Benefits of Volunteering
Our dedicated, hard-working volunteers are why WTA's trail maintenance program can accomplish so much for Washington's trails every year. You go above and beyond for trails, and we like to acknowledge all that you contribute, both with copious thank yous, and at special milestones, swag.
Check out the benefits of volunteering with WTA below, then sign up for your next work party!
VIDEO: What trail volunteers get out of giving back
EVERY WORK PARTY
- Fuel and fun! Expect free soda, cookies and the chance to acquire new skills and new friends on every work party! As a WTA volunteer, you’re also invited to our annual volunteer appreciation events.
- Service hours and matching. You’re eligible for community service hours as well as corporate matching opportunities, if your employer has a program.
- Free passes. Depending on where your work party is located, you can start earning free passes from various land managers after just one day, including the Northwest Forest Pass and Discover Pass. (See details below.)
- Volunteers receive many rewards for their service to trails. Photos by (l to r): Claire Mitchell, Charlie Romine, Greg Friend, Austin Easter.
MILESTONE AWARDS
WTA celebrates your dedication to trails at several milestones, whether it takes you a week, a year or a lifetime to reach them.
5 Work Parties: Green Hat**
A personalized WTA Green Hard hat with your nickname on it
25 Work Parties: Fleece Vest
A cozy Fleece Vest Embroidered with WTA logo and phrase "Trail Crew"
50 Work Parties: Hand Saw
A handsaw engraved with your name on the handle
100 Work Parties: Fleece Cap*
WTA logo embroidered fleece cap and "100" decal for your hard hat
250+ Work Parties: Full Bench Club*
Full bench construction is an approach to trail building that makes for long-lasting trail tread. Likewise, these dedicated volunteers provide a solid foundation for our trail maintenance efforts, year after year.
- Logo-embroidered jacket!
- Recognition on the Rock Wall of Fame
- Full Bench Club certificate of recognition
- Replacement saw blade by request
500+ Work Parties: Crosscut Saw Club*
You know the value of team work, and you keep coming back for more.
- Engraved saw plaque
- Recognition on the Rock Wall of Fame
- Replacement saw blade by request
1,000+ Work Parties: Golden Rock Bar Club*
You are a legend! A superhero for trails. We'd get you a cape, but it might get in the way of your expert trail tool handling.
- Golden rock bar
- Recognition on the Rock Wall of Fame
- Replacement saw blade by request
*Awarded at Volunteer Appreciation events in the fall.
**Hard hats expire 10 years after manufacture date. Contact volunteer@wta.org for replacement.
AGENCY AWARDS: EARN PASSES
Our land manager partners with the US Forest Service, National Park Service, Department of Natural Resources, and Washington State Parks make these awards available to volunteers working in their parks:
- A free Northwest Forest pass (2 days)
For volunteering on U.S. Forest Service lands, volunteers receive a day use Northwest Forest Pass for one day of volunteering. A volunteer can exchange two of these for an Annual Northwest Forest Pass. - A Discover Pass for state lands (24 hours)
On State Lands, volunteers can earn an annual Discover Pass after completing 24 hours of service (typically 4 days) on qualifying projects. - An America the Beautiful Pass (250 hours)
On all federal land (i.e. Forest Service, National Park) America the Beautiful Pass: Volunteers can earn one America the Beautiful annual pass for every 250 cumulative volunteer hours on federal land.