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Our parks simply could not operate without the dedication of our volunteers. In 2021, Virginia State Parks volunteers logged over 62,000 hours of unpaid work. Sky Meadows State Park alone, benefited from over 3,600 of those volunteer hours. Not only does volunteer work make our parks possible, it also fosters partnerships that allow us to advance conservation work beyond our park borders. 

In case you’re interested in getting involved, here are five great ways to give back to nature and to make new friends in the process!

Tree huggers joined together for the Free the Trees volunteer opportunity.
Tree huggers joined together for the Free the Trees volunteer opportunity.

1. Free the Trees

Visitors and park volunteers celebrated the arrival of spring by participating in a unique opportunity to “Free the Trees” from invasive plant species at Sky Meadows State Park. This volunteer workday highlighted the importance of volunteerism and nurtured important partnerships with environmental and conservation groups. This kind of active engagement with our natural resources connects us to the land and to each other, when we volunteer with Virginia State Parks.

This project was the result of cooperation among many groups and individuals.
This project was the result of cooperation among many groups and individuals.

The Free the Trees project was a great example of how various groups can come together and learn from each other, to tackle what would otherwise be a daunting task. In this case, there was collaboration between multiple chapters of Virginia Master Naturalists, members of the Virginia Native Plant Society, park staff and the general public who signed up to give a portion of their free time to do the hard work of pulling invasive plants from around an ancient wolf tree. This iconic tree, with its wide-spreading branches, shows us that there was a period of time when it had little competition from the surrounding forest. Trees like this remind us of our connection to the landscape, and how centuries of agricultural history shaped what we see today.

2. Learn from the experts

Ecologist and ancient tree expert Michael Gaige was at the Free the Trees event to inspire the gathered volunteers by educating us on the importance of old wolf trees. He likened them to “the forest’s town square for animals.” 

According to Mr. Gaige, these trees are

where mid-sized mammals come up and scent mark, or defecate or just leave scent. Birds, even when they don’t feed, they do stop in at higher numbers than they would in a typical tree. When feeding, they do this at 20 times more than they do at a normal forest tree. And of course people so often chose the largest trees for their purposes as well.

Ecologist Michael Gaige at the Free the Trees event
Ecologist Michael Gaige at the Free the Trees event

It’s not every day that we get the chance to benefit from the expert knowledge of ecologists and naturalists as we interact with nature. Which is why partnership programs like Free the Trees provide such important opportunities to plant the seed of environmentalism. Aside from the one-time impact of an organized work project like this, we gain far-reaching knowledge from learning about the importance of native plants for healthy ecosystems. 

If you are not quite ready to get your hands dirty volunteering, you can start by participating in a guided Plant Identification Walk. This upcoming program is part of a series of guided hikes on the Sensory Explorers' Trail at Sky Meadows State Park. Each hike is led by members of the Shenandoah Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists, whose partnership and volunteerism are integral to helping the park conserve our natural resources. Details on this and all our guided programs can be found on our online programs and events listing

The We Plant Trees Family Fun Run was another unique opportunity to have fun while doing something good for the environment.
The We Plant Trees Family Fun Run was another unique opportunity to have fun while doing something good for the environment.

3. Trail runs for a cause

As another example of the mutual benefits (or symbiosis, to borrow the term from ecology) of collaboration between parks and our partners, Sky Meadows State Park recently hosted the Inaugural We Plant Trees Family Fun Run. This trail running event was held on the same weekend as the Free the Trees program, and runners received the prize of free native tree saplings, provided by the local non-profit We Plant Trees, to plant at home. This was yet another opportunity to do something fun at the park, which then led to supporting our local ecosystems by planting trees. Our event helped the organization reach their milestone of 30,000 trees planted!

We are looking forward to offering more trail running events, including the upcoming Crooked Run Valley 5/10K. This trail race is made possible by a partnership with Bishop's Events whose races benefit charitable or non-profit organizations. In this case, you will be racing to support the Friends of Sky Meadows!

Look ahead to future trail races at Sky Meadows State Park, where your racing makes a difference.
Look ahead to future trail races at Sky Meadows State Park, where your racing makes a difference.

4. Volunteer

Thanks to these and many other partnerships, there is no shortage of opportunities to give back. If you are interested in signing up to become a park volunteer, email skvolunteer@dcr.virginia.gov. Do you want to try an organized volunteer opportunity open to the public first? Upcoming National Trails Day will give you the chance to try your hand at joining a trail improvement work project on Hadow Trail. You’re sure to find it a rewarding experience to work side by side with others, to improve a park trail that will be enjoyed for years to come.

Americorps and Youth Conservation Corps Members roll up their sleeves to make trail improvements at Sky Meadows State Park
Americorps and Youth Conservation Corps Members roll up their sleeves to make trail improvements at Sky Meadows State Park

5. Work at the park

If you’re looking to take your park-involvement to the next level, you might even consider applying to the Americorps Program or Youth Conservation Corps. These are seasonal positions that pay a living allowance. Members are placed at a Virginia State Park, where they get exposure to all different aspects of park programming and trail management. Many Americorps members and Youth Conservation Corps members go on to future careers in parks.  

We also have seasonal, part-time and full-time opportunities for work. View our Virginia State Parks job openings here. As an employee, you can make the ultimate connection with nature and the people here.


No matter who you are, or what your former experience, there are many ways to contribute when we all work, play and volunteer together. It really does take all of us, partners across different organizations and individuals, to operate our parks. You, as a park visitor, are part of our team!

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If you have read the article and have a question, please email nancy.heltman@dcr.virginia.gov.

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