If you’ve volunteered with your Metro Parks, you’ve met one of our volunteer supervisors. In addition to their daily work, they also ensure volunteers are equipped with the knowledge and tools to carry out their duties. Since they work directly with our passionate team of volunteers, they have a unique perspective on their impact.
Meet the following volunteer supervisors and find out how volunteers impact their work in conservation, operations, events and programs: Mark, park manager II • Charlotte, cultural resources specialist • Kara, marketing assistant • Becca, interpretive naturalist • Marlo, biologist • Karen, interpretive naturalist
Mark, Park Manager II
What do volunteers help you with?
Volunteers support a wide range of projects across Liberty Park and Wood Hollow Metro Park, including invasive species removal, tree and shrub planting days, and reforestation efforts in both public-use and conservation areas. These projects are critical to restoring and protecting our natural resources.
One large-scale effort, led by Park Technician Mike, involved coordinating with the conservation and volunteer departments to remove invasive species in high-profile areas at Tinkers Creek Area, followed by the planting of over 500 trees and shrubs.
At Liberty Park Nature Center, Park Technician Savannah leads our weekly garden volunteers, focusing on bioswales and native plant gardens. She provides hands-on guidance in plant identification, sustainable gardening techniques and the use of native species. Her ability to share her knowledge and passion creates an engaging and educational experience for volunteers.
What impact do volunteers have on you and the community?
Volunteers have a significant impact on both our operations and our connection to the community. From a workload standpoint, their contributions allow us to complete large-scale restoration and maintenance projects that would otherwise take significantly more time and resources.
From a community perspective, I genuinely enjoy working alongside our volunteers. Events like Maple Mania at Liberty Park would not be possible without them. It is impressive to see so many volunteers commit multiple days to interpreting maple sugaring for the public. They are knowledgeable and passionate and play a key role in delivering a high-quality experience for visitors.
Staff like Savannah and Mike help elevate these programs by creating an environment where volunteers feel engaged, valued and motivated to contribute.
Why do you think volunteers are drawn to your opportunities?
Volunteers are drawn to our programs because of the people, the purpose and the experience. Our projects are meaningful — they directly contribute to conserving and restoring natural resources, but they are also designed to be engaging and enjoyable.
Staff play a major role in this. Mike brings enthusiasm and energy to large-scale planting efforts, making even physically demanding work like digging and planting hundreds of trees a positive and rewarding experience. Savannah creates a welcoming and educational atmosphere with garden volunteers, sharing her knowledge of native plants in a way that is easy to understand and retain.
Together, this combination of passionate staff, important work and a strong sense of community keeps volunteers coming back.
What would your day/week look like without the help of volunteers?
Without volunteers, many of our programs and events simply would not be possible. Large-scale efforts such as invasive species control and reforestation projects at Liberty Park and Wood Hollow Metro Park would be significantly limited in scope and impact.
Volunteers allow us to proactively manage natural areas, restore habitats and maintain the quality of our parks at a level that would be difficult to achieve with staff alone.
Do you think that volunteering with SMP deepens the volunteer’s connection to the Metro Parks and the outdoors?
Yes, volunteering creates a strong and lasting connection to the parks and the outdoors. Through hands-on experiences, volunteers gain a deeper understanding of the work involved in maintaining and restoring natural spaces, which often leads to a greater appreciation for conservation efforts.
We have also seen volunteers transition into professional roles within the park system. One of our strongest volunteers began by assisting with maintenance and restoration projects at Liberty Park. Over time, their dedication and work ethic stood out, and they were hired as a seasonal maintenance worker. They have since advanced into a permanent position at F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm. This is a great example of how volunteering can serve as both a learning opportunity and a pathway into a parks career.
Do the volunteers have experience with what they volunteer for?
Many volunteers do not come in with prior experience, particularly those participating in invasive species removal or tree planting events. These groups are often from local businesses — many are office workers who enjoy the opportunity to get outdoors and engage in meaningful, physical work.
