Volunteer

 

Choose Your Volunteer Experience

Are you coming to visit Acadia and want to spend some time as a Short-Term Volunteer giving back while you are here? Or are you interested in being a Season-Long Volunteer and immersing yourself into the Acadia team and culture? Review these, as well as our list of Current Volunteer Opportunities, to find the right experience for you.

 

Short Term Opportunities

Bat Watch

Have you ever wanted to be part of a research team? Does the thought of acoustic sampling, watching for emerging bats, mist-netting, and telemetry sound exciting to you? Then join us on Thursday evenings, June through September. Registered participants will meet in Bar Harbor near Eagle Lake area. Our biology team will provide an orientation to our bat program and train you how to become a volunteer. That same night our team will take you into the field to start collecting valuable data on our struggling bat population. Come for one night, or for the entire season. *Best for ages 13 and up however all are invited with parental supervision.

When: Every Thursday (June-September) weather permitting. If there is more than a 40% chance of rain the program will be cancelled.
Time: Times vary depending on sunset. Interested particpants put "Bat Watch" in the email subject line and send inquires to e-mail us.

Trails Drop-In Days

Join our Stewardship team cutting back over grown vegetation, clear drainage ditches, build bog walk and much more! All you need to bring is clothes to work in, closed toed-shoes, and a backpack with water and a snack; we provide the rest. Check out the latest schedule to see what projects are coming up next.

When: Tuesday's, Thursday's, and Saturday's, June-September
Time: 8:15 AM - 12:15 PM

Group Service Projects

Do you have a group that is interested in doing a service project here at Acadia? We can offer half-day, full day, or multi-day experiences. Call Dana Petersen, Friends of Acadia Stewardship Coordinator at [phone] or e-mail [e-mail].

Take Pride in Acadia Day

Want to be a part of the largest volunteer event of the year? Register for Take Pride in Acadia Day and help us put the carriage roads to bed. At the end of all of your hard work, enjoy a free meal of chili, corn bread, and cake provided by Friends of Acadia.

When: November 3rd, 2018
Time: 8:15 AM - Noon

National Trails Day

Celebrate National Trails Day at Acadia National Park! Come for light refreshments and an opportunity to participate in trail maintenance or join a guided trail walk. Call Dana Petersen, Friends of Acadia Stewardship Coordinator at [phone] or e-mail [e-mail] for more details.

When: First Saturday in June
Time: 8:15 AM -Noon

 

Season-Long Volunteer Opportunities

Our season-long volunteer opportunities range from campground hosts, education interns, visitor assistance patrol, to bird migration monitoring volunteers. Check the below listing or visit volunteer.gov to see current openings. Not seeing what you are looking for? Contact Dianna McKeage, Volunteer Coordinator to learn more about position availability at e-mail us or [phone].

 

Acadia Youth Conservation Corps members hard at work crushing stone.

Friends of Acadia/Julia Walker-Thomas

Youth

Acadia Youth Conservation Corps (AYCC)- This is a full-time, eight week, non-residential trail maitenance program for High School Students ages 15-18. The program runs lates June to mid-August, pays minimum wage, and awards participants who complete the eight weeks an education award. Join a team of your peers, learn valueable skills for the future, and help restore and maintain Acadia National Park's beloved trails and carriage roads. This program is offered in partnership with Friends of Acadia. Accepting applications until April 20th, 2018.

 

Photo courtesy of Lise Greil. Used with permission.

Artist-In-Residence

The Artist-in-Residence program is dedicated to creating new ways for visitors to experience Acadia through the arts. In exchange for a two-week residency, artists lead one outreach presentation for the public, and donate within one year one work of art that depicts a fresh and innovative new perspective of the park for visitors that's drawn from their own experience.

Selected artists travel to and take part in the program at their own expense at the invitation of the park superintendent. An online application process is open to all, but is highly selective based upon prior professional achievement and broader program goals to foster innovation, diversity, and relevance with new audiences. Three categories of applicants are considered: Visual Artists; Writers; and At-Large Participants working in such forms as music composition, performing arts, indigenous arts, and emerging technologies. Applications are reviewed by appointed juries including park staff, community members, past program participants, and subject matter experts. Learn more.

 

Current Volunteer Opportunities