The Botanical Garden offers a variety of volunteer opportunities exist for record-keeping, tour guides, youth and family education, and much more. You can have a fulfilling experience for yourself while helping to further the Garden's mission of sustainability and education for a diverse audience.

Volunteers are crucial to the Florida Botanical Gardens’ success. They also take field trips, participate in workshops and socialize while donating their time to the Gardens.

Volunteer Benefits

• Discounted ($10) individual membership,
• 10% discounts on gift shop purchases,
• a special volunteer newsletter,
• and the fun of working with and meeting people with similar interests.

Potential volunteers may download an application [PDF] or pick one up from the Welcome Center reception desk. For more information, call the Garden's Public Education Specialist at (727) 582-2581 or email us at fbg@fbg.org

Interested in plants and people?
Join one of the following Volunteer Groups

Education

• Tour Guides
• Youth and Families
• Teaching Assistant
• Summer Camp Activity Assistant
• Record Keeping

Conservation and Sustainability

• McKay Creek Greenway Volunteers
• Native Plant Restoration Teams
• Seed Collection
• Species Recovery

Garden Support

• Gardens Maintenance Assistant
• Gift Shop
• Special Events/Weddings
• Reception/Clerical

Education

Tour Guides
The Botanical Garden Tour Guides lead informative tours throughout the gardens for the general public. Training for new tour guides is held on Tuesday afternoons (2 - 4 pm) during the fall months. Tour Guides are asked to provide a minimum of 30 hours of service over and above the hours spent in training.

• Meeting Times: Tuesdays, 9:30 - 11:30 October to January.  
  Tours are scheduled through the Public Education Department.
• Qualifications: Enthusiasm for learning and an interest in people is the most important requisite. Experience in the natural sciences is helpful but not required.

Gardens Maintenance Assistant

Looking for a good workout? This is it! Lend a strong hand in the gardens. Mulch, weed, water potted plants, skim fountains, sweep and tidy the gardens.

• Time: One 3-hour shift per week.
• Qualifications:

Youth and Families
Management of formal and informal activities throughout the Garden for children and families.

• Time: Ongoing and flexible.
• Qualifications: Interest in children and family programs, must submit to a background check.

Teaching Assistant
Volunteer assists program instructors with set-up, handouts, and clean-up, upon request of the instructor.  Botanical Garden classes in adult education take place at the Extension Welcome Center and in the Gardens.  Volunteers assisting with the smooth operation of these classes can enjoy a waived fee for any class they wish to attend.

• Time: Varies with class schedule.
• Qualifications: Great job for students!

Summer Camp Activity Assistants
Volunteers assist and contribute to the planning and implementation of summer camp activities.  The Botanical Gardens hosts visits by local summer camps and provide nature-based activities.

• Time: Summer weekdays, 8:30 am - 3:00 pm.
• Qualifications: Experience with children very helpful. Great experience for students and junior volunteers, must submit to a background check.

Record Keeping
The role of any Botanical Garden is to serve as a teaching institution, using its living collection of cultivated and wild plants.  Record keeping is a vital function of the Botanical Gardens team.  Volunteers take part in photography, labeling, database work, inventory of the collections, verifications and a host of other tasks.

• Time:  Flexible and ongoing  
• Qualifications:  Meticulous attention to detail, computer literacy, appreciation of records.

Conservation and Sustainability

McKay Creek Greenway Volunteers
Volunteers assist in monitoring natural areas and controlling exotic invasive plants by means of a variety of tasks. This is part of the Garden's ongoing conservation effort to maintain the diversity of native plant species.

• Time: Thursday mornings, 9 am - 12 noon; occasional Saturdays.
• Qualifications: ability to work outdoors and on uneven terrain; some plant knowledge helpful though not required.

Native Plant Restoration Teams
Volunteers assist in monitoring natural areas and controlling exotic invasive plants by means of a variety of tasks. Planting teams are occasionally formed to re-establish native flora to a conservation area.  This is part of the Garden's ongoing conservation effort to maintain the diversity of native plant species.

• Time: Thursday mornings, 9 am - 12 noon; occasional Saturdays.
• Qualifications: ability to work outdoors and on uneven terrain; some plant knowledge helpful though not required.

Seed Collection
Volunteers assist Botanical Garden staff in collecting seed of rare plants for seed-banking or recovery programs.  Occasionally teams are formed to collect a large amount of wildflower seed from on-site for re-distribution in our conservation areas.

• Time: Flexible and on-going
• Qualifications:  Knowledge or reasonable familiarity of native flora desirable, enthusiasm for conservation, patience, ability to work outdoors in all weather

Species Recovery
Volunteers assist in the propagation and re-establishment of rare or endangered plants on site.  This important task is carried out in co-ordination with state and federal authorities and may require registration with them.

Garden Support

Gift Shop Volunteers
Botanical Bounty is a jewel-box of nature-inspired gifts and merchandise.  Volunteers assist with customer service and sales. 

• Time: The Shop is open from 10 am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday. 
• Qualifications: Cheerful customer service, attention to detail, retail experience useful, but not essential.

Reception and Clerical
Volunteers with office and reception skills are invited to assist with the overall functioning of the support network that keeps the Garden growing!  Answering the phone and fielding requests, mailing applications and membership details, filing, accounting, database, etc.  There is always plenty to do!

• Time: at least three continuous hours a week.
• Qualifications: Cheerful customer service, attention to detail, clerical experience useful, but not essential.

Special Events/Weddings
Volunteers assist during special events: check-in, plant sale, managing refreshment tables, set-up and clean-up, and distribution of promotional materials, conducting visitor surveys and lots more!  Weddings require special help with orienting guests, assistance with set-up and making sure the ceremony goes as smoothly as possible.

• Time: Varies, depending upon scheduled events at Garden and off-site.
• Qualifications: Must enjoy working with the public.