Located about 20 miles north of Hibbing, McCarthy Beach State Park boasts of sandy beaches on Sturgeon Lake, rated as one of the top 17 beaches in North America by Highways' Magazine. This beautiful park has lakes, beaches, hiking and horse trails, camping, and a host of projects that could use some volunteer help! Spend a day, a week, or longer on any of the following projects:
Help is also needed for a Candlelight Ski/Snowshoe/Hiking Event in February (date yet to be set). Volunteers would choose from assisting in the set up of luminaries along the trail in the afternoon and lighting them towards evening, patrolling the trails during the event, keeping a bonfire going, and/or directing traffic as a parking lot attendant. This would be a great group activity! Interested persons need to be able to follow directions, lift up to 15 pounds, and enjoy the winter weather.
For more information on any of these projects contact David Ellis Hollenhorst, Assistant Park Manager, McCarthy Beach State Park, Side Lake, MN at 218-254-7979 or email dave.ellishollenhorst@dnr.state.mn.us
Gooseberry Falls State Park is often called the gateway to the North Shore. It is known for its spectacular waterfalls, river gorge, Lake Superior shoreline, Civilian Conservation Corps log and stone structures, and north woods wildlife. Much of this beautiful water and landscape is captured in photographs and slides that need to be scanned and entered into a park computer. This will help preserve these historic photos for future use in interpretative programs in the park. Volunteer help is needed any time from 9 AM – 4 PM, Monday – Friday. Training will be available. For more information on this and other volunteer opportunities in the park, contact Carly Hawkinson, Naturalist, 218-834-3855 extension 227, or email carly.hawkinson@dnr.state.mn.us The park is located 13 miles northeast of Two Harbors on Hwy 61.
Project Learning Tree (PLT) program is a natural resources education program for teachers across Minnesota. PLT needs volunteers to create “tree cookies” as teaching aides for teachers to use with their students. Tree cookies are slices of branches or trunks that show the rings of a tree. They are used to teach children how trees and other woody plants grow, environmental factors affecting tree growth, tree identification, and more. Teachers often don't have the time or capability to make these so volunteer help is greatly appreciated!
Slice the branches or trunk into half-inch thick, wafer-shaped “cookies” that are between three to six inches in diameter. Sand the surfaces until the rings appear. Finish the surfaces with clear varnish. "Interesting" cookies with easily readable rings are preferred (e.g. cookies that show history of disease, disturbance, or other story). Labeling cookie species and location harvested is optional, but appreciated. This project can be done individually or with a group (scouts, 4-H, FFA, Kiwanis, etc.) You must provide your own tree or woody plant material, saws, sander, oven, varnish, and labor. When finished contact Laura Duffey, Project Learning Tree Coordinator, at 651-259-5263 or email laura.duffey@dnr.state.mn.us to arrange for delivery to site and to get Minnesota DNR recognition! The Project Learning Tree program could use at least 100 cookies made by each volunteer group. 100 cookies are enough for about three classes. So the more you can make, the better! They will be used!
Tree Cookies - How to Make Your Own 
If you enjoy the great outdoors, scenic vistas, comfortable surroundings and the company of other campers, then consider becoming a Campground Host this next summer in a Minnesota State Park or Forest campground.
Hosts are provided with a free campsite in return for services rendered helping in the campground. Hosts provide their own camping unit and equipment and must purchase a state park vehicle permit. The primary responsibilities of a host includes some light maintenance, such as cleaning up sanitation buildings and vault toilets, stocking with toilet papers, picking up litter, pulling/hoeing weeds in campground spurs, greeting campers and answering questions, and reporting problems in the campground to the park manager/assistant manager. Hosts are needed to set a good example by being a model camper, practicing good housekeeping in and around the host campsite, and by observing all campground rules.
Typically, campground hosts stay in the park Wednesday through Sunday, and take Monday and Tuesday off. Days off are somewhat negotiable, but being present in the campground on weekends is a must! A minimum commitment of one month is required. Avid campers or RV'ers are encouraged to apply!
For more information on the Campground Host Program, check it out at www.mndnr.gov/volunteering/stateparks/campgroundhost.html
The Minnesota Master Naturalist Program is a volunteer program that trains adults about Minnesota's natural resources, teaches how to educate others, and provides opportunities to do conservation projects. To learn more visit www.MinnesotaMasterNaturalist.org
Consider becoming a Certified Volunteer Instructor for DNR Enforcement Education Programs-- Firearms Safety, MN Bowhunter Education, Snowmobile Safety, ATV Safety Training and Advanced Hunter Education.
Pass on a love for your sport by teaching youth and adults the ethics and safety you would expect from those you meet in the field. During the training you will learn instruction methods and procedures and review instructor and student materials associated with a specific program. Once certified, you will find nearby instructors to work with for the first time. They then will often start a new team of instructors. With this in mind, you may want to have several potential team members take the training with you. It is helpful, but not necessary, that you have completed the enforcement education programs as a student prior to taking the instructor training.
Check current certified volunteer instructor classes or sign up for our instructor e-mail list to get notification of any additional instructor training sessions go to www.mndnr.gov/safety/instructors .
To be considered for instructor training, you must be at least 18 years old.
Following the training, a thorough background investigation will be completed on the person requesting certification.
Additional information is available by calling 1-800-366-8917.
© 2008
MN Department of Natural Resources
