become a volunteer

DO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

Volunteering for the Elizabeth River Project is a great way to do something beautiful for the Elizabeth River. From litter clean-up and restoration projects to volunteer opportunities at Paradise Creek Nature Park, anyone can pitch in and do their part to help clean the river.

Litter Clean-Ups

Litter isn’t just ugly; it hurts wildlife and the river’s ecosystem. Register as a volunteer at one of our upcoming litter clean-up events. We’ll provide the garbage bags, trash grabbers and gloves (if you don’t have your own). Events will be rescheduled in the event of rain or extreme weather. Want to hold your own Elizabeth River clean-up event with your school, business, organization or neighborhood group? Contact Volunteer Coordinator Kayla Gradwell at kgradwell@elizabethriver.org to get started.

  • Saturday, December 14th 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM at Ryan Resilience Lab
  • Saturday, January 25th 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM at Harbor Park
  • Saturday, February 8th 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM at Ryan Resilience Lab

Lead Your Own Litter Clean-Up

Want to hold your own clean-up event with your school, business, organization or neighborhood group? That’s awesome! Just send your results, photos and some of the most common and uncommon things you find during your cleanup to: Kayla Gradwell at kgradwell@elizabethriver.org. Or, share it on social media and tag us.

Paradise Creek Nature Park

Volunteer to help our staff on seasonal tasks such as weeding, planting, cleaning, pruning and light maintenance. Or get involved with other new volunteer efforts at the park. Register today as a Paradise Creek Volunteer and we’ll alert you to the latest volunteer opportunities.

  • Saturday, December 7th 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
  • Saturday, December 14th 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Restoration Projects

From wetland plantings to oyster reef installations, our restoration projects are a rewarding way to get involved and help the river. Register today as a Restoration Volunteer and we’ll alert you to the latest volunteer opportunities.

Help Maintain a Native Garden (Norfolk)

  • Wednesday, December 4th 11:00am-3:00pm
  • Thursday, December 5th 11:00am-3:00pm

Ryan Resilience Lab

Join us to “Do Something Beautiful” by assisting in maintaining the native landscape, including the shoreline buffer, living shoreline, green roof, and rain gardens at the Elizabeth River Project’s new Ryan Resilience Lab.

  • Thursday, December 12th 10:00 AM – Noon

Reception and Hospitality Volunteer

This is a customer service position with responsibilities that include engaging with visitors, educating guests about the Elizabeth River Project and membership opportunities, managing the front desk, and monitoring the reception lobby. Volunteers may also represent the Elizabeth River Project at various public outreach events running information tables about the organization and recruiting membership and community engagement.

Ongoing Volunteer Positions

Outreach Volunteer

Outreach volunteers are ambassadors of the Elizabeth River Project, setting the tone for the organization at public events. Volunteers will assist Staff to run information tables throughout the community. This role is responsible for engaging with the public, and educating about the Elizabeth River Project and membership opportunities.

We welcome volunteers of all ages and backgrounds, and we are always looking for new skills and talents to enhance our work. Whether you have experience in horticulture, education, administration, or any other field, we would love to hear from you. You can contact us with any special interests or skills that you would like to share by filling out the form below or sending an email to kgradwell@elizabethriver.org.

Volunteer Sign Up

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Ryan Resilience Lab Event Request

Thank you for your interest in the Elizabeth River Project’s Ryan Resilience Lab. We’re delighted that our site is in high demand. As the Ryan Resilience Lab is operated by a small non-profit with a big environmental mission, please help us make sure your event is a great fit.

Our priority is to host groups with relevance to our mission: to restore the Elizabeth River through equitable collaboration with diverse communities, governments, and businesses. When space and staff support are available, we are happy to host such groups free of charge, but do request that you consider an organizational membership and allow us to offer the opportunity for individual memberships.

Please fill this form out at least 30 days in advance of the event.

Our maximum for indoor seated events is 85 theater style and 45 classroom style. For standing receptions, the maximum is 100 indoors or 125 indoor-outdoor.
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Set Up Time
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Take Down Time
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Set Up Preferences(Required)
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Audio/Visual Needs(Required)
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If given the go-ahead for our event, sponsor organization agrees to these Ryan Lab policies:

Yes, we will offer attendees the option to tour the Ryan Lab(Required)

Additionally, sponsor organization agrees to these administrative/liability requirements:

  • ERP maintains insurance for its activities at the Ryan Lab. Sponsoring organizations should ensure that they have appropriate insurance coverage as well.
  • Weapons are prohibited.
  • Open flames generally are prohibited (special permission only).
  • Outdoor guests will be required to exit the Learning Park during thunder, lightning, high winds or any circumstance deemed hazardous by ERP.
  • Waiver of Claims: Sponsoring organizations agree to release, waive all claims, discharge, and covenant not to sue Elizabeth River Project, its officers, employees, volunteers, and agents from liability from any and all claims resulting in personal injury, accidents or illnesses and property loss arising from, but not limited to, participation in the event and related tours, due to the negligence of sponsor, sponsor's employees, or event participants.
  • Notice of Claims: Sponsor agrees to provide immediate notice to ERP if any participant either files, or threatens to file, a claim arising from or related to the event, so that ERP can notify its insurance carriers.
  • COVID Statement: Participants will monitor their own health prior to reporting to any Elizabeth River Project event/activity. If any signs or symptoms of infection are present, the individual must not report to the event.
  • Photo Release: Photos of the event may be shared as part of grant reporting or posted on Elizabeth River Project website/social media unless otherwise specified by the sponsor organization.
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Youth Water Monitoring Results

Entry Data

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Sample Data

Bacteria

Observations

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