Contacts
Capt. Lisa Stone, DFG Natural Resource Volunteer Program Statewide Coordinator, (916) 653-7575
Lt. Cindy Adkins, DFG Northern Enforcement District Coordinator, (530) 225-2268
Lt. Kent Smirl, DFG Southern Enforcement District Coordinator, (714) 448-4215
DFG Warden Patrick Foy, (916) 651-2084

DFG Natural Resource Volunteer Program Coming To Northern California, Expanding in Southern California
The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) invites motivated adults who love the outdoors to participate in the Natural Resource Volunteer Program in northern California. Volunteers are needed throughout the Northern Enforcement District, which includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity, Siskiyou, Modoc, Shasta, Lassen, Plumas, Tehama, Butte, Glenn, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Sierra, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Alpine, Amador, Sacramento and Solano counties. A volunteer academy will be held for new participants June 14-25 in Redding.

The ideal volunteer can commit to serving at least 24 hours per month. Volunteers will be assigned to a variety of tasks depending on DFG's needs. Typical volunteer work includes educating the public about preventing negative wildlife encounters, assisting biologists and environmental scientists perform field surveys, patrolling and monitoring DFG lands for evidence of poaching, pollution, illegal collecting and unlawful intrusion, assisting game wardens during season openers and at DFG checkpoints, distributing fishing and hunting regulations, and transporting injured or orphaned wildlife to rehabilitation centers. Volunteers may also assist with hunter education, provide support services at DFG offices or represent DFG at public outreach events.

DFG is looking for people with a variety of skills including clerical, computer, grant writing, mechanical, public speaking and teaching.

The program, which began as the Senior Volunteer Program (SVP) in Southern California in 2001, is now expanding statewide and is no longer restricted to senior participants. The volunteers, who have a wide range of knowledge, experience and backgrounds, have been very helpful to many programs within DFG. Volunteers are not sworn employees of DFG and have no powers of arrest or law enforcement authority.

In the Southern Enforcement District, 11 new volunteers participated in a recent volunteer academy, graduating on April 30. These volunteers will join other DFG volunteers already working in San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties.