Get Involved

Volunteer With the NPCA

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Why Volunteer

  • Learn a new skill and meet new people
  • Support local conservation projects
  • Get outdoors and enjoy some physical activity
  • Share your knowledge and skills with others
  • Earn community service hours for your high school diploma
  • Gain job experience and training

Who Can Volunteer

  • Individuals
  • Co-op students
  • Community groups
  • School groups
  • Corporate groups

Register to be a volunteer

Volunteer Opportunities

Stewardship

April - November

Tree planting 

Help the NPCA and our community partners plant native trees, shrubs and wildflowers or participate in community stewardship workdays with community groups and other volunteers. Dates will vary depending on events happening. 

  • Time commitment – Do as many as you’d like! Plantings typically last about 3 hours, and availability varies per year. 
  • Positions available – We can never have to many tree planters! All are welcome! 

Pollinator garden planting and maintenance 

Work in a small team to maintain pollinator gardens at various locations in the Niagara Peninsula watershed. Select the garden closest to you and visit throughout the spring and summer to keep weeds out. Report back on your progress and insects/ critters visiting the garden. 

  • Time commitment – 2-3 hours per month 
  • Positions available – 10 

Invasive species removal 

Invasive species are a problem for our local natural areas. Help the NPCA tackle an invasive plant patch at a Conservation Area during a community removal day. This is a great opportunity for individuals or community groups. Think you’ve spotted an invasive species at a conservation area? Please take a picture, record the location and email us.

  • Time commitment – 2-3 hours per removal. 
  • Positions available – Positions vary based on project needs, please email us for more information. We’d love to hear from you! 

 

Education & Programming

Camp Leader / Junior Leader 

If you’re enthusiastic and outgoing, we would love to have you help at our Camps and Programs!  

Two locations to choose from---Ball's Falls Conservation Area or St. John's Valley Centre in Thorold. Camps run July to September, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

  1. Junior Leaders (12-17 years old): Participate in Leader-in-Training (LIT) camp! Learn what it takes to be a leader in a summer camp setting and get prepared to volunteer as a Junior Camp Leader at NPCA Day Camps and Programs. This program is offered once at the beginning of July. Click here to learn more! 
  2. Camp Leaders (Adult; 18 years old and up): A vulnerable sector check is required for participation. 
  • Season available – July to beginning of September 
  • Time commitment – Weekdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
  • Skills required – Ability to work with children; ability to work outside for extended periods of time. 
  • Positions available – Interested applicants can email volunteering@npca.ca to inquire about positions and requirements. Don't miss out on this great opportunity, email us now! 

Heritage Tours

Demonstrate heritage skills and knowledge to guests and/ or help run guided tours in the heritage village. Heritage tours and demonstrations are a part of the educational programs on weekdays at Ball’s Falls, and on weekends during events and special programs 

  • Season available – year round
  • Skills required – Knowledge of local heritage and experience giving similar style tours are assets. 
  • Time commitment – 2+ hours, program dependent

 

Events

Thanksgiving Festival 

Assist with heritage tours and demonstrations, volunteer hospitality, community displays or help out as a greeter or a member of our recycling team at the annual Ball’s Falls Thanksgiving Festival. Festival runs Fri-Mon of Thanksgiving weekend, 10am-5pm. 

  • Season available – Friday to Monday of Thanksgiving weekend 
  • Time commitment – One to four days (Volunteer for one, two, three, or all four days of the event! Whatever works best for you!) 
  • Skills required – There is a variety of volunteer roles available, but customer service experience is a great asset!  
  • Positions available – 10 per day  

Holiday Traditions in the Victorian Village

Located at Ball’s Falls Conservation Area, the Village of Glen Elgin takes you back in time to the Victorian Era. Help out at “Holiday Traditions in the Victorian Village”; a fun filled day where visitors travel back in time as the historical village comes to life, decorated for the holidays in early Victorian-era styles, and heritage interpreters lead them through life in the 1800s. Bonus: Guests are asked to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to a local food bank! 

  • Season available – December annually
  • Time commitment – 4+ hours
  • Skills required – Knowledge of local heritage and experience giving similar style tours are assets.
  • Positions available – Email volunteering@npca.ca to learn more about this opportunity.

 

Community Science

Bluebird box monitoring 

Assist in recording data of this bird species using the nesting boxes and preventing the use of the boxes by non-native species such as house sparrows and starlings. Nest boxes are located at Ball’s Falls Conservation Area (Lincoln) and E.C Brown Conservation Area (Welland). Please contact volunteering@npca.ca if you are interested.  

