Volunteer Forms

FORM CATEGORIES

 

GENERAL VOLUNTEER FORMS

Incident, Injury and Insurance Protocol and Forms (Click Here)
Volunteer Information Form (Click Here)
Youth Volunteer Forms
Youth Guardian Consent Form Fillable PDF Form
To access interactive, fillable features you must
download and use Adobe Reader
Background Check to Work with Youth Link to Authorization Release Form
ATC Youth Volunteer Consent

Sections 26-32 of the ATC Volunteer Form must be completed and signed by a parent or legal guardian

Appalachian Trail Conservancy Volunteer Form

Volunteer Trail Leader Forms
Expense Reimbursement Guidelines and Forms
Trail Project Approvals Webforms
Volunteer Assignment Changes Email [email protected] and please include the following information:
Name of Volunteer
Volunteer's Email
Region
If necessary, Trail Segment
Details of Change (New Assignment or Resignation)

 

VOLUNTEER SERVICE AGREEMENT FORMS

Appalachian Trail
Volunteer Location Volunteer Role Required Form(s) Form Due  Send To Stipulations/Notice Required

Appalachian Trail, Side Trails,
and Appalachian Trail Corridor
on APPA lands, State Lands,
or another National Park Service unit

All Volunteers*

Appalachian Trail Conservancy Volunteer Form

Please select New York-New Jersey Trail Conference for Group Name

Every 5 Years Submit Online Form

N/A

New Jersey
Volunteer Location Volunteer Role Required Form(s) Form Due  Send To Stipulations/Notice Required

Essex County Parks
(Lenape Trail and Eagle Rock Reservation)

All Volunteers*

Instruction Sheet (Must Follow)

Essex County Parks Volunteer Form

Once at start of volunteering

Volunteer@
nynjtc.org

Trail Volunteers must notify Trail Supervisor prior to performing any activities outside of standard trail maintenance, such as holding large-scale vegetation removal or reblazing efforts.

Morristown National Historic Park

All Volunteers*

Morristown Volunteer Form 

Once at start of volunteering;

Volunteers are prompted to fill this out and submit at the start of their role

Trail Supervisor 
Estelle Anderson

Any rocks that are in clusters/piles cannot be moved or used, assuming they are related to the Revolutionary War.

Delaware Water Gap National
Recreation Area

All Volunteers*

Instruction Sheet

1. Position Description

2. Volunteer Service Agreement Form

3. COVID-19

4. Trail Maintenance Job Hazard Analysis

Annually

Volunteer@
nynjtc.org

All volunteers must record volunteer activities on Individual Volunteer Log and submit to Supervisor monthly.

Trail Volunteers must notify Trail Supervisor prior to performing any maintenance activities outside of standard trail maintenance, such as: trail reroutes, reblazing, vegetation removal outside the trailway, invasives removal, digging in previously undisturbed soil, and using power tools.
 
Sawyers: Chainsawing is not allowed in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area except on the Appalachian Trail.

New York Catskills
Volunteer Location Volunteer Role Required Form(s) Form Due Send To Stipulations/Notice Required

Catskills Park:
 Sundown Wild Forest,
Willowemoc Wild Forest, Big
Indian Wilderness, Slide Mountain
Wilderness, Phoenicia Wild Forest,
Overlook Mountain Wild Forest,
Indian Head Wilderness, Balsam
Lake Mountain Wild Forest, Delaware
Wild Forest, Dry Brook Ridge Wild
Forest, Hunter/West Kill Wilderness,
Kaaterskill Wild Forest, Windham
Blackhead Range Wilderness, Elm
Ridge Wild Forest, Rusk
Mountain Wild Forest, Halcott
Mountain Wild Forest, Shandaken
Wild Forest, Colgate Lake Wild
Forest

Long-Term Volunteers: Trail Maintainer, Shelter Caretaker, Trail Steward, Trail Supervisor, LTC Chair, Sawyers, Trail Crew Leaders*, Recurring Trail Crew Members, Invasives Surveyors, Sawyers

Instruction Sheet (Must Follow)

DEC Individual Application
 

5 Years, or at the start of a new agreement

Volunteer@
nynjtc.org

Catskills Volunteer Overview

Volunteer must give 48-hour notice to appropriate Forester contact.
Region 3: Michael Callan
Region 4: Alicia Vanderveur
 
 DEC approval and assistance required for heavy construction and trail reroutes. Blazing is not permitted with the exception of official Long Path Markers at intersections and trailheads. Applying signage, removing large blowdowns, and felling trees/vista maintenance are prohibited.

