Ways to Get Involved
National wildlife refuges provide many opportunities for you to help your community by doing what you love. National wildlife refuges partner with volunteers, youth groups, landowners, neighbors and residents of urban and coastal communities to make a lasting difference.
Anyone can help restore and protect nesting seabird habitat by joining the , a 501 (c) 3 organization in its efforts to preserve, protect and restore Midway Atoll's biological diversity and historic resources.
If you are ready to get your hands (or feet) dirty, and are interested in applying for one of the full-time six-month volunteer positions, or becoming an albatross census volunteer, see details below. To get a glimpse of volunteers in action, check out some of the latest updates on the , or subscribe to their email newsletter.
Volunteering
Discover for yourself what tens of thousands of volunteers have learned: volunteering for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is fun and rewarding in many ways. Master new skills. Meet new friends. Enjoy a sense of accomplishment from doing your part to further wildlife conservation for the pleasure of generations to follow. Check out all of the Service's latest volunteer opportunities on volunteer.gov.
Volunteer applications are being accepted for biological positions at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge/Battle of Midway National Memorial for six-month tours of duty usually spanning April through October and October through April. Months may vary pending flight schedule.
Midway Atoll has two principal volunteer opportunities throughout the year: 6 month rotations and an albatross-specific, short term opportunity towards the end of the year.
6 Month Volunteers
Volunteer applications are accepted for biological positions at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial for six-month stints usually spanning April through September and September through March. Exact dates depend on flight schedules and will vary. The biological program focuses on controlling and removing non-native species and maintaining, conserving, and restoring quality habitat to support indigenous plants, seabirds, waterbirds, monk seals, and sea turtles. Volunteers work 40 hours/week (typically Monday-Friday) with additional nights, early mornings, and weekend work as needed. Work includes invasive plant removal using manual and chemical applications of herbicides, Laysan and Black-footed albatross monitoring, Laysan duck monitoring, native plant propagation, sea turtle monitoring, data management, and other tasks addressing current refuge needs.
The Refuge is eager to receive applications from early career applicants and especially from residents of Hawai驶i.
See the full announcement here.
Albatross Census Volunteer
This annual albatross nest census is a short-term (4-6 week) opportunity to work on Midway during the height of albatross nesting season. Participants are required to pay towards their airfare between
Honolulu and Midway Atoll. Although the application process is very competitive and the cost of participation can be expensive, volunteers typically say it's an incredible, life-changing experience.
For more information and how to apply, see the full announcement here.
Our Partners
Nature does not recognize human-made boundaries. In order to conserve our natural and cultural resources effectively, we must work with others to bridge these boundaries. Partnerships foster creative solutions to challenging situations and often the results are greater than the sum of the parts.
The National Wildlife Refuge System is committed to building partnerships which encourage conservation and preservation of our natural and cultural resources. Scientifically-informed and technologically-based stewardship of our public lands, waters, wildlife and special places must be collaborative efforts between the Refuge System, other government agencies, and private organizations if conservation efforts are to succeed.
Through the Monument Management Board, the US Fish and Wildlife Service works with to share information and resources, review requests for permitted activities, and discuss common challenges and emerging issues.
The supports a diverse suite of activities on the Refuge, and has a newsletter as well as a small store of Midway-related merchandise鈥攂oth online and on Midway.
The scours the reefs and beaches of the Monument for a great variety of human-derived trash, making the waters safer for all the wildlife. Check out some of their statistics and photography!
The has been providing technical support for the Refuge to understand the physiology of an invasive algae, Chondria tumulosa, which was newly described from the Northwestern Hawaiian islands in 2019.
Outreach
For several years the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Pacific Islands has collected boluses from Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge for education and outreach purposes through a variety of projects. These boluses have been shipped to educators locally in Hawai'i and across the country, bringing to light issues surrounding marine debris, seabirds, protected spaces, and conservation.