Earth Day – Be an Outdoor Hero!

 

I think that we all do heroic things, but hero is not a noun, it’s a verb.

– Robert Downey, Jr.

 

April 22 is Earth Day.  In the past, I’ve written about how to make cool Earth Day projects you can use in the wilderness.  I’ve also explained how Earth Day events are exciting opportunities to hone your bushcraft knowledge.

This Earth Day, I urge you to become an Outdoor Hero!

 

Heroes are Volunteers

I’ve written in the past how you can volunteer your outdoor skills, even if you don’t think you have any.  I discuss my own volunteer activities guiding urban youth on outdoor trips and collecting carnivore scat for wildlife researchers.  And I highlight the story of a woman who became a search and rescue volunteer after she herself was rescued by a SAR Team.

Volunteer work is tremendously gratifying.  And there are amazing opportunities to volunteer outdoors nearby for just about everyone.  You get far more out of it in skills and training than you put in. 

But there’s another aspect of volunteering outdoors I have yet to mention.  And unless you volunteer you may not be aware of it.

 

Volunteers are Heroes

Volunteers are heroes to the staff of organizations that need them.  Many non-profits would cease to exist without the efforts of their volunteers.  And when it comes to the outdoors, non-profits, as well as state and local agencies need volunteers desperately.

Many organizations gather their volunteers together annually to show their appreciation.  I volunteer at Big Basin Redwoods State Park and the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge.  Both allow me to share my love of nature with the general public.  I also guide trips with the Sierra Club’s Inspiring Connections Outdoors program for children.

Each of these organizations warmly thank their volunteers.  And the gratitude is real and heartfelt!  It’s always nice to feel appreciated.  And when you volunteer you know that your efforts are valued.

This year, I received two awards that illustrate this point.  The US Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a certificate to thank me for creating interpretive programs for their Environmental Education Center.   California State Parks gave me a pin to commemorate 500 hours of volunteer service over a six-year period.

These small gestures convey a level of gratitude I rarely get from my paid work.  And I recommend that you experience this warm feeling of appreciation for yourself.

 

 

 

You can be a Hero

I’m not suggesting you become a volunteer to gain awards and recognition.  But if you wish to share your enthusiasm for the natural world, volunteering will always make you feel valued and appreciated.  You will be a hero in the eyes of the full-time staff you work with.  And the world can always use more heroes! 

So this Earth Day, resolve to volunteer your time to a worthy organization that protects and conserves our wild places.  You will do something you love, help others, and maybe…

You will become an Outdoor Hero!

 

Related Articles on NatureOutside

Give of your skills, even if you don’t think you have any!

Two Terrific Earth Day Projects for Hikers and Backpackers

 

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