Volunteer

Do you love the outdoors? Are you looking for a fun way to get involved in your community? Then volunteering with ROC might be for you! Volunteering is a great way to build skills, meet people, and give back to the community, all while having a great time. We invite and encourage individuals and groups of all backgrounds and ages to get involved to help grow a stronger community, increase stewardship of natural areas, and support outdoor recreation throughout the county!

ROC offers many types of volunteer opportunities throughout the year, each with varying levels of involvement and physical activity. These include:

• Trail Building/Maintenance
• River Sweeps
• Litter Sweeps
• Pollinator Garden Building/Maintenance
• Group Outing Guides/Assists
• Education Program Assists
• Tabling/Fundraising Events
• Festivals
• Office/Administrative Tasks
• Event Photography/Videography
• Trail Boss/River Stewards (see below for more information)

If you or your group would like more information on volunteer opportunities, reach out to info@rutherfordoutdoor.org.

You can also look for upcoming volunteer opportunities on our Events Calendar!

Trail Boss & River Steward Programs

Our Trail Bosses and River Stewards are dedicated volunteer leaders that act as trail or river scouts for ROC staff. While our organization cares deeply for every trail and section of the Broad River that are under our care, we cannot cover all of that ground every month! Instead, we enlist individuals from the community who regularly use our county trails or paddle the river to help.

General tasks for our Trail Bosses and River Stewards include:

• Hiking their trail/paddling their section monthly
• Reporting maintenance needs and hazards to our Trail Programs Manager
• Assisting with maintenance as they are able
• Helping keep their sections clean on ROC led river sweeps

The volunteers that serve as Trail Bosses and River Stewards directly impact and support the stewardship of their favorite trails and river sections. Their time and effort contribute to ROC’s ability to protect and preserve these local recreational and environmental assets for generations to come. By participating in this program, these volunteers are allowing the trails and river that they frequently use to persist and thrive!

If this hand-on stewardship role interests you, we would love to speak with you! We are currently looking for River Stewards for all sections of the Broad River, as well as Trail Bosses for Weed Patch Mountain Trail and Turtle Rock Trail (unopened, please contact us for more information). Interested volunteers should contact our Trail Programs Manager at trails@rutherfordoutdoor.org.