By UW Sustainability | Apr 6, 2023
hands of volunteers with plant pots

This April, there are many opportunities to volunteer on campus. Both the UW Farm and Society for Ecological Restoration have multiple volunteer sessions each week providing opportunities to get your hands in the dirt. The UW Botanic Gardens are co-hosting the annual Arboretum Earth Day restoration event, and you can also find many other organizations throughout Seattle and our region hosting volunteer events as well.

Here are a few of the ways to volunteer this month at the UW:

UW Farm

volunteers on the UW FarmThe UW Farm has morning and afternoon volunteer shifts nearly every day throughout the Spring. All UW students, staff and faculty can volunteer, as well as community members 18 and older. Before showing up to a volunteer shift, you'll need to sign up with an online form.

Learn how to volunteer with the UW Farm

The UW Farm has three locations at the Center for Urban Horticulture, Mercer Court and McMahon Hall. There are morning (9 a.m. to noon) and afternoon (1 p.m. - 4 p.m.) shifts on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (no shifts on Wednesday) with this schedule:

  • Mondays: Mercer Court
  • Tuesdays: Center for Urban Horticulture
  • Thursdays: Mercer Court
  • Fridays: Center for Urban Horticulture

Saturday locations shift. In April the Saturday schedule is: 

  • April 8: Mercer Court, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
  • April 15: Center for Urban Horticulture, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
  • April 22: Mercer Court, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
  • April 29: McMahon Hall, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Email uwfarm@uw.edu with any questions.

Society for Ecological Restoration

SER-UW volunteersThe Society for Ecological Restoration UW Chapter works to restore and sustain the biodiversity of the UW's Seattle campus. Volunteer parties often work to remove invasive species or plant native species at a variety of sites. All are welcome at SER-UW's volunteer sessions, but you must sign up in advance. Email seruw@uw.edu for more information.

Sign up here

April SER-UW work parties:

  • Fridays: Heron Haven, 1-2:30 p.m. (forested area between Drumheller Fountain and Anderson Hall)
  • Saturday, April 8: Yesler Swamp, 12-2 p.m. (meet at the Center for Urban Horticulture tool shed behind Miller Hall)
  • Sunday, April 16: Hansee Hall, 1-2:30 p.m. (area to the west of Hansee & Hutchinson Halls)
  • Saturday, April 22: Yesler Swamp, 12-2 p.m. (meet at the Center for Urban Horticulture tool shed behind Miller Hall)
  • Sunday, April 30: Hansee Hall, 1-2:30 p.m. (area to the west of Hansee & Hutchinson Halls)

Native Plant Nursery

Nursery plantsThe SER-UW Native Plant Nursery is a student-led operation that houses several thousand individual plants and nearly one hundred different species native to the Puget Sound. These plants are used in SER-UW's restoration work on the UW campus, as well as for community projects and plant sales. 

The Native Plant Nursery has weekly volunteer parties on Monday at 3-5 p.m throughout Spring quarter. No sign up is required, just meet at the Douglas Research Conservatory at the Center for Urban Horticulture.

This April, volunteers are needed by the Nursery for:

  • April 10: Seed work. Volunteers will be counting, stratifying, and planting seeds.
  • April 17: Restoration Work Party. As part of National Volunteer Week, we’ll focus our efforts on saving some large, charismatic trees in the Union Bay Natural Area from invasive English Ivy. We'll be trekking through UBNA, so dress appropriately!
  • April 24: Repotting & Maintenance. After a busy spring sale season, we’ll be taking inventory of what needs to be up-potted and who needs some TLC. Help us recuperate and tend to any neglected needs at the nursery.

Arboretum work party

UW Botanic Gardens, the Arboretum Foundation, and Seattle Parks & Recreation will co-host their annual Earth Day community and volunteer event on April 22. Help restore the Arboretum by removing invasive ivy and blackberry, and by mulching and weeding the plant collections. Space is limited and volunteers must pre-register.

Register here