Care Program) at Shaver’s Creek features the Litzinger Herpetarium and the Klingsberg Aviary; housing a variety of birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates for educational use. Our program operates year-round due to the needs of the animals, with an emphasis on emerging professional (volunteer) development during the fall and spring semesters and on public programming during the summer semester. Our emerging professional program aims to provide quality, hands-on learning experiences to those pursuing a career in the animal care fields. The mission of the Shaver's Creek Wildlife Education and Engagement Program is to provide high standard welfare to our resident ambassador animals. In doing so, our team fosters the next generation of animal keepers on best practices in animal welfare, public education, and promotion of conservation action.

What will I be doing?

Unlike a traditional volunteer program, our program operates like a class. Each week, emerging professionals (EPs) work through learning modules on animal care topics such as reading animal behavior, learning natural history, providing enrichment, and more. Each module contains applicable reading, discussion, and hands-on tasks that build on the skills developed in the previous one.

After completing the first set of 10 modules, EPs will have developed a foundational set of animal care skills as well as a theoretical knowledge of animal training to be applied in the subsequent semesters of volunteering.

EPs will be required to work with any and all appropriate species, including insects and reptiles, cared for by our program.

What’s expected of me?

• Commit to a minimum one (1) day per week, 3 hour shift for the entirety of the semester
• Complete all Penn State prerequisites and assigned Animal Care trainings
• Be a positive role model, representing Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center and Penn State to diverse audiences

Please complete the application below to be considered for our program.

Shaver’s Creek participates in a number of citizen science projects that take place on-site and off-site. Some projects desire volunteer assistance and are capable of individuals and groups creating their own accounts for the classroom, backyard, and everyday adventures.

Visit the citizen science page on our website to see a list of current projects or information on how to get started on your own, or contact Jon Kauffman at jvk5019@psu.edu with the project(s) you are interested in and time availability.

Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center resides in the 7000-acre Penn State Experimental Forest. Tree plantations, native and invasive plant species, 25 miles of hiking trails, garden areas, meadows, and a 72-acre lake all share the neighborhood. As a Grounds and Facilities Volunteer, this neighborhood is your work area. We are responsible for the look of the Center and the safety of our guests. We ensure that the trails are clear, the bridges are safe, and that the grounds are tidy. We weed the flower beds and mow the lawn. We remove invasive plants, such as autumn olive and garlic mustard, and give native plants a chance to thrive. We create props for festivals and keep exhibits in excellent working order. We are the crew behind the curtain that makes sure that the show goes on!

What will I be doing?

• Trail maintenance (invasive plant removal, brush clearing, erosion control, sign maintenance, bridge repair)
• Landscaping (weeding, planting, mulching, gardening, building flower beds)
• Light carpentry (building program props, repairing railings, replacing deck boards, repairing exhibits)
• Painting (signs, bridges, buildings - inside and outside)
• Working with and supervising volunteer organizations from Penn State and the surrounding community

What's expected of me?

• Commit to a minimum (3) days per month, 2-4 hour shift each day
• Complete all Penn State prerequisites and assigned Grounds & Facilities trainings
• Be a positive role model, representing Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center and The Pennsylvania State University to diverse audiences.

Volunteer Organization Work Projects

With all of the trails, landscaping, and other natural areas around Shaver's Creek, there are a lot of projects to do to keep the place in tip-top shape for visitors. The work never stops and the type of projects change from season to season. In the Winter, the focus is on indoor projects such as painting and sign repair. Spring is a time for trail maintenance, bridge repair, and planting. Trail maintenance continues in the summer and Fall, and the weather is perfect for outdoor painting projects and flower bed upkeep. Invasive plant management is a year-round project, targeting specific plants at specific times of the year. The variety and amount of projects we offer is ideal for any organization to earn service hours!

What will my group be doing?

• Trail maintenance (invasive plant removal, brush clearing, erosion control, sign maintenance, bridge repair)
• Landscaping (weeding, planting, mulching, gardening, building flower beds)
• Painting (signs, bridges, buildings - inside and outside)

What’s expected of us?

• Sign up for a work project date detailing the size of your group and contact information for your leader/service chair
• Show up to your work day on time and dressed appropriately ready to work (clothes that can get dirty, dress to work outside and closed-toed shoes!)
• Be a positive role model, representing Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center and The Pennsylvania State University in front of diverse audiences

We are ready to start. What's next?

• Sign your group up for a work project: Current Group Volunteer Opportunities.
• You will receive an automatic email with more details upon checkout.

Time spent volunteering with Shaver's Creek Grounds and Facilities qualifies for judicial affairs service hours and class appointed service hours.

We are looking to recruit some volunteers for the Maple Harvest Festival which is held annually in March. This event would not be possible without the help of volunteers and we need some fun people to help make this weekend great.

Pancakes with maple syrup will be provided and we ask that volunteers commit to a 4-hour time slot during the course of the weekend (9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. or 12:30–4:30 p.m.)

We have a multitude of different volunteer positions including greeting guests, parking, food service prep and clean-up, and working with our zero-waste efforts. Let us know if you are available and interested in volunteering. Please contact Matt at mjw5718@psu.edu.

Check back later for more information on volunteering with educational programs at Shaver's Creek.

Visit the Summer Camps page for more information on our Leaders-in-Training program. The LIT program is for ages 14–17.