Community Programs & Volunteer Opportunities

The Arboretum at Flagstaff’s Mission is to increase the understanding, appreciation, and conservation of plants and plant communities native to the Colorado Plateau, to identify, evaluate, display, and introduce plants adaptable to the climatic and soil conditions of the Flagstaff environment, to seek through scientific research innovative solutions to conservation issues of this high altitude environment, and to develop educational programs that increase the understanding of the need for wise stewardship of our natural environment.

The Arboretum recruits volunteers throughout the year.

The Coconino County Sustainable Building Program (CCSBP) is focused on conservation, energy efficiency, renewable, affordability, applicability, and innovation.

Northern Arizona University works with the Sustainable Economic Development Initiative (SEDI) in a number of ways:

• University administrators and staff serve on the Board of Directors or as alternates.
• Students work with SEDI through internships and research projects
• Departments work on a variety of projects, such as the Program in Community, Culture and the Environment, which works on renewable energy and energy efficiency, as well as energy policy issues.
• The Sustainable Communities MA program works with SEDI to promote local food and agricultural economies by improving access to locally grown foods
• The Institute for Sustainable Energy Solutions aims to shape energy decision-making in both public and private sectors.
• Technology transfer programs help maintain the intellectual property rights of research findings.

NAU’s Mountain Campus is proud of its partnerships with others to protect northern Arizona’s extraordinary nighttime environment while simultaneously creating and maintaining a secure community on campus. Flagstaff is the World’s First International Dark Sky City, recognized around the planet for visionary leadership and public policy. For decades NAU has played an important role in that achievement. If lost, the unspoiled northern Arizona night-sky will be difficult, if not impossible, to reclaim. For more information, visit Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition website.

Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition Flyer

The Flagstaff Family Food Center provides nutritional meals in a safe environment and assists children with reading, homework, and social skills. Find ways that you can volunteer with Flagstaff Family Food Center.

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future strives to promote an environmentally sustainable, socially just, and economically prosperous Flagstaff through community education, citizen engagement, and advocacy. Friends of Flagstaff’s Future has ample opportunities for volunteer work and you can also follow them on Facebook.

Friends of the Rio de Flag promote the Rio de Flag’s natural stream system as a unique and valuable natural resource, an asset, and amenity to the City of Flagstaff and the surrounding community. The goal of FoRio is to protect, restore, clean up and improve the Rio de Flag and its tributaries to maximize their aesthetic, educational, recreational, and natural resource values, including the riparian habitats. You can become a member of Friends of the Rio de Flag and learn about all the work they do and any volunteer opportunities.

Slow Food USA is part of the global Slow Food network of over 150,000 members in more than 150 countries. Through a vast volunteer network of local chapters, youth and food communities, they link the pleasures of the table with a commitment to protect the community, culture, knowledge and environment that make this pleasure possible. Their mission as an international grassroots membership organization is good, clean and fair food for all.

The Verde River Basin Partnership uses credible science to provide educational outreach to help engage people and empower them to protect this critical resource that deserves our attention. If this sounds like something for you, check out their volunteer opportunities.