Volunteering at SPES

Do you want to volunteer in one of the greatest parks in the world and learn about amazing ecosystems that thrive so close to Vancouver’s busy downtown core? Being a volunteer with SPES is an excellent way to indulge your passion for nature, spend time outdoors, and learn about our environment. You can develop useful skills, knowledge and confidence to further your academic and vocational pursuits while enjoying the beauty of Stanley Park.

Who can Volunteer?

You must meet certain criteria to volunteer with SPES:

  • Be a minimum of 16 years old (contact us for more information on how younger volunteers can get involved)
  • Some positions have higher age requirements
  • Educational requirements depending on the position
  • Experience – vocational and academic – depending on the position
  • Health and physical requirements – depending on the tasks

Most volunteer opportunities have minimum time commitment requirements, while a select few are very short-term or indefinite-length positions.

In addition, volunteers enjoy:

  • Program-specific training and opportunities to learn about the local natural history, ecology and environmental stewardship of Stanley Park;
  • Twice yearly appreciation events;
  • Reference letter upon completion of 25 hours of volunteering.

Build Skills as a Volunteer

Our active volunteer opportunities are below. You can also contact our Volunteer Coordinator to share how you’d like to volunteer with SPES.

Current Volunteer Opportunities

  • Coyote Aversion Conditioning Volunteer
    Join SPES in maintaining the safety of humans, pets, and coyotes through an aversion conditioning program in Stanley Park.
  • EcoCamp Assistant – Summer
    Volunteer with SPES’s EcoCamp this Summer Break and help to empower young people to connect with nature in meaningful ways.
  • EcoRangers
    Volunteer as an EcoRanger this summer and share your passion for ecology with visitors to Stanley Park.
  • EcoStewards
    Support invasive species management and the stewardship of Stanley Park alongside a group of enthusiastic volunteers.
  • DIRT (Dedicated Invasive Removal Team)
    Join this dedicated group of volunteers and help remove invasive plant species in Stanley Park.

Sorry, there are no open volunteer positions at the moment. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to get notified of new opportunities!

You can also contact our Volunteer Coordinator to share how you’d like to volunteer with SPES.

Contact our Volunteer Coordinator

Photo: Volunteers removing invasive species. (Don Enright).

Volunteering at a Glance

We offer many different types of volunteering opportunities including:

Conservation

  • EcoStewards – Join SPES on the first and third Saturday of each month to remove invasive plant species and make an important contribution to habitat conservation and restoration of the Park.
  • Dedicated Invasive Removal Team (DIRT) – Contribute to the stewardship of Stanley Park with this hands-on invasive plant species removal program.
  • Habitat & Wildlife Monitoring – Head into the Park with our Conservation Technician to collect ecological data to monitor long-term trends and provide species baseline data.
  • Coyote Aversion Conditioning – Patrol Stanley Park on foot to maintain appropriate interactions between humans and wildlife. Recruitment opens in April. For more information contact urbanwildlife@stanleyparkecology.ca.
  • Co-existing with Coyotes Info Line – Engage with the public on coyote encounters in Stanley Park and proper coyote interaction techniques. Recruitment is now open! For more information contact urbanwildlife@stanleyparkecology.ca.

Public Outreach & Education

  • Nature House Hosts – Hang out at the Nature House at Lost Lagoon and educate visitors about the ecology of Stanley Park.
  • EcoRangers – Roam Stanley Park and answer visitors’ questions about the local animals and plants. Recruitment starts in May. For more information contact outreach@stanleyparkecology.ca.
  • EcoCamp Assistant – Work with SPES Educators to support the delivery of engaging and exciting programming to our day campers.
  • Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration (GVBC) – Celebrate over 250 bird species in the Lower Mainland through the delivery of various SPES events. Recruitment begins in February. For more information contact outreach@stanleyparkecology.ca.