Needs From: Belmont Office of Community-Engaged Learning and Service

Come join us as we team up with Friends of Warner Parks and tackle some work to preserve and protect the park together. We’ll be breaking out the weed wrenches and going after some of the most noxious and invasive plants in the woods. We’ll also learn more about how invasive species impact our rivers and how to be a life-long river steward. Tools, gloves, and work materials will be provided. Please bring your own water bottle to help us cut down on plastic waste.  Thank you for helping us protect clean water and rivers in Tennessee!

Do you love conservation? Want to work outdoors to protect the natural ecosystems of Shelby Park and Bottoms? We need you!

Shelby Park and Bottoms is a natural oasis in the heart of the city. The forests here are a refuge for people and wildlife alike. Our Shelby forests need help: they are being overtaken by invasive plant species. Through our Restore the Forest program, we remove invasive species and replant native species to revitalize a healthy forest ecosystem.

What is the community impact of this event?

Healthy forests are beautiful for park visitors, provide food and shelter for wildlife and make our local ecosystem more resilient by promoting and enhancing growth of native plant species.

What will volunteers be doing at this event?

At this event, we will be uprooting and cutting down honeysuckle and privet plants with weed wrenches, loppers, and hand saws. They will work in small groups under the supervision of experienced staff that will help teach proper plant identification and safe tool usage.

Accessibility:

This event will include hiking while carrying heavy tools over uneven ground, and we will be working off-trail within the woods. Please dress according to the weather. Porta-potties are located a short walk from our worksite, and there should always be ample parking located nearby the worksite.

What to bring?

I recommend bringing your own water bottle and sunscreen. Water, gloves, all necessary tools, and additional water will be provided. Please wear sturdy shoes that are good for gardening (e.g. hiking boots), long socks, and long pants to protect yourselves from sticks and thorns in the forest. If possible, long sleeved shirts can also be helpful for protection, but please dress according to the weather.

What’s next?

If you sign up for this event, you will receive a reminder email a few days before the event with specific instructions regarding parking and any other necessary information.

If you have questions, please send me an email at cd@friendsofshelby.org. Hope to see you out there!

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Founded in 2008, Friends of Shelby is a private, nonprofit organization working to preserve, enhance, and promote Shelby Park and Bottoms for everyone to appreciate and protect. We work to protect the natural and historical integrity of the area by supporting appropriate recreational activities, maintaining and enhancing its features, promoting programs that inspire appreciation and conservation of the Park and Bottoms, and advocating for a level playing field for the various user groups.

Join Harpeth Conservancy, the Brentwood Noon Rotary Club and the City of Brentwood for the 20th Annual Little Harpeth River Clean Up!

We’ll gather together before breaking off into teams to cover the 10-mile stretch of the Little Harpeth that flows through Brentwood. Joined by civic groups, businesses, scout troops, neighborhood HOAs, and other interested communities, we’ll remove litter, trash, and debris from the Little Harpeth River! Trash bags and tools provided by Keep Williamson Beautiful, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department.

Check-in begins at 8:00 a.m.; cleanup starts at 9:00 a.m.

Please note: The back up date for this event is February 7, 2026

PARTICIPANTS MUST COMPLETE THIS WAIVER: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/lhr-waiver

ATTENTION: Signing up here on the Belmont site will insure you receive your Belmont credit. To get complete credit for this service, additional registration is required though our Volunteer Registration Portal, POINT. Please click HERE to sign up for a date! 

Centennial Park Needs You!

Help preserve our shared verdant oasis of natural beauty, history and fun in the heart of Nashville! 

Our Green Sweep Squad will meet up in the PARKING LOT outside the Parthenon entrance The First Saturday of the Month from 9am to noon to lend Metro Parks a hand in defeating our mutual arch-nemesis: LITTERBUGS

Join us and you will:

Questions? Contact holly@conservancyonline.com or 615-828-0855

Our Mission:

Centennial Park Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in partnership with Nashville’s Metro Parks to support Centennial Park and the Parthenon. We preserve, enhance and share the Parthenon and Centennial Park so that all future generations may benefit from these enriching cultural and educational landmarks.

