Welcome! We're so glad that you're interested in volunteering with us! By joining at any of the various opportunities listed below, you are directly supporting the important work of the program areas below year-round.
How to use the Volunteer Portal:
- Current volunteer opportunities are listed below. Click on each type of activity listed to read more about it. Some volunteer activities are only visible to volunteers with an account, or only visible during the season when they take place.
- Click the button on the right of any page that says Fill in an application. This will take you to a waiver - read the waiver and input a volunteer username and password at the bottom to sign the waiver, then fill in the rest of your information to create an account. You will need to do this in order to sign up for activities or receive notifications about new volunteer events.
- Once you have an account, you can sign up to volunteer at any workday or volunteer event, upload certifications, and more! Use our General Guide and Overview of MyImpact for further guidance.
Questions?
- Check out Better Impact's Site Guide (ignore the Client Help and Donor help sections).
- Contact the DCP Volunteer Program by using the "Contact" tab or below:
- parksvolunteer@danecounty.gov
- (608) 224-3730
More information about:
I would like to volunteer
Get Social
Administrative & Creative Projects

Assist with unique projects and show off your organizational or creative skills! These opportunities vary widely and occur throughout the year.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office Assistant at the Heritage Center | 4 | 3/19/2026 | 4/16/2026 | |
Community Events & Outreach

These opportunities are perfect for volunteers who like to help with large and small events in a wide range of ways. Whether you enjoy talking with the public or helping set up popup tents, there's a role for you! These opportunities vary widely and occur throughout the year. In order to sign up for any of these shifts, you must have an account in MyImpact. You can make an adult account if you are 18 and over, a youth account if you are under 18 (parent signature required), or a group account if you wish to sign up yourself and multiple others (up to 10 people, could be family members, coworkers, or other!)
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Check-in Table (Earth Day Extravaganza) | 3 | 4/22/2026 | 4/22/2026 | |
| Lead Native Plant Volunteer (Earth Day Extravaganza) | 2 | 4/22/2026 | 4/22/2026 | |
| Native Plant Transplanting (Earth Day Extravaganza) | 2 | 4/22/2026 | 4/22/2026 | |
| Trash Pickup Lead Volunteer (Earth Day Extravaganza) | 0 | 4/22/2026 | 4/22/2026 | |
| Tree Planting (Earth Day Extravaganza) | 3 | 4/22/2026 | 4/22/2026 | |
Ecological Restoration: Invasive Tree and Brush Removal

Fall and winter are the seasons when we typically focus on removing invasive brush and trees from prairies and oak savannas. These workdays are staff-led and occur during the week, typically on Tuesday and Friday mornings. View our Tree & Brush Removal webpage for more information.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hauler - Women's* Workday at W.G. Lunney Lake Farm | 1 | 3/28/2026 | 3/28/2026 | |
| Sawyer - Women's* Workday at W.G. Lunney Lake Farm | 1 | 3/28/2026 | 3/28/2026 | |
| Women's* Chainsaw Sharpening Workday | 1 | 3/19/2026 | 3/19/2026 | |
Ecological Restoration: Restoration Workdays

These workdays are typically held by our volunteer Certified Land Stewards with the exception of staff-led Walking Iron Workdays. Specific tasks vary and may include invasive brush removal, invasive weed removal, seed collection, or seed sowing. Workday schedules vary by property and may be held on weekdays or weekends.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive Tree and Shrub Removal at Lower Mud Lake | 0 | 3/13/2026 | 3/27/2026 | |
| Natural Areas Workdays at Schumacher Farm Park | 0 | 3/27/2026 | 10/23/2026 | |
| Remnant Prairie Restoration Workday at Stewart Lake | 3 | 3/14/2026 | 5/9/2026 | |
| Restoration Workdays at Lower Mud Lake | 0 | 4/17/2026 | 5/29/2026 | |
Education & Interpretation

