The Northwoods Wildlife Center is looking for skilled and willing volunteers to help with several important outdoor and construction projects.
These projects are more than maintenance. They help us create safe, secure spaces for injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife while also improving the areas where visitors, families, students, and community members learn about the natural world.
We are currently looking for help with:
Fence Building and Repair
Fencing is essential to wildlife rehabilitation. It helps keep predators, people, and other animals away from recovering wildlife patients. It also allows us to create specific care zones, such as fawn recovery pens, and separate public education areas from wildlife recovery spaces. Volunteers can help by digging post holes, moving fence boards, attaching boards to stringers, painting, staining, and assisting with general construction.
Nature Trail Work
We are continuing work on our nature trail and need help spreading trail surface material and compacting it so the trail is more accessible and inviting for visitors and education programs.
Observation Decks
We have a couple of small observation decks to build along the trail. These simple deck structures will give visitors a place to sit, watch wildlife, take photos, and enjoy the natural setting around the Center.
Cleanup and Site Preparation
We have piles of old lumber and brush that need to be moved so we can prepare space for new animal recovery enclosures.
Skilled Construction Help
Enclosure Maintenance:
We have been around for a long time, and our enclosures and facilities often need repairs. Currently we have miscellaneous things like doors that aren’t closing very well, siding that needs replacing, but we are also planning to build several new enclosures for wildlife recovery and also for our animals ambassadors.
We also have larger projects, including our Owl House, where skilled volunteer help can make a major difference. The more we can accomplish with qualified volunteers, the more we can stretch limited nonprofit dollars and direct resources toward wildlife care, education, and patient needs.
Indoor Habitat and Enclosure Projects:
We are also looking for skilled volunteers with carpentry, finish carpentry, cabinet making, millwork, or similar experience to help with several indoor habitat and enclosure projects.
Aqua, one of our snapping turtles, has outgrown her current enclosure and needs a larger aquarium and housing area that better fits her size and long-term care needs while allowing our visitors to be able to view and learn about this beautiful creature.
Speedy, Pandora, and Bull, our box turtles, also need a new glass-front enclosure that will allow visitors to see them, learn about them, and connect with their stories during education tours.
These projects require more specialized skills than some of our outdoor volunteer opportunities. We are looking for people who are comfortable with careful measurements, sturdy construction, finish work, building around glass or viewing panels, and creating enclosures that are both functional and attractive.
The finished habitats need to be safe for the animals, easy for staff to clean and maintain, durable enough for daily use, and inviting for the public to view during tours.
For a skilled carpenter, cabinet maker, or craftsperson, this is a meaningful opportunity to build something lasting — something that will improve the daily lives of our resident turtles and help thousands of visitors better understand native wildlife.
We welcome individuals, small groups, local businesses, contractors, service clubs, and anyone with practical skills or a willingness to help. Some projects require construction experience, but many do not.
If you are interested in helping, please contact us at (715) 356-7400, or by email at general@northwoodswildlife.org, and let us know what kind of work you are comfortable doing, what skills or tools you may have, and when you are generally available.
Your time and skills can help build the spaces wildlife patients need to recover.