Volunteer With Us!
Photo Credit: Edwige Moses/NPS
Saint Paul Citywide Spring Cleanup
Hidden Falls Regional Park at North Gate Entrance
Saturday, April 19th; 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM
The annual litter cleanup extravaganza returns! Join Mississippi Park Connection, the National Park Service, and the City of Saint Paul in cleaning up the spaces we love in celebration of Earth Week and the launch of National Park Week.
This is a drop-in, rain-or-shine event, with the equipment provided onsite. Check out the Saint Paul Citywide Cleanup Volunteer Events page for further information.
Volunteers under 18 years old are required to have a minor Volunteer Service Agreement completed by a parent/guardian. Physical copies of the form will be available onsite.
Minneapolis Earth Day Cleanup
Saturday, April 19th; 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Join Mississippi Park Connection, the National Park Service, and the City of Minneapolis in caring for our planet and parks during Earth Week and National Park Week! We are broadening our impact on the Mississippi River to clean up North Mississippi Regional Park this year.
This is a drop-in, rain-or-shine event, with the equipment provided onsite. Check out the Minneapolis Earth Day Cleanup page for more information.
Volunteers under 18 years old are required to have a minor Volunteer Service Agreement completed by a parent/guardian. Physical copies of the form will be available onsite.
Why Volunteer?
The Volunteers-in-Parks (VIP) Program for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is co-managed by the National Park Service and Mississippi Park Connection. Volunteers are a crucial component in many areas of park operations. We offer a wide range of volunteer opportunities throughout the Twin Cities. Most options do not require training or a lengthy time commitment and we welcome drop-ins. It’s a great way to meet others and a fun and rewarding way to spend the day.
Volunteer Training Resources
From history and interpretation to natural resources, we have something that might pique your interest. Please take some time to learn how you can positively impact our river community and create a welcoming environment for everyone. Hours spent on these resources can be added to your volunteer profile! Report them at miss_volunteer@nps.gov.
Our monthly Volunteers-In-Parks e-newsletter announces upcoming volunteer opportunities throughout the park, volunteer team updates, and more. Sign up to stay informed on all things volunteer-related!
Habitat Restoration
Habitat restoration improves Mississippi River water quality, offers wildlife habitat, aids migrating birds, and enhances park and trail scenery. Volunteers can assist by removing invasives, planting natives, or joining river clean-ups.
Public Programming
Our public programming events happen with the support of volunteers! This includes tabling, assisting in hikes, and other needed support.
Field S
cientific Survey
The park has several ongoing research projects monitoring wildlife and vegetation in the park. Past and current opportunities include tree surveying, beaver monitoring, waterfowl surveys, and the Monarch Larvae Monitoring Project.
Youth Education
Help foster youth learning by supporting field trips and other education programming along the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area!
Are you looking to organize a group event for your corporate, community group, school group, etc.? Learn more about how to organize a group volunteer event with Mississippi Park Connection below!
Corporate Group Partnerships
We love working with our corporate partners! Corporate partners support the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area through volunteerism, donations, sponsorship and more. Learn more about corporate partnership and connect with us about volunteer team building and volunteer opportunities.
Volunteer Opportunities for Community and School Groups
Community organizations, youth groups, and schools can preserve the Mississippi River, while working together in a meaningful and unique way. Fill out the interest form to connect with our volunteer coordinator.
Specialized Volunteer Roles
Specialized volunteer roles require training from a volunteer supervisor/staff before volunteering for a shift. Examples include tree surveying, Trails & Rails, the Mississippi River Visitor Center, and more.
Are you interested? Look at what positions are offered and check out if there are any training dates at the link below! Otherwise, feel free to email miss_volunteer@nps.gov or volunteer@parkconnection.org to be added to the waiting list for upcoming training dates.
It is the end of 2024, and our Volunteer-is-Parks program for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area had another great year! Volunteers supported field trips, restored and enhanced the natural areas around the corridor, assisted with and led fun programming events, and so much more. This fiscal year (October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024) we had 1,494 volunteers contribute 17,503 service hours to the Volunteers-in-Parks Program.
On May 10th, 2024, Mississippi Park Connection and National Park Service staff worked together to install 525 trees into the Science Museum gravel bed.
As spring emerges, so do the unique strategies of animals in the Mississippi River corridor, from the deep hibernation of little brown bats to the remarkable migrations of monarch butterflies and birds, all while climate change threatens their delicate balance, urging us to consider their resilience amidst the beauty of the season.
The Volunteers-In-Parks Program for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is co-managed by the National Park Service and Mississippi Park Connection. Feel free to email miss_volunteer@nps.gov, volunteer@parkconnection.org, or call the MPC Volunteer Coordinator number at 651-291-9119.