Opportunities From: One Albuquerque Volunteers

The Friends of Valle de Oro NWR and Valle de Oro NWR are seeking volunteers to staff the Welcome Desk and the Friends Nature Store at the Refuge's new Visitor Center, opening early next year. We are looking for volunteers who can work shifts at either the welcome desk or in the Nature Store several times a month, and ideally the same time each week. We will provide customer service training opportunities as well as a volunteer orientation this Fall and Winter in preparation for the Visitor Center's opening early in 2021.

Upcoming Virtual Training Opportunities:

Thursday, September 10th - New Volunteer Virtual Orientation - 4:30 -6:30 pm
Thursday, October 8th - Customer Service Virtual Training - 4:30 - 6:30 pm

NOTE: New Volunteer Orientation is required for new volunteers and offered seasonally.

The Friends of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge is seeking passionate individuals to serve on their Board of Directors. The Friends of the Valle de Oro is the 501(c)3 support nonprofit for the US Fish and Wildlife Service managed National Wildlife Refuge, Valle de Oro. We aim to ensure our Board of Directors has a mix of representatives from the communities surrounding and most impacted by decisions at Valle de Oro NWR, including Mountain View Neighborhood, the South Valley, the Pueblo of Isleta, and the Albuquerque metro-area.

Our Board Members are advocates for Valle de Oro NWR and the Friends group, support educational and outreach programs, build capacity for the Refuge’s projects and programs, work on Environmental and Economic Justice issues, supports Habitat Restoration on the property, and more.

We meet on a monthly basis, normally for two hours on the third Tuesday of the month starting at 6pm, as well as request our Board Members volunteer a minimum of 12 hours a month, although the Board meeting and associated prep time all count toward the 12 hours. We normally hold our meetings at Valle de Oro NWR, just north of the Pueblo of Isleta, but due to COVID-19 and social distancing requirements, we are holding all our meetings through Zoom and will continue to do so until it is safe to come together as a group once again.

Our Board is very organized, respectful of each other's opinions and through constructive dialogue able to make solid and strategic decisions for the benefit of the Refuge, the local community and our Friends Group.

The Friends of Valle de Oro has a nominating committee who will work with any potential candidates to serve on our Board of Directors. We have a short application process, and often request potential board members attend a board meeting to meet the other members of the board so all parties can decide if it will be a good fit. If chosen to serve on the Board we ask all new board members to participate in a 2-hour orientation prior to their first official board meeting.