Needs From: Volunteer Houston

Come help clean and improve the trails in the Woodland Park Nature Preserve including beautiful Little White Oak Bayou!

or

Volunteer at any of our other events!

For park workdays: Join in to rebuild trails, clean the park/bayou, and work in the gardens! Closed-toe shoes, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts recommended.

Friends of Woodland Park (FWP) is looking for 1-4 people to help us secure funding to support our 15 for 15 projects celebrating our15-year anniversary!  This an exciting way to make a generational impact on a unique park and bayou environment in central Houston.

1-2 people will serve as Grants Directors(s) and will liaise with the board more regularly. Directors must be members of Friends of Woodland Park, per our bylaws.

Expectations include: 

Identify grant opportunities with help of FWP board members.

Review selected grant opportunities with relevant Houston Parks and Recreation Department personnel for support or permission (ie, affidavit) to apply.

Prepare grant applications: includes writing responses to questions, assembling
responsive documents with help of board members, securing application fees if needed,
seeking final review from board members and submitting completed application.

Commitment: Minimum 1 year

For more information, contact Jennifer Ostlind, FWP Volunteer Coordinator, at jennifer@friendsofwoodlandpark.org 

Come help us advance a concept for eliminating floating/drifting trash in Little White Oak Bayou through Woodland Park!

Keeping Woodland Park Nature Preserve clean is an on-going challenge for the community. Regular cleanup events help, but the amount of trash and debris that finds its way onto the banks of Little White Oak Bayou and into trees and shrubs is unmanageable.

Our goal for the coming year is to determine a path forward and kick off a feasibility study.

We're looking for 1-5 people with related experience and/or anyone willing to learn! You'll need research and analytical skills, aptitude for talking tech, and ability to talk with local officials.

Expectations:

One person will serve as lead/Director. Per our bylaws, this person must be a member of Friends of Woodland Park.

Review options evaluation prepared in 2012 and funded by Bridgestone.

Gain awareness/understanding of flood mitigation plans for Little White Oak Bayou and plans to reconstruct culvert under I-45 as part of TxDOTs North Houston Highway Improvement Program (NHHIP).

Identify best practices used by other organizations in the Houston area and beyond. 

Work with FWP board and other stakeholders and experts to identify one or more preferred concepts for further exploration. Options could include short term (pre-NHHIP) solutions and long term (post NHHIP) solutions. 

Draft scope of feasibility study for preferred concept(s). 

Identify lead organization(s) to implement a pilot or ongoing project, and funding required.

Support lead organization in pilot/project implementation.

Commitment: minimum 1 year

For more information, contact Jennifer Ostlind, FWP Volunteer Coordinator, at Jennifer@friendsofwoodlandpark.org .

Friends of Woodland Park is seeking someone to lead communications for our vibrant organization!  Are you social media-savvy?  Do you enjoy connecting people with causes and events?  Are you passionate about natural spaces and bayous?  Do you enjoy the Heights/Northside/First Ward areas of Houston?

This is a board position for a term of 2 years. The selected candidate must be a member of Friends of Woodland Park, abide by our bylaws, and complete an annual conflict of interest statement (via a short google form).  Final candidate selection will be made by the board after the opportunity has been given for all parties to meet.

Experience with Google Workspace, Meta Business Suite, and Squarespace a plus - or a willingness to learn on the job!

Expectations:

The VP Communications shall insure the continuation and relevancy of the FWP website including e-mails, blog posts, calendar updates, and its overall look and feel.

The VP Communications shall also manage social media activities.

The VP Communications shall maintain the FWP “brand” identity and create or approve all graphic designs and write-us for publication.

The VP Communications shall maintain the overall document repository for the Board, including access.

The VP Communications shall manage the online store.

The VP Communications may enlist additional support as needed including technical support or committee members, after consultation with the Board.

Commitment: This role is a Board Member and so operates on a 2-year term.

For more information, contact Kelli Fereday, President, Friends of Woodland Park, at president@friendsofwoodlandpark.org. 

Friends of Woodland Park (FWP) is looking for 1 or 2 people to design 6-10 interpretative signs to be located throughout the Woodland Park Nature Preserve.

Designer(s) would work closely with FWP board and Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) to develop designs for signs explaining features, wildlife, and the history of Woodland Park Nature Preserve. 

FWP board will provide “mock-ups” and visual aids (photos. maps, etc)

Designer(s) will need to follow HPARD guidelines and specifications for signage. 

If applicable, time spent would be considered an “in-kind” donation and they are eligible to be listed as a “Corporate Sponsor”.

For more information, contact Jennifer Ostlind, Friends of Woodland Park Volunteer Coordinator, at Jennifer@Friendsofwoodlandpark.org.