Learn more about the Conservancy HERE!

ABOUT THE STORE: The Store operates as a free grocery store allowing people to shop for their basic needs. Our mission is to nourish communities and cultivate hope by providing nutritious food choices and access to supportive services in a dignified, loving environment. This volunteer opportunity will allow you to make a tangible impact upon the local community. You'll be helping provide wholesome food to families and the food insecure in a welcoming environment while protecting dignity and fostering hope.

GARDEN HELPERS: The Store has partnered with the Edgehill Community Gardens and has a dedicated garden plot for us to grow produce. We use this to stock our fresh produce section. We are looking for volunteers who can help with general garden bed maintenance, which could include weeding, tilling, planting, watering, harvesting and other miscellaneous garden tasks.

SIGN UPS: We utilize a third party website called Golden Volunteer to organize our volunteer opportunities. In addition to responding to this Need in Get Connected, volunteers must go to the Golden Volunteer website to sign up for specific days and times, linked here.

Please do not show up to volunteer without having first signed up for a shift on Golden Volunteer.

Please take a moment to review our individual volunteer schedule! The following farm time slots available for up to 3 individuals:

Monday 10:00 am - 12:00pm & 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday  8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Friday 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m

Volunteers are the heartbeat of Cul2vate! Cul2vate can be a wonderful vessel to share your God-given gifts, talents, and skills. There are many different volunteer opportunities, from working on the farm to belonging to a prayer group to helping with data entry.

Volunteering with Cul2vate does not require a green thumb!  Working alongside the Cul2vators and staff sharing your personal experiences can provide growth for all. As our volunteer team says, “We receive so many more blessings than we give!” We work to provide a volunteer orientation session for individual volunteers each month of the growing season.

We would love for you to become a regular - weekly or bi-weekly - volunteer with Cul2vate. We are working to schedule volunteer orientations to get you started. 

Tasks will include but are not limited to planting, harvesting, weeding, hoeing, cleaning, boxing produce, and more! We'd love for you to become a regular part of the Cul2vate community.

Please note you will need to sign our waiver before coming to work on the farm. 

https://pointapp.org/orgs/3382

The Nature Discovery Program is a partnership between Friends of Warner Parks, the Warner Park Nature Center, and Metro Parks Community Centers to reach youth who lack direct access to, and are often underrepresented in, traditional environmental education and outdoor recreation programs. The Nature Discovery Program is activated in a number of ways including:

Nature Detectives Club: an after-school program for youth at Metro Nashville Community Centers. This program provides science-based teachings and empowers kids to explore nature. This program takes place at more than 20 Community Centers throughout Davidson County. 

P.E.N. Pals (People Exploring Nature) Summer Camp: brings youth from Metro Parks Community Centers to the Warner Parks for a full day of nature exploration and outdoor adventure! Youth follow their curiosity as they explore the meadow, pond, and garden ecosystems, hike through the forest, observe wildlife, kayak, learn outdoor skills, search for crawdads in the Little Harpeth River, and create lasting memories in nature. 

P.E.N. Pals (People Exploring Nature) Fall Campfire & Night Hikes: Community Center youth experience the Warner Parks during the fall season. Earlier sunsets and cooler temperatures mean it's time to roast hot dogs, make s'mores, and enjoy time around the bonfire. Youth take a crepuscular hike through the meadows and forests of the Warner Parks and view the night sky while learning about nocturnal creatures. 

*We are looking for college-aged volunteers to participate in any of these branches of the Nature Discovery program, as the youth often find it easier to connect with this age group. This opportunity is wonderful for those who are interested in education, biology, sustainability, or environmental studies.*

Please see below for approximate date ranges throughout the year: 
Nature Detectives: year-round. Typically on a weekday between 3:00pm-5:00pm
P.E.N. Pals Summer Camp: June and July
P.E.N. Pals Fall Campfire & Night Hikes: October

If you are interested in volunteering with any of these opportunities, please contact Arabella Pagan at apagan@warnerparks.org for next steps. A background check may be required.