Many Hands Make Light Work

You can play an active role in protecting and preserving the open space and waters of this unique countryside by sharing your time and talents with URWA.

We can use your help…one day per year, once a month or every day. The amount of time you devote to URWA is up to you, as are the tasks in which you participate.

Current Volunteer Opportunities

• Friends of the Preserves Partner
  Visit preserve at least quarterly and after large storms as appropriate, complete provided monitoring forms for each visit and submit them to URWA’s office, attend Friends of the Preserve work days as you are available

Rutgers Environmental Steward Program
Click here for more information

Volunteer Opportunities:

• URWA Watchdog - Monitor local issues, participate with or host Environmental Neighborhood Watch.



• Bird & Butterfly Garden - Volunteer jobs include planting, weeding and collection of horticultural and wildlife references.



• Nature Walks - Lead or assist weekday or weekend walks throughout the watershed. Please bring ideas!



• Stream Clean-Ups - Assist in or help coordinate stream clean-up events. (spring)



• Stream Monitoring - If you would like to volunteer, URWA holds a training class each spring. Volunteers commit only one to four days per year. Check our Calendar of Events page for upcoming monitoring classes.



• Program Support - Assist with community and corporate events or serve as an URWA Ambassador.



• Trails/Ground Maintenance - Maintenance includes pruning, weeding, posting and litter removal on any of URWA's 12 fee-owned properties. Help coordinate volunteers for cleanup events.



• Building Maintenance - All skill levels welcome including carpentry, plumbing and miscellaneous repairs.



• Computers - Volunteers may assist with data entry, graphic art or brochure and newsletter publications.



• Fundraising - Major annual events include Country Fair and dinner dances. Volunteers needed in every capacity.



• Office - Assist our staff by preparing mailings, filing, photocopying or running errands.



• Monitor Blue Bird, Kestrel and Screech Owl Boxes (seasonal)

Our sincere thanks go to the many individuals, businesses, organizations that helped out with important stewardship projects, educational programs and membership activities this fall…

1. Members of the Garden Club of Somerset Hills spent a day winterizing the Bird and Butterfly Garden. They removed annuals and cut back perennials, leaving seed heads for over-wintering birds.
2. Nearly 100 middle and high school students, URWA volunteers and Trustees joined local craftsmen, farmers and other environmental specialists to make our 28th Annual Old Fashioned Country Fair a huge success!
3. Trustee Alan Willemsen and student Kerry Moriarty lent their time and talents to lead “Second Sunday” programs at Fairview Farm.
4. The staff of the New Jersey Highlands Coalition led a very interesting discussion at our October “Wake Up Call” breakfast program.
5. The New Jersey Conservation Foundation and Tewksbury Land Trust joined with URWA to lead a walk on the new Lance Trail and URWA’s Fox Hill Preserve.
6. Under the leadership of Stewardship Committee member Randy Little, volunteers from Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics in Raritan built a new bird feeding station at Fairview Farm in September. The station is located just off the back porch of the farmhouse/ office, and has been a source of endless fascination for our visitors and staff! Chickadees, juncos and cardinals are frequent visitors, and we have occasionally spotted a purple finch and yellow bellied sapsucker.
7. Volunteers from the Somerville office of Ethicon marked six miles of trails at Fairview Farm in October. The hard-working group lead, by Vincent Mignone, installed cedar posts and painted blazes to help visitors identify the various trails that meander across the land. The brisk, beautiful fall weather offset the hard work required to dig holes and set up the posts. URWA’s 2008 Volunteer of the Year Chuck Elmendorf worked with staff members to facilitate the project. The trails are now clearly marked and can be easily navigated, even by newcomers to our property!