 

Episodic Volunteers: Workshop and Work Trip Attendees, Roving Trail Team, Roving Shelter Caretakers, Habitat Helpers*, Invasives Strike Force Removal Crew*

DEC Limited Use Application

Group Leader submits immediately following each work trip

Volunteer@
nynjtc.org

New York West of the Hudson
Volunteer Location Volunteer Role Required Form(s) Form Due Send To Stipulations/Notice Required

Blauvelt SP, Goose Pond
Mountain SP, Harriman SP,
Bear Mountain SP, High-Tor SP,
Minnewaska SP, Sterling
Forest SP, Schunemunk Mountain
SP, Storm King SP, Nyack Beach
SP, Tallman Mountain SP, Rockland
Lake SP, Hook Mountain SP, Bristol
Beach SP, Franny Reese SP,
Highland Lakes SP, Knox's HQ SHS,
Stony Point Battlefield SHS

All Volunteers*

Online OPRHP Form (Preferred method, also covers OPRHP Taconic Region Parks)

Or

Palisades Region PDF Form

Annually

Submit Online Form
or
Mail paper form to Palisades Regional Office

Trail Crews: Submit to the park a list of planned worktrips for approval before volunteers begin any work. Ad hoc trips or projects also need approval before starting any work.
 
 Chainsawyers must notify park manager before work begins.

Neversink River Unique Area
and Wolf Brook Multiple Use Area

 

Long-Term Volunteers: Trail Maintainer, Shelter Caretaker, Trail Steward, Trail Supervisor, LTC Chair, Sawyers, Trail Crew Leaders*, Recurring Trail Crew Members, Invasives Surveyors, Sawyers

Instruction Sheet (Must Follow)

DEC Individual Application
 

Once at start of volunteering

Volunteer@
nynjtc.org

Volunteer must give 48-hour notice to Supervisor prior to any volunteer activities, and specify when planning to use chainsaws or other power tools.

Volunteers may work in collaboration with the DEC to mark trails, but no trail markers will be given directly to the volunteer.

 

Episodic Volunteers: Workshop
and Work Trip Attendees, Roving Trail Team, Roving Shelter Caretakers, Habitat Helpers*, Invasives Strike Force Removal Crew*

DEC Limited Use Application

Group Leader submits immediately following each work trip

Volunteer@
nynjtc.org

Shawangunks and Surrounding lands:
Bashakill WMA, Gobblers Knob SF, Huckleberry Ridge SF
(including the Ridgeview Property),
Graham Mountain SF, Roosa
Gap SF, Shawangunk Ridge,
Long Path

 

Long-Term Volunteers: Trail Maintainer, Shelter Caretaker, Trail Steward, Trail Supervisor, LTC Chair, Sawyers, Trail Crew Leaders*, Recurring Trail Crew Members, Invasives Surveyors, Sawyers

Instruction Sheet (Must Follow)

DEC Individual Application
 

Once at start of volunteering

Volunteer@
nynjtc.org

Volunteer must give 48-hour notice to Supervisor prior to volunteering, and specify when planning to use chainsaws or other power tools.

 

Episodic Volunteers: Workshop
and Work Trip Attendees, Roving Trail Team, Roving Shelter Caretakers, Habitat Helpers*, Invasives Strike Force Removal Crew*

DEC Limited Use Application

Group Leader submits immediately following each work trip

Volunteer@
nynjtc.org

Long Path North: Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest, Patria State Forest, Vroman’s Nose Unique Area, Cotton Hill State Forest, Dutch Settlement State Forest, Partridge Run SF/WMA, Cole Hill State Forest, Featherstonhaugh State Forest 

Long-Term Volunteers: Trail Maintainer, Shelter Caretaker, Trail Steward, Trail Supervisor, LTC Chair, Sawyers, Trail Crew Leaders*, Recurring Trail Crew Members, Invasives Surveyors, Sawyers

Instruction Sheet (Must Follow)

DEC Individual Application

Once at start at volunteering [email protected]

A gas-powered or electric push mower may be used to cut grass where the trail runs through open fields. String trimmers may also be used. Anyone operating a gas-powered or electric push mower or a string trimmer must wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) such as hard hat, eye protection/face shield, hearing protection, and work gloves.

Activities which require additional written approval:

Establishing or laying out new trails

Re-routing existing trails

Lean-to maintenance

Cutting standing trees 3” or greater in diameter

Cutting downed trees 12” or great in diameter

Culvert Installation

Bridge construction/repair

Installation of any signage aside from DEC approved trail markers

Use of a motor vehicle

 

Episodic Volunteers: Workshop
and Work Trip Attendees, Roving Trail Team, Roving Shelter Caretakers, Habitat Helpers*, Invasives Strike Force Removal Crew*
DEC Limited Use Application Group leader submits immediately after each work trip  [email protected]
New York East of the Hudson
Volunteer Location Volunteer Role Required Form(s) Form Due Send To Stipulations/Notice Required

Hudson Highlands SPP, Fahnestock
SP, Taconic SP, Wonder Lake SP, FDR SP, Mills Norrie SP, Rockefeller SPP, Old Croton Aqueduct SHP, James Baird SP, John Jay SHS, Donald J. Trump SP

All Volunteers*

Online OPRHP Form (Preferred method, also covers Palisades Region Parks)

Or

Taconic Region PDF Form

 

Annually

Submit Online Form
or
Mail paper form to Taconic Regional Office
 

Volunteers maintaining trails in the Taconic region are required to notify their Trail Supervisor prior to any maintenance trips.
 