  • Season available – March to September 
  • Time commitment – Surveys are completed once a week. Survey times vary but typically are 2-3 hours. 
  • Skills required – Knowledge of bird species, loves to work outdoors 
  • Positions available – 10 

Trail Ambassador 

This is a great program for families, or a group of two or more individuals. Hike the trails at NPCA Conservation Areas and help us to learn where there are hazards, vandalism, cool wildlife sightings, and opportunities to improve our trails. Report it through our downloadable app.  

  • Season available – Year Round 

Yellow Fish Road 

The Yellow Fish Road program is a nation-wide environmental education initiative launched by Trout Unlimited Canada in 1991. Participants remind their community of the importance of clean water and properly disposing of hazardous wastes by painting yellow fish near storm drains and distributing fish-shaped brochures. To learn more detailed information about how to participate, click here

 

Other Community Opportunities

Marsh Monitoring 

The Great Lakes March Monitoring Program, run by Birds Canada, is a bi-national, long-term monitoring program coordinating the skills and dedication of countless volunteer Citizen Scientists throughout the Greats Lakes basin of Ontario. It’s designed for Marsh Monitoring Program volunteers to collect needed information on the bird and amphibian species in Great Lakes coastal and inland marshes to better understand these species and their habitat needs. Want to learn more about how to get involved in this program? Visit https://www.birdscanada.org/gl_mmp and volunteer through their website. 

Lake Erie Guardians 

Run by Water Rangers the Lake Erie Guardians is a project aiming to increase community engagement in water quality monitoring across the Lake Erie basin, with a focus on western basin and Niagara Region. Volunteers gather data on contaminants, fill critical regional gaps in water quality data, and support pilot programs for new monitoring methods. For more information visit their website

Download iNaturalist 

iNaturalist is a mobile app (available on Google Play and the App Store) where users can record their observations, share them with fellow naturalists, and discuss findings. By sharing your observations of flora and fauna in conservation areas, you’re contributing to Citizen Science, and helping yourself and others learn about nature! Learn more on https://www.inaturalist.org/ or download the app. 

Glanbrook Conservation Committee 

Become a member of the Glanbrook Conservation Committee and assist with exciting projects at Binbrook Conservation Area, including bird box monitoring, trail maintenance, special events, and habitat improvement. See what they’re up to on Facebook! To join in their efforts, message them directly. 

Fort Erie Conservation Club 

Operating out of Stevensville Conservation Area, the Fort Erie Conservation Club was established in 1983. Their goal is to save and defend all our natural resources (soil, minerals, waters, forests, and wildlife) from waste. For more information and to get involved with them, go to their website

Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch 

The Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch, organized in 1990, promotes the enjoyment of hawkwatching, educates people about hawks and hawk migration, conducts systematic counts of hawks migrating over the Niagara Peninsula, and works for the preservation of raptors in Ontario. They run the Hawkwatch from March 1st to May 31st at NPCA’s Beamer Conservation Area and are always look for volunteers of any experience level! Interested and want to get in contact? Check out their website nphawkwatch.ca

 

If you are interested in volunteering with the NPCA, please send an email to volunteering@npca.ca .



Yellow Fish Road

The Yellow Fish Road program is a nation-wide environmental education initiative launched by Trout Unlimited Canada in 1991.

Thousands of Canadian youth have participated in the Yellow Fish Road program to learn about their water supply and the impact their community has on clean water. Participants remind their community of the importance of clean water and properly disposing of hazardous wastes by painting yellow fish near storm drains and distributing fish-shaped brochures.

Since the program’s inception in 1991 Youth Groups all over Canada have:

  • distributed 1 million fish hangers
  • marked 100,000 storm drains across the country with 60,000 volunteers participating

Yellow Fish Road™ is effective because children reinforce the knowledge they have gained by taking action to help ensure clean water in their community. Yellow Fish Road has been initiated internationally – including countries like the US, Australia and Scotland.

What is a Storm Drain?

Stormwater is the water from rainstorms or melting snow that drains into catch basins or storm drains. Storm drains or catch basins are located along the edges of roadways. Rainwater is collected by the storm drains and flows in an underground pipe system exiting via an outfall into local creeks, streams, rivers or lakes. Water flowing over lawns, driveways, gardens, roadways and sidewalks picks up debris and flows untreated into the storm drains.

Why is Yellow Fish Road important?

