Are you searching for an opportunity to take action and positively impact our natural world, while also connecting with your community? If so, you are in the right place. Wildsight Invermere is seeking volunteers to support our conservation and climate change programs in the Columbia Valley.
If you haven’t already, please sign up to our volunteer mailing list (tick Invermere as your community) to be the first to know about new volunteer opportunities. You’ll also receive a short questionnaire and an invitation to meet or chat with us about how you’d like to be involved.
Volunteer Opportunities
Click the links below to sign up, or email invermere@wildsight.ca for more info on specific volunteer opportunities.
Summer 2025
June
- June 11th: Assist with water quality testing with Grade 11 students at Abel Creek – contact for details
- June 14th – Sept 13th: Bike Valet at Invermere Farmers Market on Saturdays, various shifts available
- June 14th: Columbia Lake Weed Pull
- June 18th: Cleanup at Lake Enid
- June 26th: Sinclair Creek Weed Pull
July
- Early July: Quarterly office deep clean (1hr on one day in early July) – contact for details
- July 5th – Sept 13th: Bike Valet at Invermere Farmers Market on Saturdays, various shifts available
- July 15-18th: Shuttle driver for Columbia River Field School (one day only) – contact for details
- July 16th: Cleanup at Lake Enid
August
- Aug 2nd – Sept 13th: Bike Valet at Invermere Farmers Market on Saturdays, various shifts available
- Aug 13th: Cleanup at Lake Enid
Other Current Projects
There are so many ways you can contribute. Please email invermere@wildsight.ca or call 250-409-5708 to find out more about these opportunities.
Conservation
- Responsible Recreation – Develop informational materials (eg brochures, posters) on outdoor recreation best practices to reduce the impact of recreation and tourism on the environment. Can focus on water- or land-based recreation or both. To be distributed to visitor centres and tourism operators.
- Join the Advocacy team (see below) with a focus on responsible recreation
- Participate in wildlife monitoring with other local conservation organizations:
- Bank Swallow monitoring: three times during nesting season. Email swallows@wildsight.ca (Wildsight Golden – Upper Columbia Swallow Habitat Enhancement Project)
- Bluebird nesting box monitoring at Columbia Lake: weekly on Saturdays till July 12th. Contact us for more info and to sign up.
- Bat counts (BC Community Bat Programs): June 24, 26, July 15,17,29,31, Aug 5,7. Two locations: west of Invermere and north of Wilmer. Contact Georgie West (bmirth@shaw.ca) to participate.
Climate Change
- Host an outreach booth (eg at libraries) for the Retrofit Assist program
- Help to coordinate Plastic-Free July activities
Community
- Wild & Scenic Film Festival – help us plan, prepare and promote this wonderful community fundraiser event in November. The WSFF committee started preparing in May and welcomes keen volunteers to join at any point to help with tasks such as media communications, sponsorship outreach, raffle prize donor outreach, event logistics, food & beverage coordination etc. We are also seeking a dynamic speaker with an environmental passion to MC the evening on November 15th.
- Lead an outdoor activity such as a group hike, bike, paddle, or something else (!), with an emphasis on responsible recreation and nature appreciation.
Youth
- Let’s Go Outside library backpacks – present a seasonal-themed storytime or education session at the library for ages 3-12 (Invermere, Radium, or popup in Canal Flats or Edgewater).
- Support the DTSS Climate Club (high school students). They meet on Thursdays at lunchtime to work on environmental and sustainability projects at school and in the community.
- Lead a family-friendly hike or nature appreciation activity
Ongoing Opportunities
Do you have capacity to help out on a regular basis, or to help develop and organize a particular project or program you’re passionate about?
Program/Project
- Share your knowledge and passion through leading or helping with the development of an event, project or program
- Help with event and program organization:
- Designing outreach materials
- Distributing posters
- Promotion through social media
- Arranging supplies/refreshments
- Event set-up and clean-up
Organizational
- Communications and social media – we have a particular need for help with:
- writing and producing our monthly newsletter,
- writing and creating social media content,
- managing our social media pages (responding to messages, optimising our activity based on stats),
- writing stories or press releases for local media,
- creating posters and promotional material for our programs and events,
- updating community calendars with our events
- creating program and event details on our website and social media pages
If you would like to help with any or all of these, please get in touch!
- Fundraising
- Help organize a raffle and help sell tickets (ebike raffles have been successful in the past but we need more on-the-ground momentum to sell the tickets.
- Write grant applications, case for support, etc.
- Join the Fundraising committee (see below) to develop fundraising activities
- Quarterly deep clean of our office in Invermere – simple and much appreciated!
Advocacy
- Meet with local government leaders to influence policy
- Create communications and educational materials to build awareness and advocate for the environment in the community
- Sign petitions & write letters (areas of concern spotlighted in WSI monthly newsletter)
Become a Board Member
Our board members are a diverse and passionate team, some serving a one-year term while others remain active for several years. If you are interested in joining our Board of Directors, we invite you to email us at invermere@wildsight.ca to inquire about the date of our next meeting (usually on the second Thursday of each month). You’re welcome to attend and get a firsthand experience of what we are all about. Formal elections for board positions occur at our Annual General Meeting, which takes place every spring.
Not ready to commit to being a board member?
Perhaps join one of the following committees and help to shape current and future programs:
- Climate Committee
- Conservation Committee
- Fundraising Committee
- HR Committee
- Technical Review Committee
- Spark Committee
- Wild & Scenic Film Festival Committee
