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Across the nation, it’s not just employees, contractors and interns who advance the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In fiscal year 2024, nearly 4,000 volunteers donated more than 188,000 hours of service to help us conserve wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of the American People in the Northeast Region alone. This is equivalent to 90 full-time employees. With each hour of volunteer time valued at $33.49, the total value of the volunteer contribution in this region was approximately $6.3 million.
Meet seven volunteers making meaningful contributions to national wildlife refuges and fish hatcheries around the region.
Harry Heckathorn at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
Dr. Harry Heckathorn is a retired astrophysicist who frequently volunteers at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland. Former Blackwater employee Rick Abend first got Heckathorn involved with the refuge, helping run the Friends of Blackwater’s scholarship program for summer interns in 2018.
Later, he worked alongside refuge information technician extraordinaire Bob Quinn to establish five, web-accessible raptor cameras on the refuge. Now the cameras operate with very little maintenance, and Heckathorn has begun training a replacement to maintain them. With that project mostly completed, he figured it was time to do something else.
Impressed with Heckathorn’s raptor camera work, Visitor Services Manager Ray Paterra suggested he conduct night tours.
Heckathorn was already enamored with Blackwater's terrain and sky.
“It provides a 360-degree view of everything there and has the darkest sky east of I-95,� he said.
Now he teaches a Milky Way photography class during summer and conducts night sky tours at the refuge on a monthly basis under favorable weather conditions (new moon and high visibility). The program started in May 2023 and has attracted more than 750 participants so far.
The outdoor telescope interfaces with a projector inside the refuge visitor center, allowing tours of the night sky to take place indoors. It operates on the same network as the raptor cameras. In fact, the most recent session had a serendipitous moment: The telescope displayed the Owl Nebula just as two great horned owls appeared on a raptor camera. On each tour, Heckathorn gives a lecture on the history of astronomy and space, while Quinn operates the telescope. “It’s like having our own planetarium,� Heckathorn said. Afterward, he emails attendees telescope photos taken during the tour, providing a starry souvenir.
Both Heckathorn and his wife are retired and volunteer to help the community. He left the astronomy field in the mid-1990s and spent 20 years as a federal employee at the Department of Defense working on missile defense.
At 80 years old, Heckathorn plans to continue with his volunteer work at Blackwater for as long as he is able, working in faithful service of connecting people to nature via the stars.
Dan Barna at Berkshire National Fish Hatchery
Dan Barna has been an RV volunteer maintaining Berkshire National Fish Hatchery in Massachusetts for 10 years. Before that, he volunteered in a similar fashion at Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery.
A former defense contractor, Barna hails from a family of missile parts makers. He worked as a machinist creating the parts to missiles, fighter jets, aircraft and submarines before suffering a back injury.
Thrust into early retirement, he now travels in his camper with his leash-trained Maine Coon cat, Kitty, to Berkshire National Fish Hatchery every year to act as their maintenance jack-of-all-trades. From May to October, he stays in his camper at the hatchery four days a week.
Through his volunteer work, Barna received training in using a skid steer, a heavy machine for digging and hauling materials. He’s also used a trench digger, tractor, forklift and chainsaw. He cuts the grass on the hatchery’s five acres. He performs trail maintenance when storms topple trees, weed whacks the flower garden, and spray paints hatchery buildings.
“Berkshire’s different than Craig Brook, since at Craig Brook, I worked with more fish than people,� he said.
For Barna, volunteering gives him a purpose and allows him to explore a different side of life. “What I do at the hatchery is the polar opposite of my old job. I spend a lot more time outside.�
His favorite part of volunteering is interacting with visitors, from a woman who rides a horse past the hatchery every day to one who comes to the RV campgrounds just to see Kitty.
When Barna joined the Friends of the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery Board of Directors years ago, there was a variety of deferred maintenance projects the hatchery was looking to complete but lacked funding to do so. Thanks in part to Barna, that’s changed.
“Using funds we raised through Friends raffles, we were able to restore accessible trails that were closed off after a hurricane,� he said.
As an RV volunteer, Barna commits to work 25 hours a week at the hatchery but consistently exceeds that just to see tasks through to completion. He went to the National Conservation Training Center last year to meet with other volunteers through Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA).
As for why he volunteers with the Service, Barna keeps it simple.
