Community Engagement

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the River Revitalization Foundation!

Fostering Our Riparian Biodiversity (F.O.R.B.) is River Revitalization Foundation’s volunteer opportunity! Participate in land restoration activities with RRF Stewardship Director and other RRF staff. Meet and work alongside individuals passionate about the natural world and preserving its integrity.

We also have a longstanding relationship with UW-Milwaukee to provide service learning opportunities to students in environmental courses.

NOTE: An orientation is required prior to volunteering with RRF. Orientations take place twice a month on Zoom. Sign up for an orientation, and we will email you the Zoom link prior to the orientation.

Orientation Dates (April – November 2022)

The second Tuesday of the month from 4:00-4:30pm
The last Thursday of the month from 12:00-12:30pm
- No orientation on 11/24/22 (Thanksgiving)

safety protocols

There will be a max of 8 people per volunteer day. Online signup required. (The signup link will be provided to you during orientation).
We recommend you bring your own work gloves, otherwise RRF will provide some for you.
All tools will be sanitized after each use.
Volunteers will maintain a safe distance from others. Masks are optional while working outside.
RRF requires masks for all visitors when entering the building to use the facilities (use restroom, fill up water)

FORB details

FORB times

Mondays 2-4pm
Fridays 1-4pm
1st & 2nd Saturdays 9am-12pm (April-November 2022)

Please note these are blocks of time and the start and end times are listed. If you need to leave early, that’s OK but make sure to let our staff know.

There will be no FORB on the following days in 2022: 5/14, 5/27, 5/30, 7/1, 7/2, 7/4, 9/2, 9/3, 9/5, 11/25, 12/19, 12/23, 12/26, 12/30

General information

RRF will provide the necessary tools, supplies and work gloves which will be sanitized prior to each use. There are no training requirements for this opportunity, however it is somewhat physical since most of the work is outdoors. Volunteers must be willing and able to participate in manual labor for at least 2 hours outdoors in varying weather conditions.

FORB activities

Activities could include, but are not limited to: Removing invasive species, establishing native plants and trees, maintaining trails, seed collecting and cleaning, controlling erosion.

All activities are important for improving the quality and access of the habitat surrounding Milwaukee’s river basin.

What to wear/bring

Please wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty (we recommend layers) and close-toed shoes.

Other items to consider bringing with you: water bottle, sunscreen, bug repellent.

Group volunteer days

Engaging the community and creating more land stewards is vital to RRF’s mission and our community. We have several opportunities throughout the year for your corporation, organization, church group, youth group, etc. to get involved in.

Here is a general overview of the volunteer opportunities we can offer your group. Specific dates, times, locations, and activities are subject to change and must be scheduled with an RRF staff member.

SPRING: Sapling and garlic mustard removal

SUMMER: Various invasive species removal

FALL: Woody invasive species removal and planting native species.

We want to provide a fulfilling volunteer experience, so our opportunities are for groups of 5-25 people, for 2-3 hours of work.

Please email Catie with any questions or to receive more information about scheduling a work day.

Thank you for your interest and we look forward to working with you soon!

New to volunteering with RRF? Please complete our online volunteer waiver form

UWM Service Learning

The River Revitalization Foundation has worked with UW-Milwaukee and its environmentally focused classes as partners in its service learning program for 15 years. This program engages students in six to 10 hours of land stewardship efforts as part of a class requirement. We lead them on an introductory hike before working in the field, and the students enjoy the hands-on working and learning that we provide in our outdoor classroom.

Thousands of native plants, trees, and herbs have been planted by UWM students over the years in addition to the thousands of pounds of invasive species removed from river lands. We are thankful for this partnership with UWM and hope that all service learners will become regular volunteers!

Service Learning Schedule Spring 2022

If you are a UWM student completing your service learning with RRF please sign up by clicking the button below.

Remember that you need a total of 8 hours!