CNP Volunteering

We’re making some changes in our volunteering requirements in our Certificate in Native Plants program.

Now, as in the past, CNP participants can get their 40-hours of volunteering by working on native plant plots in several public gardens around the region, or they can staff event booths or be part of speaking engagements. They may help with our paperwork or accounting chores, or with CNP program planning and tracking. Some can contribute to this newsletter.

But beginning Jan. 1, 2025, we will be adding a structure layer to the volunteer requirements. We’ll be spreading the volunteer help over several categories to make sure everyone gets their hands in the dirt and to ensure we all become more knowledgeable and well-rounded CNP certificate holders.

Here’s the new structure.

Beginning the first of the year, you’ll need a minimum of:

  • 10 hours hands-in-the-dirt volunteering at things like a Wild Ones sanctioned weed wrangle, hosting a Landscape In Progress tour event, working on a native plants installation effort sponsored by CHAPP (the Chattanooga Area Pollinator Partnership) or being part of a maintenance outing specifically involving native plants at any number of our partner organizations such as Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center, McCoy Farms, Audubon Acres, Tennessee Native Plant Society, Lula Lake Land Trust, and Friends of the Cumberland Trail.
  • 10 hours in education/teaching/public outreach. Examples are CHAPP public information tabling events, speakers bureaus or serving as a docent at a garden tour.
  • 10 hours in TVWO administration work in committees or with communications and logistics, as well as membership work and coordination with other nonprofits.
  • 10 hours of your choice in the above categories.

For those of you already in the middle of your volunteering, don’t panic. You have until Dec. 31 of this year to tie up your loose ends to meet your 40-hour-requirement without meeting the new categories requirements.

Please use this downloadable form for reporting your volunteer time.

If you still have questions email us at [email protected].