2024 Trail Ambassador Volunteer Program

2024 marks our fourth summer for our Trail Ambassador volunteer program! Visitors come from throughout Washington state, the Pacific Northwest, and even further afield to experience all that Anacortes has to offer, and one of the highlights of Fidalgo Island are the Anacortes Community Forest Lands. With so many people—regular users and newcomers alike—discovering and enjoying the ACFL, it's imperative that we educate them on the wonders of our forest and how to recreate safely and respectfully. Our Trail Ambassadors are at the forefront of this education, strategically stationed at the busiest trailheads during weekends throughout the summer.

We'll have one training day (Saturday, May 18, 2024) leading up to your first foray into the ACFL as a Trail Ambassador, and are flexible as to how many and which weekends you can/want to work over the summer.

Some of your duties as a Trail Ambassador would include:

• Tabling with a partner at various trailheads on weekends over the summer to interact with ACFL visitors (we provide all supplies)

• Answering questions about the ACFL's trails, history, and native flora and fauna, with the possibility of leading sample curriculum for kids and families (we provide training and materials)

• Conveying the rules and expectations to those visiting the forest and reporting any rule/regulation infractions to us and/or the Parks and Recreation Department (you are NOT expected to confront those breaking any rules, other than simply informing them of what the rules are)

• Collecting demographic data on the number of visitors, types of activities they are doing, parking lot numbers, etc. (we’ll provide further instruction)

• Hiking the trails and interacting with visitors (we do not expect, nor want you to sit at a table all day without having some trail time for yourself)!

• Handing out doggie bags for pet-owners as a gentle reminder to Scoop the Poop! (we provide the baggies)

• Representing the Friends of the Forest and the City of Anacortes to all ACFL visitors and helping us to fulfill our mission of preserving the ACFL through outreach, education, and stewardship!

In return, you'll receive:

• Some free Friends of the Forest gear to help folks identify you/deck you out with sweet clothing to sport around town/in the forest

• Training and deeper insight with Friends and City staff about the natural (and not-so-natural) history of the ACFL

• The chance to be part of a community of dedicated volunteers who love the forestlands, want to make new friends, and make our community better

• A chance to give back to the incredible ACFL and help protect it amid an enormous increase in users

• The opportunity to connect and bond with the public, users of all ages and types, and other Friend of the Forest members.

If you like connecting with people, love our forestlands, and want to become an Ambassador for the ACFL, please click the link below. The only necessary previous experience you need is to love the outdoors and enjoy interacting with people. We'll get in touch with you as we gather participant information and will inform you of the training details as we piece together the summer schedule.

Thanks so much and we'll see you in the forest!