Gateway Arch Prairie Restoration

Our Opportunity:

Prairie Restoration Day of Service Volunteers support Gateway Arch National Park by restoring the prairie along the North Gateway. Their primary tasks areto weed, mulch, plant, and help maintain garden beds. Prairie Restoration Days of Service will be scheduled twice a month and supervised by lead project volunteer, Rico Rose.

How does this position make an impact?

Ongoing stewardship efforts focus on removing invasive plant species present within reconstructed prairie areas of the park. Selective weeding and management help create space for native prairie plants to thrive and spread, supporting increased biodiversity and improving habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. These restoration areas also provide opportunities for research, monitoring, and ecological learning, allowing staff, volunteers, and visitors to observe how native prairie communities develop over time. Restoring native prairie vegetation helps highlight the natural beauty of Missouri’s landscapes while reconnecting the park to the historic environment that once surrounded the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

Roles and Responsibilities:

This opportunity is open to volunteers 18 or older (though younger applicants with parent/guardian approval may be considered). As representatives of the National Park Service and Gateway Arch Park Foundation, volunteers must adhere to the policies, procedures, and code of conduct as outlined in the volunteer handbook provided prior to or during training. Volunteers will be required to sign off that they have read the handbook and agree to its contents before beginning their day of service.

Required Qualifications, Knowledge & Skills:

• Ability to stay on task until the job is complete or during specific project hours
• Enthusiasm, friendliness, and a positive attitude
• Respect for confidentiality of Gateway Arch National Park’s volunteers, partners, members, and donors
• Willingness to take initiative and voice ideas
• Background in horticulture, botany, ecology, biology, or urban farming is appreciated but not required
• Agreement to abide by all policies in Directors Order 7 (guidelines for the Volunteers-in-Parks program)

Physical Requirements:

Most tasks will be moderately physically taxing, including walking, bending, kneeling, pulling, lifting, and using hand tools. We may offer accommodations or alternate assignments to volunteers upon request.

Commitment:

A minimum of one 3-hour shift per month is suggested. Prairie Restoration Days of Service will alternate between weekdays and weekends, from 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Location:

Day of Service volunteers will meet their volunteer supervisor outside the visitor center entrance promptly at 7:30 a.m. Volunteers who report late may be allowed to work or may be sent home at the discretion of the Volunteer Supervisor. Once volunteers are checked in, work may take place anywhere throughout the park. In case of heat advisory Day of Service events will be cancelled.

Training and Supervision:

• Prospective volunteers must attend a virtual one-hour interest session, held on Zoom. Interest sessions are held monthly.
• Volunteers then must attend orientation onsite. Orientation sessions occur quarterly.
• Training for new volunteers will be conducted by NPS grounds staff and volunteer leaders at the start of their first shift and will vary depending on the tasks for the day. Daily work tasks will not include hazardous duties unless the volunteer agrees and staff provide training commensurate with that offered to employees. Volunteers may work independently as long as the assigned Volunteer Supervisor is working in the area and can check on the progress/safety of volunteers regularly.

Volunteer Perks:

• Contribute to Gateway Arch National Park
• Annual volunteer recognition event
• Free parking if needed during volunteer hours
• Valuable career experience
• Have fun interacting with rangers and visitors from all over the world

Next Steps:

If you are interested in this position, please contact the Gateway Arch Park Foundation Volunteer Manager at grace.teofilo@archpark.org or (314) 881-8881 to schedule an interview.

Thank you for wanting to be a part of our team. We could not serve the community of St. Louis without you!

About Gateway Arch National Park

Gateway Arch National Park is a part of the National Park Service (NPS) and therefore follows the NPS mission to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Gateway Arch reflects St. Louis' role in the Westward Expansion of the United States during the nineteenth century. The park is a memorial to Thomas Jefferson's role in opening the West, to the pioneers who helped shape its history, and to Dred Scott who sued for his freedom in the Old Courthouse. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/jeff.

About Gateway Arch Park Foundation

Gateway Arch Park Foundation is a non-profit organization with a mission to ensure that the Gateway Arch, it’s grounds, neighboring public space, and attractions are a vital, active, and welcoming, well-supported resource to the community and nation for generations to come. The Foundation is part of an alliance that helps meet this mission, which includes the National Park Service, Bi-State Development, Great Rivers Greenway, Jefferson National Parks Association and the City of St. Louis. For more information, visit www.ArchPark.org.