Volunteer
Volunteers are essential to helping keep Louisville’s Olmsted Parks beautiful.
Whether one day a week or several times a year, individuals and groups can join the effort to restore and enhance our Olmsted-designed parks and parkways.
You can help restore woodlands, keep trees and waterways healthy, and bring new life to playgrounds and recreational areas in the Olmsted Parks. We provide gloves, tools and guidance. Participants just need to dress for the weather and getting dirty!
“I LOVE VOLUNTEERING FOR OLMSTED PARKS CONSERVANCY BECAUSE I ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING NEW AND I LIKE HOW WE WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO BEAUTIFY OUR PARKS.”
Sabra Crockett, Volunteer
Park Steward
Are you passionate about your Olmsted Parks and looking for a way to give back more as a Volunteer? Become a Park Steward!
- Olmsted Parks Conservancy Park Stewards serve as official ambassadors and play an integral role in helping our organization enhance, restore and protect our 17 Olmsted Parks and 6 Parkways.
- With duties ranging from helping to remove invasive plants in designated park areas, leading volunteer groups, or managing a booth at community events, there’s an opportunity for every interest and skillset. Park Stewards volunteer an average of four hours monthly
- Through our Park Steward training program, you’ll attend a series of lectures and hikes to learn more about Park History, Horticultural Techniques, Plant Identification, and Woodlands Management, all while meeting amazing new people and getting the opportunity to exercise ownership over these greenspaces you care about.
Olmsted Park Partner
Are you a corporation or local business looking to engage your employees in stewardship, support internal wellness initiatives, and foster deeper relationships with members of the community surrounding our Olmsted Parks through much needed programming? The Olmsted Park Partner program can connect your business to the communities you serve by partnering with Olmsted Parks Conservancy to maintain, beautify, and activate our city’s beloved Olmsted Parks.
Junior Park Steward
This is a year-round program for high school students to learn about urban ecology, gain service hours and make a positive impact in Louisville’s Olmsted Parks. To start, register for a volunteer event and then pick up a punch card from the on-site Volunteer Leader to track your hours. Many Junior Park Stewards use this certification for college or job applications upon completion of 24 hours of service.
Community Engagement Internship
As a Community Engagement Intern, you’ll help facilitate engaging activities for children during community outreach and special events in our Olmsted Parks. This is a year-round program designed for high school students. Duties include event set-up and break-down, puppet making, face painting, weaving, leading and supervising recreational yard games. Click here for more details. To apply, email your cover letter (including a detailed description of your availability and any conflicts you may have, and information on your talents and interests) and resume to Sarah Wolff.
Special Event Volunteer
You can provide assistance at Olmsted Parks Conservancy’s special events and ensure that everyone in attendance enjoys their experience. We host concerts, fundraisers, neighborhood gatherings and more. Duties may include setting up and tearing down sites or stage elements, greeting attendees, traffic control and crowd flow management.
We look forward to welcoming you as a volunteer. For questions about volunteer opportunities or to schedule a project, please contact Matt Spalding, Education and Volunteer Program Manager, at matt.spalding@olmstedparks.org.
“If man is not to live by bread alone, what is better worth doing well than the planting of trees?”
Frederick Law Olmsted