Most service contributors participate in FMR's regular volunteer habitat restoration events, which are two- to three-hour outdoor weekend or weekday evening activities, mid-April through mid-October. Many individuals are also able to contribute up to 30 hours by volunteering for several shifts of the Mississippi River Challenge the last weekend of July.

Before registering for an FMR event, however, there are a few things service contributors and organizers need to know:

1. We are strictly BYOP: Bring Your Own Paperwork
If you will need proof of participation, you must bring your paperwork to the volunteer event itself. Staff will confirm your hours and sign your form at the event’s conclusion. If you do not have an official form, feel free to print the one provided at the bottom of this page.

2. No-shows really hurt
Most events are limited capacity, so a no-show means both that we likely rejected someone else interested in volunteering and that there weren’t enough people to complete the important restoration or other tasks the event was organized to accomplish.

3. It can take a little time, but rest assured ...
Some people are used to “registering” for an event instantaneously via Facebook and having immediate access to maps and other event information. For many reasons -- trust us, they’re good ones -- we do not work this way.
On-staff volunteer and event coordinators will read your email and reply within the timeframe provided in each event listing.
In 2009, 100 percent of volunteer survey respondents said we provided “exactly the right amount of information” to prepare for an FMR activity.

4. Where and how to sign up
Service contributors do not need to complete an application. Simply sign up by following the easy registration instructions from each write-up on our events calendar. (If we are in our off-season, click “Past Events” for an idea of our offerings.) Tip: In spring and early summer we sometimes have pledge-to-pull events, where volunteers are trained to remove an invasive species then pledge to return to complete an additional six or more hours on their own time. A perfect fit for people who want to work indepently and have lots of hours to fulfill.

5. To promote an event to a class, program or group
We very much appreciate and need help spreading the word about volunteer activities. It works best to send or post a one- or two-sentence description of the event, and then provide a link to the event Webpage itself so that others can follow up and register on their own.

6. To reserve space in an event
For limited-capacity events -- the majority of hands-on restoration activities listed on our calendar -- up to three spaces can be reserved for any group that will need to recruit internally.
If a larger number of participants is desired, please email the registration contact from the event description with your best estimate of turnout so we can make sure there is adequate space. Then the event should be promoted as noted above, with individuals following the regular registration process (although it is helpful if they note that they are with your group).