Despite limited experience, they are highly motivated and eager to learn. With guidance from staff, they quickly become effective contributors.
In some cases, volunteers bring unique strengths. For example, one group of construction workers assisted with planting along the Downy Loop Trail following extensive invasive species management. Their work ethic and efficiency were exceptional, and they were able to accomplish a significant amount in a short time.
Charlotte, Cultural Resources Specialist
What do volunteers help you with?
Volunteers assist the cultural resources division with archaeological surveys, excavation and site monitoring.
What impact do the volunteers have?
Without volunteers, cultural resources would not be able to conduct our larger scale projects as efficiently. Their assistance with our excavations is vital for completing our goals during our field season.
Why do you think volunteers are drawn to your opportunities?
For volunteers who are interested in our local history and park history, these projects provide them with an active way to engage with the past and be a part of a structured research project.
For those who have always had an interest in archaeology, this is a great opportunity to work on an archaeological site and learn excavation methods.
What would your day/week look like without the help of volunteers?
Without our volunteers, we would have to allow much longer periods of time to conduct surveys. A project that takes eight weeks could end up taking 12 to 16!
Do you think that volunteering with SMP deepens the volunteer’s connection to the Metro Parks and the outdoors?
Absolutely! This is a wonderful way to get more involved with conservation work and deepen one’s understanding of our role in stewarding our wonderful parklands.
Do the volunteers have experience with what they volunteer for?
We get volunteers both with archaeological experience and without. For those with previous experience, these projects are an opportunity to keep their hand in, so to speak, especially if they are retired professionals or are no longer working in the field. We also have volunteers who are students looking to gain field experience before entering the workforce.
For those without experience, this is a great way to dip their toe in! Many people see archaeology in documentaries, so these projects provide those with a lot of interest in archaeology to learn more about what they’ve seen.
Kara, Marketing Assistant
What do volunteers help you with?
The volunteers I work with are event reps, Metro Parks Ensemble, mascots and spree assistants.
Event reps take their passion for the park beyond the trails. You might see them tabling at community events such as festivals, expos and concerts or walking in a parade. They connect with visitors to share the amazing experiences Metro Parks has to offer.
For 25 years, the Metro Parks Ensemble has been entertaining audiences of all ages with their free outdoor summer concert series. Made up of 42 dedicated musicians, they rehearse year-round and play a variety of music — from Broadway and children’s film classics to rock hits, patriotic favorites, big band numbers and more. This group is unique: they are thought to be the only volunteer band affiliated with a park district in the Midwest.
Mascots are the friendly faces that greet people at events across Summit County. We have Metro Leaf, a maple leaf that loves to dance, hike and give high-fives, and Cheeks the Chipmunk — a BIG star in front of the camera.
Spree assistants greet hikers at trailheads during the Fall Hiking Spree. These volunteers have a wealth of knowledge about the parks and enjoy answering questions. Many of these volunteers have been stamping spree forms for over 15 years.
What impact do volunteers have on you and the community?
Volunteers make work more enjoyable and always teach me something new. At long events I get the chance to have conversations with them and hear their stories about why they love volunteering and their memories in Summit Metro Parks.
Volunteers have been doing these events for far longer than I have. They often have useful feedback, good tips or wisdom to share. Their enthusiasm for the parks draws people into our events and fosters deeper connections. Our events wouldn’t run without their help. They set up and tear down, direct visitors, share information, provide entertainment, greet, serve refreshments — the list goes on.
I love to see them interact with the public, whether that’s a community member they have a relationship with, a longtime visitor or a new family to introduce to the parks. The volunteers I supervise are often the face of SMP across Summit County, representing us at community events and in-park special events and concerts. Their actions and commitment embody the mission of Summit Metro Parks.
Why do you think volunteers are drawn to your opportunities?
Each Ensemble musician has a different story for why they play, but I think they’re drawn into this group especially because it has become a family. Many members have been performing with the Ensemble for 15 to 20 years, yet they still want to learn new skills, invite new members and share their talents with others. When you get them all together, you know you’re in for a fun concert and a good laugh.
