Thank you for being a Friend and now we invite you to make even more of a difference for the refuge you love.  Become more directly involved with the Friends as a volunteer (onsite or remote), member on one of our Board Committees, or as a Board member.

We need diverse talents in order to meet the challenges of the future: the more willing hands, the greater our opportunities for success. Backgrounds and skills include, but are not limited to writing, teaching, finance, computer, organization, and many talents that come naturally to raising children, running a household, or pursuing a career.

There are no prerequisites other than a willingness to roll up your sleeves, join the team and make a vital contribution to one of the premier wildlife refuges in the country.

Whatever your background, this is your chance to have a direct, visible and lasting impact on the refuge at a time when every hour of work, every activity, every helping hand is critical to our mission of support to Bosque del Apache.

WHAT TYPES OF VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES EXIST?  Helping in the Nature Store; Restoring and Educating about the Desert Arboretum or other Landscaping;  Writing or Editing Articles or even parts of Grants, etc.

WHAT ARE THE COMMITTEES? Committees meet as needed, with effort often focused on particular projects or events. Standing Committees include Finance and Audit.  Ad hoc committees have, in the past, included Festival and Wildlife Zone, Website, Nature Store Advisory, and special fund raising projects.

WHAT IS THE BOARD? The Board directs the activities of the Friends, establishes priorities, helps with fundraising efforts, and leads by example the many Friends programs at the refuge.  The Board of Directors consists of four (4) Officers and up to nine (9) Directors-at-Large.  Directors-at-Large are elected and serve three year terms; Officers of the Board are also elected and serve two year terms. Elections occur at our Annual Meeting: which is normally held on the third Saturday of September, but we are on the lookout for good nominees throughout the year. The Board meets every other month, and conducts business by teleconference, email, and phone.

Orientation is offered to all new Board members, Committee members and other volunteers. Information and operations manuals are available for background. New Board members will be mentored by current members.  You don’t have to live near the refuge. Board and Committee members have come from communities up and down the Rio Grande corridor, and carpooling or occasional teleconferencing works. And many types of volunteer support (writing, editing, planning, etc.) can be achieved remotely, using today’s IT tools.