A Day in the Life: Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Volunteer

It is a sunny Monday morning in November, and Amy Swanson is dressed for the chill in the air. She arrives at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary with a light jacket over her uniform and is ready for the day's assignment: sweeping the boardwalk. After meeting up with fellow boardwalk sweeper volunteers at the storage shed, she grabs her broom and gloves and heads out for the morning.

The job is simple and easy: she uses the broom to push leaves and other organic debris off the boardwalk. But she also knows this job is a critically important part of maintaining the 2.25-mile-long, iconic wooden structure that is at the center of the Sanctuary visitor experience, enabling visitors of all abilities to access this watery wilderness.

“Good morning,” she says quietly as visitors pass by. Some stop to ask her a question (to which she almost always has an answer) or to thank her for her work. She smiles as she goes about her day because her connection with this special place runs deep. After her first visit in 2015, Amy signed on as a volunteer and has since donated more than 6,000 hours to the Sanctuary.

“If you care about a place, you want to do what you can so it's here for others to enjoy,” says Amy. “That includes volunteering. I love Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Every ancient tree, endangered species, and tiny insect: it is all worth protecting,” she adds.

Amy is part of a small army of volunteers who fill many roles at the Sanctuary to help Audubon meet its mission of supporting the conservation and restoration of natural ecosystems throughout the Western Everglades. The Sanctuary relies on volunteer power for a variety of activities with the education, conservation, and facilities teams, but the Blair Visitor Center and boardwalk are where the Sanctuary’s volunteer needs are consistently the greatest.

Throughout the day, Amy takes the time to appreciate the therapeutic views, sounds, and smells. When her assignment on the boardwalk is complete, she returns her broom and then stops by the Blair Visitor Center to check on the bird feeders and take a peek at the pollinator garden, which is where she will volunteer later in the week. 

“It's a fun place to volunteer,” says Amy. “Not only are you helping to maintain and grow an unequaled place of beauty, but you get to do it with some of the best people,” she adds.

Volunteer opportunities include everything from backcountry tractor mowing and prescribed fire crew member to campus clean-up, youth education, boardwalk repair, and tour guide.

Volunteer Needs in the Winter Season:

• Boardwalk Naturalist
• Visitor Center Ambassador
• Public Program Guide
• Volunteer Youth Educator

Prior experience is not required to be considered for most volunteer positions at the Sanctuary. Interest and availability are much more important than experience, and volunteering is a great way to learn a new skill. Orientation and training are provided.

Audubon has already convened a diverse community of millions of bird and nature lovers. Help us maximize our collective impact by joining the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary volunteer flock. Learn more about volunteering.