These opportunities are great for volunteers who enjoy working with youth, assisting or leading environmental education programs, and providing support to those programs. Volunteer activities primarily occur in the summer, but opportunities may occur throughout the year.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Ambassador Caretaker | 37 | 3/16/2026 | 5/15/2026 | |
| Bike Maintenance | 1 | |||
| Fishing Pole Maintenance | 1 | |||
| Volunteer Educator - Lil’ Explorer Adventure Assistant | 7 | 3/17/2026 | 5/9/2026 | |
| Volunteer Educator - Summer Camp Craft Assistant | 33 | 6/17/2026 | 8/26/2026 | |
| Volunteer Educator - Summer Camp Field Trip Assistant | 12 | 6/26/2026 | 8/20/2026 | |
Friends Groups

We rely on our many Friends Groups and Partners to help support individual properties throughout the system. View our Friends Groups and Partners webpage to learn about who these groups are, what they do, and how you can get involved to help support your favorite park!
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friends of Donald - Board Meetings | 1 | |||
Gardening & Landscaping

Our gardening volunteers are incredibly important in maintaining gardens and green spaces around Dane County. These opportunities typically occur throughout the growing season and may be led by staff, lead volunteers, or Friends Groups.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Workday at Lake Farm | 8 | 4/27/2026 | 7/27/2026 | |
Independent Volunteering

There are many ways that volunteers can work independently at Dane County Parks and with certain programs within the broader Land & Water Resources Department. Volunteer opportunities are available for everyone regardless of initial skill level, experience, or time availability.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disc Golf - Park Maintenance | 1 | 1/1/2024 | 12/1/2030 | |
| Graphic Design Artist | 1 | |||
| Independent Volunteer: General Park Maintenance | 1 | 12/31/2023 | 12/1/2030 | |
| Independent Volunteer: Invasive Tree and Brush Removal | 1 | 12/31/2023 | 12/31/2030 | |
| Independent Volunteer: Native Plant Grower | 1 | |||
Park Maintenance & Campgrounds

We rely on our park maintenance volunteers and campground hosts to create a welcoming park environment for everyone! These opportunities primarily occur in the spring, summer, and fall.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drop-In Cleanup Assistance - Annual Dog Park Cleanup Day | 0 | 4/4/2026 | 4/4/2026 | |
| Volunteer Campground Host | 1 | 12/1/2025 | 10/31/2026 | |
Tree Care & Maintenance

Do you like trees, planting them, and helping to care for them? Then these events may be for you! Opportunities may occur year round.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's* Tree Planting Workday at Mendota County Park | 1 | 4/28/2026 | 4/28/2026 | |
Volunteer Trainings

We host a variety of trainings for our volunteers throughout the year. Come join us and learn something new!
*** Note: Some of our trainings, such as our Chainsaw Safety trainings, are fee-based and have a different registration process.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monarch Monitoring Training | 1 | 5/13/2026 | 5/13/2026 | |
| Volunteer Educator Training | 1 | 4/13/2026 | 4/13/2026 | |
Youth Specific Opportunities

These opportunities are meant to be welcoming spaces specifically for youth volunteers where the only adults present are chaperones and event leaders.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YV4C Bluebird Box Installation and Monitoring | 1 | 5/17/2026 | 5/17/2026 | |
| YV4C Burn Season Prep 101 | 1 | 4/11/2026 | 4/11/2026 | |
| YV4C Chainsaw Learning Lab | 1 | 3/15/2026 | 3/15/2026 | |
| YV4C Photography & Conservation Storytelling | 1 | 4/19/2026 | 4/19/2026 | |
| YV4C Seed Sowing and Native Plant Establishment | 1 | 3/28/2026 | 3/28/2026 | |
| YV4C Shoreline Cleanup | 1 | 4/25/2026 | 4/25/2026 | |
About LWRD & General Questions
We believe that everyone deserves to live in a community with healthy land and water resources and with access to natural resources. Read our Mission Statement and learn more about our commitment to Equity and Inclusion and our Climate Initiatives.
General Help & Questions
Below you will find step by step walk-throughs and video tutorials of some of the most commonly asked questions about this volunteer portal
General Guide and Overview of My Impact
Reset a Lost/Forgotten Password
Searching and Signing Up for an Opportunity
Uploading Certifications and Completing Qualifications
Withdraw from an Opportunity or Shift
Confirming My Participation/Checking Your Schedule
Add Assignments to Your Google, Outlook Calendars
Set Up a Weekly Schedule Reminder
Better Impact's Privacy Policy
MyImpact Portal Feedback & Suggestions
