Info for Arboretum Volunteers

Please read through if you are coming with us 

Information for Trail Work/Conservation Project Volunteers

Thank you for volunteering to help the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center (HANC)
maintain our 155 acres and almost 5 miles of trails. Following is information about
our organization as well as some helpful tips to keep in mind for the time that you
work at the Arboretum.

 

The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is:
 

a 155 acre nature sanctuary with a mission to educate people about the

environment and to protect and preserve the native plants and animals here.

 

a non profit organization. HANC has an agreement with the City of Houston

to manage this land (owned by the city) but ALL support for the education
and conservation programs here is provided through grants, memberships,
and donations.

 

not a park. To protect this wildlife sanctuary, we do not allow: picnicking,

jogging, bicycling, and collection or destruction of anything in the Arboretum
by the public. All animals (except mosquitoes) are protected.

 

supported, in large part, by volunteers like you. If you are interested in

volunteering with us again, please call the Volunteer Coordinator at 713-
681-8433 or email volunteer@houstonarboretum.org. Trail work is usually
scheduled for every Thursday morning from 9 a.m. to noon and the first and
second Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m..

 

A few items that are beneficial while working on the grounds include:

gloves
insect repellent
sunscreen
hat
water bottle

 

The Arboretum usually has insect repellent (containing DEET), gloves, and a water
cooler available for trail work groups.

 

Trail Tips for Volunteers
 

Here are some suggestions for the time that you will be working here.
 

1. For your protection, we advise you to wear gloves and long pants (vs. shorts). We

require that you wear closed-toe shoes.

 

2. Be sure to stop and take breaks as needed; keep hydrated
 

3. Be aware of the area in which you are working. If near a driveway, watch out for

traffic that will not be expecting you. Be aware of visitors that may pass near your
work area.

 

4. Be careful on steep slopes or slick surfaces. For slopes, we recommend the

method of side - stepping down.

 

5. Snakes are present at the Nature Center. It is rare to see them and extremely

rare to be bitten by one. The 2 venomous snakes at HANC are the Copperhead and
the Coral Snake. Bio-mounts of these can be found in the Discovery Room.

 

6. Be careful when reaching under logs or into holes- as snakes or other animals

may call that home. If moving a log, always roll the log toward you to allow any
animals underneath to escape in the opposite direction (away from you).

 

7. Poison ivy is found in various areas throughout the Nature

Center. If you believe you have come in contact with it, rinse the
skin immediately with soap and water. Ask the staff supervisor or an
AMIGO volunteer to identify the plant if you are not familiar with it.
(We do not destroy poison ivy as it plays an important role as a food
source to over 70 species of migratory birds.)

 

8. If you see any unsafe conditions, please stop and contact the staff supervisor.
 

9. Should any emergency occur, please contact the staff supervisor, or if he/she is

not available contact an AMIGO volunteer. (identifiable by their yellow name tags).

 

10. The work that you and your organization are donating is recorded so that we

may keep record and acknowledge your contributions. Many times this information
is asked for by our funders and needed for grant proposals. Please be sure to see
your group leader to sign the amount of hours that you worked at the Arboretum.

 

Thank you for helping to support HANC with your time and talents.
Please come back again soon!