 Trail Crews:
 Submit to the park a list of planned worktrips for approval before volunteers begin any work.
 Adhoc trips or projects also need approval before starting any work.
 
 Chainsawyers must notify Evan Thompson via email or phone (845) 225-7207 prior to each work trip in Hudson Highlands SPP, Fahnestock SP, and Wonder Lake SP.

*Volunteer Crew Leaders for Trail Crews, Habitat Helpers, and Invasives Strike Force Removal Crews must obtain permission from the land manager prior to trail construction, planting, and invasive plant removal activities.
 

VOLUNTEER REPORTING

How to Use The Fillable, Auto-calculating PDFs:

  1. Use Adobe Reader to complete this form on your computer, NOT Adobe Acrobat Pro (Mac Users: Please note it will usually open in Mac Preview by default and you need to use Adobe for the form to be interactive).
  2. First save a blank copy to your local computer drive. If you do not save the file before filling it out, your changes will not save.
  3. When you are finished filling out the form, click the disk icon in Adobe Reader to save the file.
  4. You can either email this file to your proper liaison or print the form and mail it to them.

If you have issues with the forms please email [email protected].

*For a print version of the below grid please click here

Trail Volunteers
Volunteer Role Reporting Form When to Report Who to Report To
Trail Volunteers Trail Volunteer Worksheet Optional, as needed for communications Optional, as needed for communications
Trail Crew;
Roving Trail Team;
Ad-hoc Work trip
Crew Project Trip Report
Fillable PDF
Print Version PDF

Optional: Work Trip Workbook and
Instructions for Workbook
As soon as possible upon completion of a work trip Relevant Trail Crew Chief,
Trail Supervisor, Trail Chair
or Program Coordinator
Crew Chief Crew Chief & Chainsaw Summary
Fillable PDF
Print Version PDF

Optional: Work Trip Workbook and
Instructions for Workbook
July 14: Winter/Spring Report
Dec. 22: Summer/Fall Report
Relevant Trail Chair
Regional Trail Chair
(see RTC Meetings below)
General Volunteer Report
Fillable PDF
Print Version PDF
Aug. 1:  Winter/Spring Report
Jan. 15: Summer/Fall Report
Relevant Program Coordinator
and [email protected]

 

Ecological Stewardship Volunteers
Volunteer Role Reporting Form When to Report Who to Report To
Invasive Strike Force Surveyors For Instructions on Procedures and Reporting, please visit the Online Learning Library and scroll down to Ecological Stewardship and Invasives Skills Within 2 weeks of completion of survey Stewardship Communications Coordinator, or [email protected]
Invasive Strike Force Trail Crew Crew Project Trip Report – Crew Roster
Fillable PDF
Print Version PDF
As soon as possible upon completion of a work trip Terrestrial Invasives Project Manager or [email protected]
Habitat Helpers Crew Crew Project Trip Report – Crew Roster
Fillable PDF
Print Version PDF
As soon as possible upon completion of a workday Habitat Helper Leader, or [email protected]
Invasives Interns Sign-in Clipboard,
or General Volunteer Report
Fillable PDF
Print Version PDF
Day-of Stewardship Communications Coordinator, or [email protected]

 

Office, Committee and Other Active Volunteers
Volunteer Role Reporting Form When to Report Who to Report To
Office Volunteer Sign-in Clipboard Day-of Sign-in Sheet
Committee Member Committee Sign-in Sheet Day-of Sign-in Sheet
Tabling and Outreach Volunteers General Volunteer Report
Fillable PDF
Print Version PDF
As soon as possible upon completion of activity Relevant Trail Conference Liaison or [email protected]
General Active Volunteers and One-off Projects General Volunteer Report
Fillable PDF
Print Version PDF
As soon as possible upon completion of activity Relevant Trail Conference Liaison or [email protected]
Episodic Groups (i.e. Scouts, corporate, etc.) Crew Project Trip Report As soon as possible upon completion of activity Relevant Trail Conference Liaison or [email protected]

 

Workshops and Meetings
Volunteer Role Reporting Form When to Report Who to Report To
Workshop Attendee (Includes Instructor Attendance) Sign-in Sheet As soon as possible upon completion of workshop Instructor sends to [email protected]
Workshop Instructor: Administrative Time Include on sign-in sheet As soon as possible upon completion of workshop [email protected]
RTC Meetings Sign-in Sheet As soon as possible upon completion of meeting RTC Chair sends to [email protected]

 

Publications Committee
Volunteer Role Reporting Form When to Use Who to Send To
Author/Project Manager Photo/Video Release When photo is taken of people who can be identifed  
Author/Project Manager License Agreement for Photographers When photographer submits photo(s)/video(s) to be used in a Trail Confernce publication  
Author/Project Manager License Agreement for Authors When an author submits are work to be published by the Trail Conference but they retain the copyright.  
Author Copyright Donation Agreement When an author submits a work to be published by the Trail Conference and donates the copyright to the Trail Conference.