Central Oregon’s National Forests and Grassland benefits greatly from the incredible community of diverse volunteers who are devoted to stewardship and their Public Lands. Whether you are an aspiring or an advanced outdoor enthusiast, our volunteers advocate for healthy forests and protection of natural landscapes by providing education to visitors, helping to maintain trails, serving at wilderness trailheads, picking up trash, preventing the spread of invasive plants, and much more. Our team supports volunteers by onboarding, training and ensuring that everyone has a rewarding and successful volunteer experience.
Volunteers are the very heart of the Forest Service. Without volunteers, these services would not be performed as well or might not be performed at all. Are you interested in volunteering in your local Forest or Grassland? If so, come share your talents with us at Discover Your Forest!
Please submit a Forest Service volunteer application to start your journey volunteering with us! Or contact us with any questions.
***We will begin reviewing applications for Summer 2025 volunteer opportunities in February***
Opportunities include:
- Conservation Education
- Forest Stewards
- Interpretation
- Wilderness Trailhead Hosts
Forest Stewards - New Opportunity!
The Forest Stewards program focuses on engaging visitors at various sites in the Deschutes National Forest through in-person contacts throughout the entire year.
Some examples of what you might do as a Forest Steward include:
- Serve as a friendly, informative welcome committee on trails, at trailheads and at recreation sites while in a Forest Service uniform
- Educate users about our fire dependent ecosystem and the work being done under the Wildfire Crisis Strategy to restore forest ecosystems and reduce wildfire risk
- Provide information that helps build awareness around responsible public land use, Leave No Trace, wildfire prevention, off-leash dogs, and the importance of wildlife habitat
- Provide useful information about trail etiquette, trail access, trail routes, trail closures and directions, and any other questions about the Deschutes National Forest
- Minimize the risk of catastrophic human-caused wildfires and human conflict on the trails through increased patrol and presence at trailheads and dispersed recreation areas