Event reps, mascots and spree assistants are usually visitors that love the parks and want to share that joy with others.
What would your day/week look like without the help of volunteers?
I think it would be tiring and a bit dull. We have more than 10 events each month, and the volunteers are a huge asset at each of these. They bring much needed physical help, and their energy makes events come to life.
Interacting with hundreds of people at events would be a lot for just one person, and we wouldn’t be able to have personal conversations without their help. Even just setting up a tent by myself would be a challenge, and I certainly couldn’t perform a concert!
Do you think that volunteering with SMP deepens volunteers’ connections to the Metro Parks and the outdoors?
For spree assistants, it certainly does. These are often volunteers who have done various SMP volunteer roles over the years and now want a more laid-back opportunity. They volunteer on their own schedules, often at the parks closest to their homes.
They find it meaningful to share their own stories of years of the Fall Hiking Spree and to help get the next generation of Spree hikers started. This special connection they already have to the Metro Parks is deepened by the people they meet and the memories they make.
Do the volunteers have experience with what they volunteer for?
Most of my roles do not require experience, and volunteers come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Even musicians in the Ensemble may join after taking a break from playing for years. Some of them learn new instruments in the group or improve their skills.
Mascots are another great example of this. Anyone can put on a costume, no experience required. It’s amazing to see even the shyest person rock an event as a mascot. Sometimes they are excited, more often people are hesitant, but those who stick with it find they love creating memorable moments for families.
Becca, Interpretive Naturalist
What do volunteers help you with?
Volunteers partner with me on a wide variety of programs, including my Nature Embroidery, Homegrown Habitat and Friday Night Frogs program series as well as one-off programs like birding and wildflower walks.
As program aides, my volunteers greet program participants and help them feel welcomed, assist in preparing materials for programs, facilitate activities and, most importantly, build a sense of community.
What impact do volunteers have on you and the community?
It’s truly a positive feedback loop situation. These absolutely stellar, enthusiastic and dedicated unpaid champions of Summit Metro Parks motivate me to “level up” by exploring more creative ways to be an effective environmental educator, which then encourages our volunteers to be more stellar, enthusiastic and dedicated. It’s completely wild synergy.
Why do you think volunteers are drawn to your opportunities?
In addition to what I just mentioned, I also prioritize partnering with my volunteers. I intentionally find ways to weave their stories, interests and expertise into my interpretive moments. It’s not about me; it’s about us. Our volunteers (and program participants, for that matter) have credentials and knowledge, too! We all have so much to learn from each other.
What would your day/week look like without the help of volunteers?
A lot less joyful. My volunteers regularly create richer, more meaningful program experiences and, when I give guidance with a clear vision, lighten my lift ahead of more complicated public programs.
Do you think that volunteering with SMP deepens the volunteer’s connection to the outdoors and themselves?
Absolutely. In our own search for purpose, we’re each looking for meaningful things to do with, about and for not only SMP or the outdoors, but for our little piece of planet we find ourselves on.
Here’s an example: Working a soul-crushing corporate 9-5 job, one of my closest and most capable volunteers finds purpose and community in both my Homegrown Habitat and Nature Embroidery program series. This partnership is truly symbiotic.
Do the volunteers have experience with what they volunteer for?
Yes and no. But if they don’t come with experience, most have proven to be quick studies and become an absolute wealth of knowledge in a short amount of time.
Volunteers are people first, with expertise, experience and passion. I consistently use that to my advantage and treat volunteers as true collaborators.
Marlo, Biologist
What do volunteers help you with?
Through citizen science projects, volunteers survey for species, document observations on iNaturalist, enter data, advocate for safe and healthy parks and contribute data to state, local, national and global databases.
