Community Engagement

Do you have a love of the outdoors and an interest in youth environmental education? Become a Nature Educator at Hoyt Arboretum! Nature Educators volunteer to lead ninety-minute field trips for elementary school-age students to introduce them to the wonders of nature and the science of trees through fun, hands-on activities.

Volunteer as a Nature Educator to learn:

-Best practices for leading field trips, including teaching tips, group management, and engagement activities;

-Basic ecology and botany along with techniques for engaging children outdoors;

-Good communication and public speaking skills. Gain valuable experience working with children and teaching environmental education in an outdoor setting (all volunteers must pass a background check).

Hoyt Arboretum’s fall field trip season runs from late-September through November on weekday mornings (typically Tuesday through Friday). Nature Educators are encouraged to be available to volunteer for a minimum of 4 field trips per month during the season.

Volunteer training begins in mid-September.

If you have questions or would like to sign up for an introductory training session, please contact volunteer@hoytarboretum.org or (503) 823-1649.

Hoyt Arboretum is Portland’s living museum of trees and home to more than 2,000 plant and tree species from around the world. With the help of volunteer Nature Educators, we are engaging with children and families from around the Metro area to teach them about the importance of trees and their role in the world’s ecosystems.