Want to get outdoors and lead people? Friends of Woodland Park (FWP) is looking for 4-6 people to manage logistics and materials for monthly park cleanups, including 2 Leads/Directors. Volunteers annually remove 10-15,000 pounds of trash from the Little White Oak Bayou floodplain within Woodland Park

FWP usually sponsors 6 community clean-ups annually (Feb, Mar, April, Sept, Oct, Nov) plus Earth Day (corporate weekday event, April).  Scout projects may also require committee support. At least 2 committee members are needed at each clean-up event.

Note that per our bylaws, Directors are required to be members of Friends of Woodland Park.

Expectations:

Leads are required to gather equipment from storage and any other supplies (such as snacks) and ensure that committee members can receive them on clean-up day or prior. Leads also must train other committee members on clean-up protocols including safety briefings and park history.

Cleanups are generally held on Saturday mornings, with occasional weekday cleanups for corporate groups. 

With help from FWP board, identify supplies needed, using provided checklists. Needs will be determined 2 weeks in advance of scheduled cleanup. Supplies generally include FWP Flags, canopy, info kit, table cloth, gloves, trash grabbers, trash bags, water coolers and cups, snacks, first aid kit. bug spray and hand sanitizer. 

Gather supplies from FWP storage unit located at 2515 Washington Avenue in advance of scheduled clean-up and deliver to community or committee member no later that 1-2 hours in advance of cleanup. 

Set up supply distribution area at Woodland Park Community Center located at 212 Park View St. 

Provide Park history overview and safety/procedure briefing to participants.

Check-in all participants (participants will register on volunteerhouston.org where they will agree to a liability waiver).

Guide participants to trash ”hot-spots” if unfamiliar with the park.

Identify volunteers to sort trash for recycling, if applicable.

Transport recycling, if applicable.

Pack up supplies at end of event and return to storage unit. 

Replenish supplies and equipment as needed with help of FWP board.

Commitment: minimum 1 year.

For more information, contact Jennifer Ostlind, FWP Volunteer Coordinator, at Jennifer@friendsofwoodlandpark.org.

The Friends of Woodland Park (FWP) is seeking a Garden Director as a non-voting member of
FWP with responsibility for the garden areas surrounding the community center, Firefly Field
garden, the entrances to Woodland Park and other possible areas in the future. The Garden
Director will liaise with one or more FWP Board members. Attendance at FWP board meetings
is not required unless requested by the board. A commitment of 12 months is preferred.

Expectations Include:
Maintain all current beds which may include adding more plants as needed.
Oversee design of future beds.
Work with volunteer coordinator to solicit volunteers and organize seasonal workdays for garden maintenance.
Coordinate with Girl Scout and Boy Scout troop leaders if they ask to volunteer for required
required service hours.
Suggest to the board new ways to enhance the attractiveness of the park using plants.
Consider the creation of educational activities for children focused on gardening.
Follow Houston Parks and Recreation Department guidelines for garden maintenance and hosting events.

Commitment: 1 year minimum is preferred

For more information contact Jennifer Ostlind, Friends of Woodland Park Volunteer
Coordinator, at Jennifer@friendsofwoodlandpark.org.

Woodland Park is the second-oldest park in Houston and is a designated City of Houston nature preserve.  Friends of Woodland Park (FWP) will host a cleanup event to clear trails, rid the park of trash and debris and refresh the butterfly and firefly gardens.

FWP volunteers annually remove over 10,000 pounds of trash from the Nature Preserve, which includes Little White Park Bayou. 

FWP will provide gloves, trash bags, bug spray, snacks and water. 

Volunteers should wear closed toe shoes that can get dirty. 

Restrooms are available on-site in the Community Center starting at 10 a.m. 

Parking is available on site and on nearby neighborhood streets.

Woodland Park (212 Parkview St) is centrally located near downtown.

Questions? Please contact us at volunteer@friendsofwoodlandpark.org  

Woodland Park is the second-oldest park in Houston and is a designated City of Houston nature preserve with lovely, wooded trails along Little White Oak Bayou.  Friends of Woodland Park (FWP) will host an event to clear and repair trails and rid the park of any trash and debris that has accumulated. We'll also refresh the butterfly and firefly gardens.

FWP volunteers annually remove over 10,000 pounds of trash from the Nature Preserve that collects along the bayou following Houston's heavy rains.

FWP will provide gloves, trash bags, bug spray, snacks and water. 

Volunteers should wear closed toe shoes that can get dirty. 

Restrooms are available on-site in the Community Center.

Parking is available on site and on nearby neighborhood streets.

Woodland Park (212 Parkview St) is centrally located near downtown.

Questions? Please contact us at volunteer@friendsofwoodlandpark.org