Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Programs and fBBGSA Teams

COVID19 Management Plan applies to all FBBGSA activities:

Members must adhere to the directives & requirements of the FBBGSA plan.

Our team projects are not training programs. Basic horticultural skills and ability to use tools without supervision are a pre-requisite. The botanic gardens staff and team members are not trained as teachers, carers nor can they support member needs in their endeavours to learn basic gardening skills.

To be involved in any volunteer programme you must first be a current member of FBBGSA and register annually as a Volunteer before joining all teams.
All FBBGSA members involved in BCC site based programmes need to complete an annual risk management training programme.

WHERE TO FROM HERE?

Are you a member of fBBGSA?

Then complete the online registration form on https://fbbgsa.org.au/volunteer-programme/

You are not a member?

Please join on-line HERE and then register as a volunteer by following the website links.

Safety management training workshop: Volunteers are required to attend a BCC/fBGGSA induction workshop and re-register as a volunteer on an annual basis.

Any questions send a message via email members@fbbgsa.org.au

Volunteer Programs

The Master Class Gardeners Program – new program being developed in 2021 release

Master Gardener Class programme – help the team provide an in-depth learning experience for the participants and work alongside leading horticulturists during the development and implementation of the certificate program.

Kitchen Gardens Programme

Enjoy getting dirty and working with KITCHEN GARDEN VOLUNTEERS?

Currently this Green Group is at capacity. Please register your name for future vacancies at members@fbbgsa.org.au

Friends of Brisbane Botanic Gardens & Sherwood Arboretum (FBBGSA) offers herb and vegetable gardening experiences from March to September each year (may be extended beyond these times in the future).

This includes traditional plants as well as bush tucker and native plants. BCC staff initiate projects for the FBBGSA volunteers to complete each month and range from planting, weeding, potting up, cultivating, composting etc. Volunteers work in small groups to complete the tasks directed by BCC gardens staff.

Volunteers engage in the following tasks:

pH testing of soils
Seed and seedling planting out including potting mediums, fertilising etc
Composting techniques
Monthly review of growth and impact of pH, sun/ shade conditions and management of local wildlife on the produce – scrub turkeys, cockatoos, “visitors”
Preventative strategies to minimize pests and diseases
Watering and fertilising options and
Team work and value of connecting with like minded people.

The gardens staff are not trained as teachers, carers nor supporters to member needs in their endeavours to gardening. Basic horticultural skills and ability to use tools without supervision are a pre-requisite. This is not a training program.

Growing Friends –

Currently suspended until new nursery is built in 2021.

The Friends conduct morning sessions to propagate uncommon, rare and endangered plants at Mt Coot-Tha Gardens. The programme includes selection of stock for propagating according to the nursery program schedule; watering; fertilising; potting up of cuttings; monitoring and recording results.

A Growing Friends nursery is to be built in early 2021 providing on-site plant production resources for the gardens and plant sales.

Basic Horticultural skills and ability to use tools without supervision are a pre-requisite. The gardens staff are not trained as teachers or carers, nor can they support member’s needs in their endeavours to learn to propagate plants. This is not a training program.

Names can be entered on the waiting list by emailling members@fbbgsa.org.au

Terms and conditions of membership and volunteer training apply

Label Auditing Team

The function of the Label Auditing Team is to survey the plant labels throughout the collection of the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens to ensure accuracy, uniformity of content and format through the upgrading of old labels and to identify any labels which are damaged, missing or incorrectly placed.

Meet every Monday 9:30 to 11:30/12 noon February to October.

Knowledge/ background – no particular plant knowledge is asked for – except perhaps an interest in plants. Some knowledge of scientific nomenclature and plant ID can be helpful but not obligatory.