Support for Parks, Trails & Off Leash Areas
Volunteers help keep Bend’s parks, trails and off leash areas beautiful places for everyone to enjoy!
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Volunteering with Parks & Trails
Park Host/Greeters
Volunteers serve as hosts/greeters at Riley Ranch Nature Reserve and Shevlin Park, offering information about the experiences that are available in the park and reminding visitors about park rules. Volunteers do not provide enforcement and need to be able to support a welcoming and inclusive experience for all park users
Volunteers cover a 2-hour shift each week on weekdays and weekends. This opportunity is best for adult volunteers who are comfortable with being outdoors in a park setting in a variety of weather conditions.
Application is required and a criminal history background check is processed prior to volunteering.
Adopt-a-Park, Trail or Off Leash Area
Groups, businesses, schools, families or individuals can adopt a park, off leash area or section of Bend’s urban trail system and help with caretaking for that site. Volunteers are asked to visit regularly all year – picking up litter, pulling weeds and keeping an eye out for vandalism and potential safety concerns.
Current Adopt-a-Park and Trail volunteers: Click here to complete your monthly Adopt-a-Park/Trail Visit Report
Group Park Projects:
Volunteer groups can make a big impact by helping with a landscape maintenance project in a park.
Opportunities may be available in spring and fall, depending on current park district needs. Projects are typically 2-3 hours and typically involve activities such as clean up for landscaped and natural areas, spreading bark mulch, pulling weeds and picking up litter. BPRD staff provides support and the materials and tools needed for the project.
BPRD Hosted Volunteer Project Days – Spring/Summer 2024
Join the BPRD natural resources and trails team to pull weeds, remove trash, close off unofficial trails, and plant native vegetation at these volunteer projects scheduled throughout the summer.
Saturday, May 18 – Sawyer Park Project Day
9 am to 12 noon
Projects will include: litter clean up, closing social trails using on-site materials such as logs and rocks, planting bunch grasses and other native plants.
Saturday, June 1 – Shevlin Park Tree Farm area
9 am to 12 noon
This project honors National Trails Day and is funded as part of a grant from Deschutes Trail Coalition.
Volunteers will help BPRD staff with closing off a decommissioned trail section and other work to deter creation of new social trails.
Saturday, July 20 – Weed Pull at Discovery West Natural Area
8 to 11 am
Volunteers will work with staff to hand pull noxious weeds.
Saturday, August 17 – Weed Pull at Discovery West Natural Area
8 to 11 am
Volunteers will work with staff to hand pull noxious weeds.
Saturday, September 7 – Shevlin Park (main parking area)
9 to 12 noon
Volunteers will help BPRD staff with vegetation removal and some resurfacing work for an existing trail.
This project will be on the south side of Shevlin Park Rd. (not the Aspen Hall side). Meet in the main parking area.
To learn more about volunteer project days and sign up – click here: Volunteer Project Days
For more information about adopting a park or trail or scheduling a project for your group, contact:
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