You can make a real difference
Volunteers like you make projects like the restoration of the Pinhey Sand Dunes possible! Our amazing volunteers, both regulars and occasional helpers, are of diverse ages and backgrounds. Whether you’re 8 or 88, there’s always a way for you to contribute! They are essential to our team, and we’re always thrilled to welcome both familiar and new faces.
Volunteer crews work during the warmer months to care for the dune habitat. Usually, events are scheduled for a few hours on weekend mornings from spring to fall, but we encourage individuals and groups to CONTACT US if they’d like to volunteer at other times. Check our EVENTS page to find the next scheduled opportunity to volunteer.
Our volunteers get to work alongside scientists and naturalists to restore the Pinhey Sand Dunes. The work can be hands-on and hot, but the satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped create a clean and healthy dune far outweighs any challenges. This is a fantastic opportunity for budding scientists to gain field experience, for Nepean locals to improve their community, and for everyone to learn more about their environment. We are also happy to help students get their volunteer hours!
Activities include:
Planting native and beneficial plant species into the dunes to support its inhabitants, especially our pollinators.
Remove Invasive plants that can out-compete the species we plant and contaminate the clean sand with debris.
Identifying and counting caterpillars and other insects at the different dunes lets us know how suitable the habitat is.
By removing tree debris and other contaminants, we are cleaning the dunes and allowing species like the threatened Ghost Tiger Beetle to thrive.
Seeds are sown off-site over winter to provide the seedlings needed for planting.
We hope everyone who volunteers at the Pinhey Sand Dunes learns more about this unique habitat and gains a deeper appreciation for the importance of biodiversity.