Volunteering at the Arboretum

 
The National Arboretum has over 200 volunteers, many of whom have been with us over 15 years. Volunteers play an integral role in Arboretum programs and assist in almost every area and endeavor, performing jobs ranging from gardening to administrative and research support. On average more than 15,800 hours of volunteer service are provided each year. Many volunteers contribute their time and talent on weekdays, although there are some weekend positions available. We ask most of our volunteers to contribute a minimum of 4 hours weekly.

Volunteers receive orientation and training. Most positions entail a one-year commitment.

New Volunteer Training coming up in February

If you have ever considered volunteering at the U.S. National Arboretum, start your volunteer career off on the right foot. Our annual Volunteer Gardener Training consists of four different sessions that will be held on each Thursday in February (7th, 14th, 21st, & 28th)from 8:45am - 1:30pm. Each session focuses on different topics that will hone your horticultural skills. Botany, Plant I.D., Soils, Pruning, Weeds, and more are all taught by our professional staff.

After completion of the course, you will have the opportunity to be placed in one of our collections as a Volunteer Gardener! Please contact Hannah Mullen if you wish to participate.

Current openings

Gardeners...for various collections at the Arboretum. Generally from March through December, although the Azalea Collection volunteers work through the year. Training is provided.

Tour Guides...are needed to give occasional tours during the months of mid-April through mid-October. Training is provided.

South Farm Germplasm Repository...in Beltsville, MD. Various jobs including: propagation, inventory, data base work, gardening. Training provided.

Herbarium...volunteers needed during the week for data base entry and specimen mounting. On-going training provided and Gardener's training classes in February are available.

If you are interested in finding out more about our volunteer opportunities at the U.S. National Arboretum, please contact: