One of the great strengths of the Garden is our talented and hardworking group of volunteers. Our dedicated volunteers enjoy the beauty of nature, while playing an important role in the protection and preservation of New Hanover County’s historic garden. Volunteering at the Garden provides an opportunity to meet people with similar interests and give the community the gift of your time. Airlie is always looking for new volunteers to join the team.
Fill out Volunteer Application Form below to request more information, or contact Nicole Herron, Guest Services Coordinator at nherron@nhcgov.com / 910-798-7566
Volunteer Opportunities
- Garden Guide: Trained in the history/horticulture/ecology of Airlie Gardens, gives walking tours to pre-scheduled groups.
- Grounds: Thursday at 9am, performs gardening tasks within the garden, always directed by Airlie staff.
- Tram Driver: Drives accessibility Tram through the garden for guests, optional training in history/horticulture/ecology. Age requirement 25 years or older. Background and Drivers check required.
- Events: Assist with our special events: ticketing, parking, greeting, etc. Events include: Summer Concerts, Enchanted Airlie, NHC resident Free Day & Family Fun Night.
- Gift Shop/Clerical: Gift shop, membership & ticket sales, orient guests to the Airlie experience, use of cash register and credit card machine.
- Environmental Programs: Assisting with habitat or lifecycle interpretation during special events, staffing for booths at relevant outreach festivals, and assisting with maintenance in our “bug zoo” and butterfly house. Specialized training and background checks are required.
- Garden Ambassador: Our newest volunteer opportunity, garden ambassadors are stationed at an area of public interest within the garden, educating guests about different topics related to the Airlie experience. Topics may include anything from birding and butterflies to history and horticulture. Also an option to assist with outreach. (2-hour Topic specific Ambassador Trainings are scheduled following each “new volunteer” orientation)
Airlie Gardens volunteers must be 16 years of age or older
Volunteer Orientation
Join us for a “NEW VOLUNTEER” orientation to learn more about the different volunteer opportunities at Airlie Gardens. Participants must have completed an online application. Orientation presentations typically last approximately 30-45 mins and are scheduled in advance of our scheduled “current volunteer” Garden Ambassador Trainings. Orientation participants are welcome but not required, to stay and attend the 2-hour Garden Ambassador Trainings scheduled for the specific orientation date if it is an area of volunteer interest to you. For more information about these trainings or to REGISTER for orientation please contact Nicole Herron, Volunteer Coordinator: nherron@nhcgov.com.
2019 Scheduled Volunteer Orientations:
- Not yet scheduled for 2019
- more to come…
Volunteer Training Portal
This portal is a training resource for our current volunteers. For access please contact Nicole Herron, Guest Services Coordinator: nherron@nhcgov.com / 910-798-7566
