Volunteer Opportunities
We offer several ways for people of all ages and abilities to get involved. Read more below to find an activity that is right for you!
Annual Watershed Cleanup
Each year, 1,000+ volunteers visit one of 60+ sites coordinated throughout our watershed to remove garbage and debris. Our annual cleanup aims to build a sense of community and increase understanding of the environmental stewardship necessary to improve water quality in our region.
Volunteers start the morning at their assigned sites to cleanup up garbage and debris. Then, at noon, volunteers are invited to join us at Telulah Park in Appleton for the annual Cleanup Picnic to enjoy lunch, music, bounce houses, raffles, and games – it’s fun for the whole family! There are 60+ cleanup sites located along the Fox River, the Wolf River, Lake Butte des Morts, Lake Winneconne, Lake Winnebago, Shawano Lake, and the bay of Green Bay.
Adopt-A-Launch
Volunteers visit their boat launch at least three times a year between April 1 and November 1. Safety is emphasized for all volunteers.
Each time volunteers visit their boat launch, they will:
- Look for aquatic invasive species at boat launches
- Remove plants from boat launch area
- Remove litter around boat launches.
- Report any issues with the boat launch or surrounding areas
All volunteers will be trained on all expected tasks and how to report and document aquatic invasive species, launch issues, etc.
water quality monitoring
We are looking for in-lake and tributary water quality monitors in Calumet, Fond du Lac, and Winnebago Counties. Sampling occurs from ice out to October.
Volunteers can choose from six water quality sampling sites in the four Winnebago Pool Lakes or six stream sites for tributaries that feed into the Winnebago Lakes. This is part of a long-term trend monitoring project for the Winnebago Waterways Recovery. Please note: For safety reasons, lake sites require a boat that can handle 2-4 foot swells.
citizen lake monitoring network
Join 1000+citizen volunteers statewide to collect high quality data on the lakes that you love! CLMN volunteers help monitor their lakes for a variety of things including water quality parameters, ice on/off, and aquatic invasive species! Volunteers help determine which topics they are interested in monitoring. The information gathered by volunteers is even used by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and university biologists and researchers, UW-Extension, and other interested individuals in projects that work to improve your lake! Help keep track of changes in your lake while being near your favorite Winnebago lake!
This program is locally coordinated by Fox-Wolf in Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties.
AIS statewide snapshot day
During the annual statewide Aquatic Invasive Species Snapshot Day, join other water quality enthusiasts in searching for invasive species that harm our waterways. Learn how to search for invasive species that may affect the waters that are special to you. You can choose to search from the shore with binoculars and a rake or wade into friendly waters to get a better look! This event is fun for the whole family and really makes a difference in the fight against invasive species. AIS Snapshot Day occurs on the 2nd or 3rd Saturday in August.
Volunteers can choose from sites in all across Wisconsin with multiple places to volunteer in our Watershed!
Clean Boats, Clean Waters
Get involved in the effort to protect Wisconsin lakes and rivers by stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species. As a volunteer watercraft inspector, you will take up the front line in this fight by conducting boater education at boat landings in your community. Inspectors perform boat and trailer checks for aquatic invasive species, educate boaters on how to stop the spread, and collect and report new infestations.
This program is locally coordinated by Fox-Wolf in Calumet, Fond du Lac, Winnebago, Outagamie, and Brown Counties.
Purple Loostrife biocontrol
Get involved in the effort to protect Wisconsin lakes and rivers by stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species. As a volunteer watercraft inspector, you will take up the front line in this fight by conducting boater education at boat landings in your community. Inspectors perform boat and trailer checks for aquatic invasive species, educate boaters on how to stop the spread, and collect and report new infestations.
This program is locally coordinated by Fox-Wolf in Calumet, Fond du Lac, Winnebago, Outagamie, and Brown Counties.
grow native plants
Learn how easy it is to grow native plants and how important they are in our landscaping. We create mini greenhouses by using milk jugs to grow the plants. Participants will be able to keep what they want from the plants they grow and the other plants will be used as a fundraiser for the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.
There are a few different options to volunteer with this program. Volunteers are able to come out and help collect native seeds as well as learn to clean those seeds (Summer/Fall). We need volunteers to help assemble the milk jugs – this involves cutting milk jugs, filling them with soil, adding seeds, then closing them up (Fall/Early Winter). These milk jugs need a place to live outdoors so volunteers can just house the milk jugs (Fall – Spring). No special requirements to house the milk jugs except space.
This program is locally coordinated by Fox-Wolf in Shawano, Menominee, Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, and Winnebago Counties.
Learn more about the process here: Dane County How to Grow Native Plants Guide
Project red
Love to paddle, kayak, or canoe in rivers and streams? Help look for invasive species during this relaxing pastime! You will be trained on how to easily identify aquatic invasive species, some native look-a-likes, and how you can keep an eye out for them when you’re floating just around the riverbend!
Fox-Wolf locally coordinates Project RED volunteers in Outagamie, Brown, Calumet, Winnebago, and Fond du Lac Counties.
Sign-up to receive email updates about:
- Office work: entering data, cleaning, organizing, etc.
- Aquatic Invasive Species opportunities: Adopt-a-Launch, monitoring, watercraft inspections, purple loosestrife beetle rearing, Snapshot Day
- Water Quality monitoring: stream or in-lake monitoring