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Voluntourism in Tucson & Southern Arizona

Tucson Volunteer Travel

Leisure travelers to Tucson and Southern Arizona interested in "giving back" while "kicking back" will find they've definitely come to the right place.

This region offers many opportunities to combine volunteer service with traditional travel experiences, especially those related to nature, the arts and cultural heritage. Visitors who enjoy the great outdoors will find Tucson and Southern Arizona is an abundantly rewarding destination for voluntourism.

Visitors can participate in cultivation and distribution of seeds from ancient strains of beans, tomatoes, gourds and other produce native to the American Southwest through involvement with the Tucson-based, non-profit organization Native Seeds/SEARCH. To volunteer at the Native Seeds/SEARCH Conservation Farm in Patagonia, just south of Tucson, go to www.nativeseeds.org.

Keeping trails beautiful and safe requires an ongoing effort. Public lands in Tucson and Southern Arizona accommodate legions of visitors seeking to experience the area's varied landscapes and climates. Hikers, picnickers, mountain bikers and horseback riders can "give back" by volunteering a bit of elbow grease for cleanup, fix-up, and restoration projects. Voluntourism opportunities include:

• The Friends of Sabino Canyon provides a volunteer work program that includes trail restoration and facility enhancement. For more information, visit www.sabinocanyon.org.
  
  
• The Arizona Trail Association (ATA) organizes volunteers to build and maintain the Arizona Trail, a continuous, 800-mile, non-motorized trail across Arizona from Mexico to Utah that is nearly complete. For volunteer opportunities, visit www.AzTrail.org.
  
  
• The Federal Bureau of Land Management of Southern Arizona provides experienced and novice workers with opportunities to build, maintain and repair trails and campgrounds and historic sites. Details are at www.blm.gov.
  
  
• The Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona maintains an ever-changing list of volunteer opportunities at locations ranging from parks, libraries and hospitals to food banks, recycling centers and animal shelters. The current list of opportunities is at www.volunteerSoAz.org.
  
  

Find assistance matching skills and interests with volunteer projects in Tucson and Southern Arizona on the MTCVB's Voluntourism page at www.visitTucson.org.

Information courtesy of the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau.