Volunteer

Join our community of volunteers who help make a difference in the Lower Haw River State Natural Area!  We have a variety of opportunities and flexible time commitments.  Contact lowerhawevents@gmail.com and let us know your interests. Meet-Up Map of locations available at this link for Lower Haw River State Natural Area.

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities:

Whack Attack! Invasive Plant Removal Workday

Date: March 17, 2026

Time: 9:30 am to 3:00 pm (or whenever you need to leave)

Location:  Haw River Access at 4551 US Hwy 15-501 N, Pittsboro

Directions: Meet in the large parking lot on US 15-501 at the Haw River between Chapel Hill and Pittsboro. If headed south on US 15-501 from Chapel Hill, the parking lot is on the right before crossing the Haw River. If headed north on US 15-501 from Pittsboro, make a U-turn after crossing the Haw River, then head south on US 15-501 and the parking lot will be a short distance on the right.

Friends of Lower Haw is having an invasive plant removal workday with NC State Parks biologists on March 17th from 9:30 am until 3:00 pm, or whenever you need to leave.  Meet in the parking lot at 9:30 am and stay however long you want to help. We will be working in the Pegg Tract area of the Lower Haw River State Natural Area, located upstream of the Bynum Dam by US Hwy 15-501. Invasive plant workdays involve identifying and removing non-native plants using clippers, pruners, saws, and other non-motorized hand tools. Learn about invasive plants and removal techniques. Bring your own loppers or hand pruners, work gloves, insect repellent, and water. Wear long pants, long sleeve shirt, and closed toe shoes. There are no restroom facilities at this location. Youth volunteers ages 12 to 17 are welcome to participate if accompanied by an adult.

Based on new regulations, volunteers who may be interested in applying herbicide are now required to watch the new NCDA required training video (34 minutes) for non-licensed pesticide applicators before attending the workday. Link to 34-minute video on YouTube. If you are not interested in applying herbicide, then you are not required to watch the training video in order to volunteer for the workday.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Pollinator Garden

Friends of Lower Haw's pollinator garden is located near the US 15-501 parking lot by the Haw River. We partnered with the North Carolina Wildlife Federation to make our garden a Pollinator Pitstop on their Butterfly Highway program. We hold volunteer workdays to help with weeding, removing invasive plants, and continuing to plant more native plants to enhance our pollinator garden. This is a good opportunity to learn about native and invasive plants, or to put your knowledge of native and invasive plants to good use. Bring your own lopping shears, hand pruners, or trowels, drinking water, insect repellent, and work gloves. We recommend wearing long pants, long sleeve shirt, and closed-toe shoes. There are no restroom facilities at this location. Directions: The pollinator garden is located at the US 15-501 parking lot by the Haw River. The address is 4551 US 15-501 N, Pittsboro NC 27312 (GPS 35.77657, -79.14726). From Chapel Hill, take US 15-501 South towards Pittsboro and the parking lot will be on the right before crossing the Haw River.  From Pittsboro, take US 15-501 North towards Chapel Hill and cross over the Haw River, make a left U-turn after crossing over the river, and head South a short distance to the parking lot on the right.

Whack Attack! Invasive Plant Removal Workdays

Friends of Lower Haw holds invasive plant removal workdays with State Parks biologists. Invasive plant workdays typically involve identifying and removing non-native plants using clippers, pruners, saws, or any other non-motorized hand tool. Only State Parks staff are allowed to use motorized equipment like chainsaws and brush saws for larger plants. Learn about invasive plants and removal techniques. Bring your own loppers or hand pruners, work gloves, insect repellent, and water. Wear long pants, long sleeve shirt, and sturdy closed-toe shoes.

Birdhouse Monitoring

Friends of Lower Haw uses volunteers to monitor our birdhouses in the Lower Haw River State Natural Area.  The birdhouses were funded by a generous donation from bePhilARThropy's Bynum Bridge Fest. Volunteers sign up to monitor one or more boxes between February and June every two weeks for nesting activity, then weekly if there is a nest, and report the results. Adoption is a commitment for the entire breeding season.

Wildlife Camera Monitoring

Friends of Lower Haw uses volunteers to monitor our wildlife cameras in the Lower Haw River State Natural Area.  The wildlife cameras were funded by a generous donation from bePhilARThropy's Bynum Bridge Fest. We have 3 wildlife cameras to capture wildlife activity and need volunteer monitors for each wildlife camera. The wildlife cameras are monitored year-round, downloading the images every month. See a presentation by Matt Spangler at this link and on our Publications page about the Secret Life of Animals based on our wildlife camera images.

Clean-Up Events

Friends of Lower Haw is not offering group volunteer clean-up events. If you are interested in volunteering for clean-up events, please visit the Clean Jordan Lake website to see their upcoming events or find out how to adopt a shoreline or feeder stream.  Even though Friends of Lower Haw is not offering group volunteer clean-up events, you can still help do nature a favor by taking a trash bag and work gloves with you when you go for a walk along the Haw River and pick up trash along the way.