Are you looking for a unique volunteering opportunity to support beavers in ways that use your unique skills and experience? Have an interest in Oregon's rural communities? Have 20 to 30+ hours/month available for a 6 month minimum commitment?
Join our small group of volunteers part-time to spearhead a focused "impact area” supporting beaver recovery in eastern Oregon.
The Cooperative is seeking help in these key areas:
1. Bring education and organizing skills to outreach and support in small communities. The range of activities might include:
- Presentations at local libraries, clubs (Rotary, Lion’s, etc)
- FFA or 4H talks to students
- Tabling at county fairs or other community events with agency collaborators (Beaver Booth materials)
- Providing outreach and support materials to agencies
2. Bring a natural resources or ecology background to support local restoration practitioners. Providing educational outreach and support to these practitioners may include:
- Organizing workshops around ways to build beaver conflict solutions
- Field trips to recovering and established beaver sites around eastern Oregon
- Willow identification and Vegetation establishment and sourcing
- Resources, research and latest policy guidance
3. Bring writing or social media skills to capture and share beaver stories from around the landscape.
Activities may include:
- Researching and creating Beavers Back in Time stories (example here)
- Documenting and sharing stories of beavers successfully returning to the landscape (example here)
- Coordinate with other leadership area volunteers to tell their stories on social media or the Western Beavers website.
4. Put your problem solving, engineering or hydraulics knowledge to good developing alternatives to lethal beaver removal. Activities may include:
- Coordinating with other organizations, irrigation districts and even funding organizations to find different solutions for beaver conflict areas.
- Brainstorm different ways to offer accessible beaver solutions to more ‘DIY inclined’ landowners.
- Create and coordinate beaver conflict workshops in coordination with other impact area leaders above.
5. Matchmake volunteers with community based habitat restoration opportunities.
Activities may include:
- Building relationships with conservation groups providing potential volunteer opportunities.
- Make presentations to different organizations and volunteer groups to stimulate interest in supporting beaver recovery.
- Communicating with different ‘beaver interested’ volunteers on different beaver habitat type projects throughout eastern Oregon to agencies seeking help.