Volunteers add $8.1 million in value to DNR

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Volunteers add $8.1 million in value to DNR
(Released April 11, 2011)


Nearly 30,000 citizens donated services valued at $8.1 million during 2010 to assist the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in accomplishing its conservation mission through a variety of projects and programs. That’s the equivalent of an extra 186 full-time staff.


Guy Schmidt story: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/volunteering/meet.html

Volunteering information: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/volunteering/index.html

 
DNR managers, professionals and technicians work alongside volunteers to help manage the state’s diverse natural resources.

“We’re fortunate to have so many dedicated Minnesotans who are willing to donate their time and talents for conservation projects,” said Renée Vail, DNR volunteer programs administrator. “We’re extremely grateful for their efforts. Many of our projects would not be possible without their help.”

Volunteer positions can range from specialist jobs requiring extensive skill and experience to work requiring little or no previous experience.

For example, following his love for the outdoors and fishing, Guy Schmidt of Lino Lakes contacted DNR Fisheries several years ago to volunteer his services.

For the past two years, this Centennial High School student has assisted the DNR in a variety of traditional activities working at least one day a week from early April to late August. In the spring, Schmidt performed fish culture duties. That job includes hatching eggs, disinfecting hatchery rearing units and equipment, weighing and applying dry diet for juvenile fish, and calculating fish growth rates.

The DNR is encouraged that there are young individuals like Schmidt who not only possess a real passion for natural resources, but who are willing to give of themselves and participate in conservation activities.

VARIETY OF OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
Volunteer opportunities are available at state parks, state forest campgrounds, wildlife management areas, fisheries and hatcheries, as well as at DNR area, regional and headquarters offices.

Special event sites offer great volunteer experiences too. More than 700 volunteers assisted the DNR at the Minnesota State Fair last August. They acted as Smokey Bear, helped at the laser shot booth and archery range, dispensed lake data reports and provided entertainment and environmental education presentations on the DNR volunteer outdoor stage.

Elsewhere around the state, volunteers helped with firearms safety instruction, wildlife habitat improvement, river cleanups, state park campground hosting, loon monitoring, trail clearing, precipitation observing, issuing burning permits and doing wildlife research.

For more information, contact the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 or toll-free at 888-646-6367.