In most municipalities, water and materials entering storm drains do not get filtered at a water treatment plant before entering our streams and rivers. Unlike the drains in our sinks and toilets, stormwater drains directly into the local waterbody.

Here’s How it Flows:

  • Non-point source pollution is pollution spread over a large area, like storm water runoff. This type of pollution is hard to trace and is the largest contributor to urban water pollution.
  • Hazardous materials, such as pesticides, soap, motor oil and fertilizers that enter storm drains will end up in our streams and rivers. This can create an unhealthy environment for aquatic animals, such as fish.
  • Hazardous household wastes can also affect water quality and result in unsafe drinking water in our homes.

Why Yellow Fish Road?

Fish, and in particular trout, are a remarkable indicator species. Trout can act as the “canaries in the coal mine”. Once trout are unable to frequent an area, it is an indicator that the water in that area is unsafe for human use.

How does the program work?

The Yellow Fish Road program is a fun, participatory way to teach the importance of clean water and to demonstrate how decisions made by one person can make a difference to a whole community. The program has two components:

  • Learning: participants find their local water supply then explore how hazardous wastes can find their way into this water source.
  • Action: participants “make a difference” by painting yellow fish near storm drains to serve as a reminder that any materials entering the storm drain affect our water sources. Participants also distribute “fish hangers” on doors in the neighbourhood to educate the community about their actions and the rationale behind Yellow Fish Road™.

The impact of this program can be enormous. If the Yellow Fish Road™ prevents one person from pouring a litre of paint down a storm drain this directly benefits the community’s water source for drinking water, commerce, and recreation. It also provides tremendous benefits to animal and aquatic species who use the river for food, shelter and reproductive purposes.

What’s next?

Choose a neighbourhood along with possible dates for painting and contact the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.

The NPCA coordinates the Yellow Fish Road™ program on behalf of its partners, the Cities of Welland, St. Catharines, Thorold, Niagara Falls, Port Colborne, the Towns of Pelham, Lincoln, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Grimsby and Fort Erie, the Townships of West Lincoln and Wainfleet and the Regional Municipality of Niagara.

The NPCA will provide further information, equipment and advice on how to organize your Yellow Fish Road day. For more information, email volunteering@npca.ca

Native Plants & Trees

The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority is committed to using native trees and shrubs at community engagement and outreach projects such as community plantings, green corporate initiatives, and internal and external events.

Every year, more than 150 species of plants and animals become extinct globally. By incorporating natural areas on your property, pollutants are filtered from the surface, erosion is reduced, flooding is slowed and water can keep flowing in our creeks and streams throughout the year. Your efforts to improve and protect local water quality, will help protect wildlife populations and species diversity for future generations.

If you are interested in hosting or participating at a community planting, partnering with the NPCA on a new project, or are a corporation looking for green ways to give back to your community, get in touch with our Community Engagement team at volunteering@npca.ca

How To Help Local Pollinators

What is a pollinator?

A pollinator is an insect, mammal, or bird that helps carry pollen from the male part of the flower (stamen) to the female part of another flower (stigma). Pollination is the fertilization process of many plants that allows them to produce fruits, seeds and young plants. Local pollinators include bees, butterflies, moths, bats, and birds. There are as many as 150 different species of bees found in the Niagara Peninsula, and approximately 400 species in Ontario, including mining, leaf-cutter, bumblebees, tiny sweat bees and carpenter bees. Approximately 75 per cent of flowering plants depend on pollinators, including many of the fruits and vegetables we eat. 

Gardening for Pollinators

Pollinators, like most living things, need shelter, food and water. Some are specialists and only feed on specific species of plant, while others are generalists. The best way to attract pollinators to your garden is to plant a diversity of native plants – various colours, flower shapes, blooming times and species.

Native plants are indigenous to a specific area, have evolved there through thousands of years of changing geological conditions which have shaped their physical features and biology. This natural evolution makes the use of native plants ideal for local climate and environmental conditions. Because of this, they do not require additional watering and thrive without the application of pesticides and fertilizers. They are the best and most desirable food source for local species of pollinators and other wildlife.

You can attract pollinators by establishing a pollinator garden, or simply by adding native plants to your existing garden, water garden, potted display and even your vegetable garden. Leave flower stems and leaf litter in the garden over the winter to provide shelter for insects. Wait until there is no danger of frost to clean out the garden in the spring. If you are applying mulch to your garden, leave some areas of bare soil for solitary ground nesting bees.

To find a local native trees, plants, and shrubs supplier, visit the Watershed Health page.