Become a Community Scientist
Through Turtle Guardians you can volunteer to help save turtles!
Community Science is scientific work carried out by volunteer members of the community - like you! Community Science volunteers work with Turtle Guardians Staff to help in areas where we are not able to be. We have a number of different programs available. Volunteering is possible at any age and from anywhere in North America and Beyond.
Volunteers are active from May until October. You can volunteer as much or as little time as you'd like. All training is provided for free so you don't need any previous experience to get involved.

Turtles Need Your Help
Turtles are a keystone species. They play an important role in keeping an ecosystem functioning. Turtles maintain the health of our wetlands by consuming the carcasses of dead fish and animals, which removes harmful bacteria; and they also eat plants and spread seeds to grow new fish nurseries, moose habitats and wetland areas. Turtles also have cultural and spiritual importance for some Indigenous cultures. However, all of Canada's and 3/4 of the U.S.A's and the world's turtles are endangered of becoming extinct. It can take turtles up to 60 years for a turtle to replace themself once in nature.
Without turtles - our best cleaning crews and biodiversity agents - we would not be able to enjoy nature in the ways we can today.
Volunteer Opportunities





Step 1
Register for a Program.
Complete our online registration form, where you'll provide basic details about yourself and the programs you's like to participate in.
Step 2
Complete your online training.
Once registered, we will reach out with options for live-virtual training or online self-guided options. All of our self-guided training materials are offered through easy-to-use, interactive modules! It will take you about 2 hours to complete all your training. You do not need to complete all of your training in one sitting.
Step 3
Start Volunteering!
Once you have completed your training, you will receive a volunteer package with necessary high viz materials depending on which volunteer options you have chosen. Then you are ready to start helping turtles!
What volunteers are saying...
The Green Herons Road Research Team in St. Catharines tell us about their volunteer experience last summer!
Wetland Watcher Carol tells us about all the wildlife she saw while monitoring a wetland last summer!