Volunteer
All sorts of volunteers are welcome and no particular skill is required.
Typically every year we have volunteer projects at our fish hatcheries, on our 6100+ acres of conserved land and the 55 miles of rivers we care for. Find out more below.
Upcoming Projects
Trail Maintenance
DSF is growing, and so is our trail system! We have hiking trails in Washington and Hancock counties and we can always use volunteers to help with keeping them open and in good shape. We have big plans for 2025, and welcome your help! Sign up using the form below. Washington/Hancock Counties, ME.
River Cleanups
Similar to trail and road clearing, the river cleanup projects are more specific to a localized river area, such as dams, river shorelines and ponds. Supervision is provided by DSF staff, and all materials and tools are provided. Sign up below for complete details. Washington/Hancock Counties, ME.
Hatchery Volunteers
The need for hatchery volunteers will be limited during 2025, but please complete the volunteer sign up form below if interested. E. Machias or Columbia Falls, ME.
Environmental Education
We welcome classrooms of students from elementary to university level, teachers, please be in touch! Younger students can watch salmon develop from eggs with the Fish Friends Program; older students can help out in the hatchery or with fin clipping and stocking. Teens can attend the annual Cobscook Institute’s River Camp to participate in habitat restoration and research projects.
​Land Trust
We are always looking for Land Stewards to help us upkeep and maintain our 6,100 acres of protected land across Washington and Hancock Counties. If you want to help monitor a local preserve, please fill out the volunteer form below. We also welcome photographers, artists and FAA Part 107-certified drone operators to document our properties and donate photos for DSF use in promotions.
Cherryfield River Monitoring
Want to help support populations of sea-run fish in the Narraguagus River? Come collect water quality data with us!
What? Downeast Salmon Federation and the Cherryfield Riverwalk Committee are joining together to start a Volunteer River Monitoring Program on our beloved river. We will take measurements of temperature, dissolved oxygen, and salinity at several sites along the river.
When & Where? We’re looking for 4-8 local volunteers to collect water quality data across several sites along the Narraguagus and its tributaries. Sampling will take 2-3 hours and will occur every three weeks from May through September. This position is ideal for those who love sunrise over the river—data need to be collected before 8 am! There are two required training sessions: 1) online training over zoom from 7 to 8:30 pm on April 22nd and 2) in-person training at a to-be-determined date in May.
Who? There’s no need to have previous experience with collecting water quality data. You’ll need to attend the training sessions to participate, so reach out to us early if you’re interested. This volunteer job is also best for folks who are comfortable walking along riverbanks and spending some time driving between sites. To thank you for your efforts, each time you join we’ll gather at the Paisley Loon in Cherryfield afterwards (coffee’s on us!).
Why? The data you collect will be used by the Department of Marine Resources and Downeast Salmon Federation to help make restoration decisions that impact sea-run fish. We’ll also share our data with the Department of Environmental Protection to contribute to a state-wide dataset on river health. The Narraguagus is one of the most important rivers in the nation for Atlantic salmon, river herring, and American shad—come take part in helping conserve this wild and beautiful river.
Donate
Please consider supporting DSF through a donation of any amount. Your giving adds strength to our mission, and gives us the ability to do more.
Make an Impact
Fill in and submit this form to sign up for a project or program and we’ll be in touch right away with more details and directions.