Help make a difference!
Volunteering at the Arboretum offers the opportunity for you to learn, engage and make a difference. Our 1,200+ acres are lovingly maintained by outdoor enthusiasts, expert societies and those eager to put their passions to play.
We offer many volunteer opportunities throughout the year, not just gardening! Whatever your interests, we have something for you and can't wait to meet you.
Please note that Arboretum volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.
Education
Are you interested in Education? If you have experience working with adult or youth learners, we’d love an opportunity to put your skill set where it makes an impact on those seeking to deepen their relationship with nature. Don’t have experience, but an interest in education? We’ll offer the resources for you to succeed. Come learn alongside our staff and students!
- Classroom Facilitators
- Drop-in Learning Stations
- School Field Trip Education Assistants
….and more!
Events
The Arboretum hosts events big and small! We have annual signature events like Maple Fest, Taste & Toast, Gala in the Gardens, and the Plant Sale. We also have popular events like Firefly Nights, Summer and Winter Markets, and so much more. We engage volunteers’ talents to help ensure guests have a great time.
- Activity Station Volunteers
- Greeters and Wayfinding Assistants
- Registration Assistants
- Set-Up and Clean-Up
- Hosts
Horticulture
The University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is unique in that, on our 1,200 acres, we have a great diversity of ecosystems. Wetlands, prairie, orchards, display gardens, and research plots abound. We are seeking to build teams of volunteers that help tend to our wild, natural areas, curated gardens, and research horticulture.
Guest Services
Arboretum Ambassadors – help visitors experience all the Arboretum has to offer!
Restaurant Greeters and Wayfinding Assistants
Walking Tour Guides – learn more about the gardens and share your knowledge with guests.
Volunteer Opportunities for Groups
The staff at the Arboretum welcome groups to help with projects big and small! (We work with groups of 5 or more) Throughout the year, we have all-hands-on-deck activities like tulip bulb planting, annual planting, pumpkin harvest and the Plant Sale. We have other activities suitable for small and large groups of volunteers, like mulching large areas, caring for plants in our research fields, weeding in the gardens, and some event activities.
