New Volunteer Training Program to begin at the
Conservatory of Flowers
Dear ,
The Conservatory of Flowers launches a new volunteer training program this January that offers novices and plant lovers alike an unparalleled opportunity to learn more about tropical flora and strategies for engaging youth and the public with its rare living collection. The Conservatory is seeking volunteers to lead school groups on Jungle Guide tours, Discovery Cart facilitators to present hands-on, interactive activities for early school-aged visitors, and docents to lead highlight and in-depth gallery tours.
The training program begins Monday, January 26, 2009 and will be held every Monday afternoon from 1:30 to 4:30 pm through March 23, 2009. An additional 1-3 weeks of training takes place at the conclusion of the nine-week program depending on the volunteer position. The materials fee is $50 per person.
Volunteers enrolled in the new training program receive an incredible introduction to tropical plants and their conservation from the Conservatory's expert horticultural staff and a host of guest speakers. The program covers the basics of botany, climate, geography and soil in tropical habitats, botanical evolution, pollinators, adaptations, conservation worldwide, ethnobotany and the economics of tropical plants. In addition, volunteers learn about the history of the Conservatory and Victorian greenhouses in general. All volunteers are trained to engage visitors in fun, interactive ways with the collection. And an ongoing continuing education program ensures that Conservatory volunteers are always learning something new about tropical plants and global conservation efforts.
"We're excited to launch this new training for interested volunteers," says Dolores Gebhardt, the Conservatory's new Education Specialist. "We're really retooling our education program to be relevant to today's world with a continued, but deepened emphasis on conservation and ecology. Our volunteers are essential in helping us to not only get people excited about plants but also to help them understand why the survival of the tropics is in everyone's interest."
Volunteers who sign up for the training are required to commit to one year of service from June 30, 2009 to June 30, 2010. Jungle Guides and docents must be able to lead 2 tours per month. Interested volunteers should contact Lee Edwards, Volunteer Manager, before January 20th at (415) 722-6650 or ledwards@sfcof.org.