Citizen science projects include:
- Amphibian calling survey — 55 sites monitored
- Vernal pool —123 pools surveyed
- Bird house — eight parks monitored
- Snakes — 14 sites monitored
- iNaturalist — hosted three training events for volunteers
- GLOBE Clouds —11 sites monitored
- Chronolog — five sites established
- Salamander — two transects monitored
- Stream surveys — 25 sites monitored
- Stream chemistry — 25 sites monitored
- Bat maternity roost monitoring — six sites monitored
What impact do volunteers have on you and the community?
Data collected by volunteers helps us determine the health of habitats in our parks. In turn, this allows the conservation department to make recommendations of habitats to be protected, where trails and other infrastructure should be placed and what should be interpreted in our parks.
Volunteers add value and breadth to the data our department needs to collect to continue our mission to protect our natural resources.
Why do you think volunteers are drawn to your opportunities?
Citizen science projects are fun. Volunteers enjoy contributing meaningful data to local and global projects. The citizen scientists are a like-minded community of folks who love nature and parks. They can see how their work is played out in the park’s mission.
What would your day/week look like without the help of volunteers?
There are not enough hours in the day to accomplish all that volunteers do for the conservation department. So much less would be accomplished without them. Their assistance is invaluable to the work that we do.
Do you think that volunteering with SMP deepens the volunteer’s connection to the Metro Parks and the outdoors?
I think that volunteers represent the best assets of our park district beyond the physical land we own. They love the parks, and that joy is infectious throughout our community.
Do the volunteers have experience with what they volunteer for?
We have volunteers who bring their skills to the parks and use them to volunteer with us. These are often young people or professionals. However, we also have volunteers who come to us after retirement and want to do something very different than what they spent their careers doing. Both are invaluable to the park district.
Most volunteers who participate in citizen science have never done anything like it before. They are trained and set loose in the parks to conduct their work. They are trustworthy, enthusiastic and consistent. Volunteers are a joy to teach and work with. They come ready to learn and dig in.
Karen, Interpretive Naturalist
What do volunteers help you with?
Volunteers assist me in ways that I know appeal to them. For example, Sam has provided singing and accompaniment on ukelele or zither for many Kinderealm programs and a staff training. Gary has done dramatic readings as part of my Edgar Allan Poe events, and another Mary helped me demonstrate how to do a facial steam treatment during one of my herb programs! Amy is my go-to when I am including crafts during a program because she is a retired art teacher.
What impact do volunteers have on you and the community?
I believe that because of their time and support, I can elevate my programs to a higher level of engagement and learning. I also can relax a bit more by having their assistance.
I try to always state during my programs, with my volunteers present, that I could not lead the variety of programs that I do without their help. I also often seek their input to help make a program better. I truly appreciate them.
Active, involved volunteers strengthen our park district’s relationship to other visitors and the community because they come from and represent the communities we serve. Communicating and working with them is one way to maintain a close connection with the pulse and evolving needs of our community.
Why do you think volunteers are drawn to your opportunities?
I hope it’s because they find them to be enjoyable, memorable, interesting and fun!
What would your day/week look like without the help of volunteers?
I am a part-time naturalist, so my days and weeks would be spent doing a lot more preparation to complete all that is needed for a smooth-running program that includes all the elements I like to use.
Do you think that volunteering with SMP deepens the volunteer’s connection to the Metro Parks and the outdoors?
I think the volunteer connection with SMP and nature does deepen. As they gain more knowledge from being actively involved with programs, they understand and appreciate nature more. Volunteers have said after many programs, “I didn’t know that!”
Do the volunteers have experience with what they volunteer for?
Yes, some have experience with what they volunteer to do. I think it’s a way for them to continue using these skills in a meaningful way. Volunteering with SMP is a way for them to support our park district’s efforts to sustainably manage natural resources and programming that they themselves value and enjoy. They want to help sustain a good thing and keep it going!
For those who are not as experienced, volunteering gives them the freedom and ability to try something new — perhaps something they’ve always wanted to do.
Do you want to make an impact?
Feeling inspired by these incredible volunteers? You can make a difference too by exploring your Metro Parks, leaving no trace and following good park etiquette.
And, be sure to thank our volunteers when you see them at events or working throughout the park district.