Family Volunteer Opportunities in the Great Outdoors Near Greenville, SC

Outdoor Volunteer Opportunities Near Greenville, SC

The Greater Greenville Parks Foundation created the Park Heroes program to get some love for our public spaces. When you sign up to be a Park Hero, you’ll join other like-minded people who share a passion for public lands and giving back. Register online to receive notifications as volunteer opportunities arise.

Spartanburg County Parks has a similar program. The first step to help Spartanburg’s parks, community centers, and programs be best they can be is to complete the form on the Parks Department website.

Build bluebird boxes, participate in clean-ups, remove invasive species, or contribute observations for Conestee Nature Preserve. Whether you and your family are interested in adopting a trail or just want information about future volunteer events, the Preserve’s website is the place to go.

TreesUpstate volunteers have planted over 10,000 trees in parks, schools, and neighborhoods throughout Greenville and Spartanburg counties. Our family recently helped TreesUpstate plant native trees and shrubs in northern Greenville County. It was really cool knowing we were helping to protect the watershed for future generations.

Another website to keep your eye on is United Way’s Hands On Greenville. Hands On Greenville Day is South Carolina’s largest day of service and usually takes place in late April or May. Volunteers spread throughout Greenville and surrounding areas to repair cabins at campgrounds for the disabled, paint playground equipment and murals at our public schools, landscape the grounds of local shelters, and beautify state and city parks. Companies and organizations can create teams to participate and leave with the satisfaction of knowing they’ve helped make a difference in our community.

The Greenville Zoo has many volunteer opportunities, including those in guest services and horticulture. Teens interested in volunteering as zookeeper assistant or working as a horticultural volunteer should check the zoo’s website for new postings.

Riverkeepers: Volunteer on the Water

Friends of the Reedy River (FORR) hosts two large public cleanups per year, one in the spring and one in the fall. FORR can help with private cleanups for small businesses, organizations, and community groups. Learn more and sign up on the Friends of Reedy River website.

Save Our Saluda’s mission is to protect and restore the Upper Saluda Watershed through education and increased awareness of the watershed, water resource issues, and the need to help protect our rivers.

Save Our Saluda often partners with other local conservation organizations. We planted native trees and shrubs along a tributary to the Saluda River with Save Our Saluda in cooperation with TreesUpstate. It was a very rewarding and educational experience. Volunteers also assist with live staking, kudzu control, and trash removal. For events and other information, visit Save Our Saluda or email info@saveoursaluda.org.

The Chattooga Conservancy protects the watershed of the Chattooga River, and you can get involved in one of their ongoing projects or join them for trash pick-ups. Check the Chattooga Conservancy website for current info.

Do you have children interested in environmental issues or know kids who love citizen science? South Carolina Adopt-a-Stream might be the program to look into. Through a network of watershed stewardship, engagement, and education through involvement, volunteers play an important role in monitoring and tracking water quality while sharing information about local water resources with their communities. We help monitor two creeks near our home, and while the data collection aspect of this opportunity requires adult participation, my older kids help with everything from collecting water samples to taking scientific measurements. Learn more at The SC Adopt-a-Stream Program.

Botanical Gardens That Rely on Volunteers

Hatcher Garden calls their volunteers the Hearts of Hatcher because “that’s what they give each time they visit.” Whether it’s working in the garden, helping the office, or walking the paths as a tour guide, volunteers keep Hatcher Garden growing with their time, talent, and expertise. Learn more at the Hatcher Garden website.

The South Carolina Botanical Garden offers volunteer opportunities, typically Monday through Friday, that people with just about any ability or skill level can accomplish! Learn more about volunteering in the garden at Clemson University to find an opportunity that resonates with your passion.

Grow Food for the Community

Help stop food insecurity with Loaves and Fishes’ Grow-a-Row! Plant an extra row in your garden and donate the produce.

Outdoor Volunteer Opportunities Near Me: Community Pickups

Palmetto Pride fights litter in South Carolina by addressing prevention through education, supporting enforcement, connecting community groups to resources, and mobilizing volunteers. Get involved with one of their pickup events or programs.

Keep Greenville County Beautiful has a wide range of volunteer opportunities, including environmental art, planting native species, litter cleanups, and community garden assistance. Learn more on their website.

Oconee County has a similar organization, the Keep Oconee County Beautiful Commission, as does Pickens County and Spartanburg County. With the proper equipment and supervision, kids of all ages can help with litter pickups. Find your local organization, or just pack a bag on your next hiking trip! Litter is a growing problem in the Upstate, so let’s do our part to give back! Heading outdoors? Practice “Leave No Trace” with these dos and don’ts.

Volunteer Opportunities at Conservancies Near Greenville, SC

Conserving Carolina has helped protect nearly 46,000 acres, from the waterfalls of DuPont State Forest to the rock faces of Hickory Nut Gorge. In South Carolina, they serve the Landrum area, which includes parts of Greenville and Spartanburg counties.

If you’re a parent who wants your child to experience the wonders of nature, getting involved with Conserving Carolina is one way to do that. My kids love volunteering with them because not only do they get to use cool tools to build trails and remove invasive species, they get to hike really cool trails. The knowledgeable and friendly Conserving Carolina crew teach my kids the names of plants and animals, find salamanders for them, and show them all the best spots! Check out volunteer opportunities here.

There are multiple ways to volunteer with the Foothills Trail Conservancy, but trail maintenance is the main focus. The trail stretches from Table Rock State Park to Oconee State Park, so there are 77 miles that can use your help! For more information about volunteering, please contact maintenance@foothillstrail.org or visit the Foothills Trail website.

The Palmetto Trail has passages in Oconee, Greenville, and Spartanburg counties (and goes all the way to Charleston), so this is another opportunity to get involved on trail workdays. Learn more and sign up at Volunteer – Palmetto Conservation Foundation.

Upstate Forever is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects critical lands, waters, and the unique character of Upstate South Carolina. They currently offer two categories of volunteer work: event volunteers and stewardship visits. If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, please visit the Upstate Forever website.

Volunteering with Upstate conservation organizations has really proven to be a great way for our family to get outdoors, grow together, and give back to some of the organizations that protect the wild places we love. As a mother, I feel it’s important to motivate and educate a nation of outdoor advocates to take care of the places we share and cherish. And as a citizen of the Upstate, I feel it’s imperative that we reverse the negative trends impacting our natural areas. Now tell me, what’s your favorite place to volunteer outdoors?

Other articles on places to volunteer in Greenville and beyond:

• 10 Ways to Volunteer with Your Kids
• Volunteer Opportunities for Young Children
• Volunteer and Service Ideas for Teens and Families
• Give Back in the Great Outdoors at Pisgah Project Day