“I like the people and programs. I have friends that work for the Service, too.�
Joe Archaimbault at Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery
Joe Archaimbault is not a fan of heat. Retired and turning 74 this month, he stays active and busy as possible by volunteering at resorts and other places. Last year, chasing more favorable weather, Archaimbault traveled 2,500 miles from his home in Texas to Maine’s Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery.
Archaimbault was excited to see an ad for a maintenance volunteer position at Craig Brook in 2024. He’d be in New England during the summer, as opposed to dealing with the scorching heat in Texas.
He was unsure about one part of the ad, though. “It asked if I’d be willing to give tours, which I wasn’t really comfortable with.� However, in chatting with his daughter, she assured him he could do it: “She said ‘Dad, you’ll be fine because you’re loud and you talk all the time!’�
He enjoyed it so much he plans to be back this year.
Archaimbault likes talking with hatchery visitors and having interactions with different groups from around the world. He’s met people from Europe and New Zealand through volunteering.
Archaimbault does maintenance at the hatchery, including miscellaneous painting and repairs. He refurbished the intern bunkhouse; patched drywall; and cleaned, painted and stenciled 1000-gallon propane tanks.
He even stepped in to unload fish from a truck bringing them to the hatchery, a task some may have considered gross but proved fun for him.
To his surprise, he’s even enjoyed giving tours. He recalls a group of 36 rambunctious preschoolers that he led around the hatchery. He’s also given tours to elementary school students, church groups, YMCA members and even nursing-home residents.
This was not Archambault's first volunteer gig. Eleven years ago, a trip to Big Bend National Park in Texas inspired him to get out and see more natural wonders. It was then he decided to start volunteering. “I get to stay in places nobody usually does,� he said.
Since then, he has volunteered at state parks in Texas and Montana and earned the title of Master Naturalist from the East Texas Master Naturalist chapter. He earned a certification to teach angling in Texas and acted as volunteer hunt coordinator at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. His skills are so valuable Texas Parks and Wildlife has recruited him for volunteer opportunities. That doesn't mean he always accepts.
“Whatever strikes me as interesting, I just go and do that,� he said.
One of the largest impacts volunteering with the Service has made on Archaimbault is meeting his partner Kathy, who is also an RV volunteer; they often travel and volunteer together.
Before retirement, he tried out a multitude of careers � welder, truck driver, chemical salesman, car salesman. Even in these indoor careers, Joe kept an eye on the nature around him, recalling when he would look out the window of the dealership and watch sparrows eat moths.
Archaimbault plans to volunteer with the Service for the long haul to explore his love of driving, meeting people and connecting with nature.
Ben Gluck at Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office
Ben Gluck, a freshman at the University of New England, lent us his talents at New York’s Iroquois County Fair in August of last year. He learned about the opportunity from his mentor, Mike Goehle, supervisory fish biologist in our Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office.
At the fair, Gluck helped run a Service booth, where he spoke with visitors about fishing regulations, the impacts of invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species and how efforts to remove invasives protect ecosystems.
A self-described “big fishing guy� from Maine, Gluck is an undecided major with an interest in the school’s environmental sustainability programs. Though he was at first drawn by the opportunity to boost his resume as he prepared to apply to college, volunteering at the fair presented the perfect opportunity to share his passion, as well.
“I used to work at a bait shop, and I loved talking to people about fish. So at the fair, I got experience talking to people with different levels of expertise on fish and other topics,� he said.
Gluck enjoys promoting interest in the natural world. The Service booth he was staffing displayed boating gear, magazines and coloring books. There was even a live crayfish people could hold. It offered attendees the opportunity to ask general questions about the Service and its operations.
"I had a great experience and would love to get involved through more volunteering to promote conservation resources."
During the pandemic, Gluck, a high schooler, wanted to fish. His father promised to buy him a rod if he could catch a fish at a nearby small pond. Persistent, Gluck fashioned a mesh laundry basket taped to a pole and caught his first fish. His dad kept his word, and now Gluck has a sizable collection of fishing rods. He wrote about the experience in his college admissions essay.
Volunteering gave Gluck ideas about what he might enjoy doing in the future.
"I like teaching, but I don’t think I want to be in a classroom. I prefer show-and-tell style teaching."
Not only has Gluck volunteered his time, but also his excellent photographs.
As for future career aspirations, Gluck is looking to the Service. “A national organization is great to work for because I wouldn’t just be helping a small community but a large portion of people. There’s a diversity of opportunities that I’d really look forward to.�
From talking with Goehle, volunteering, and visiting a refuge, Gluck saw that there’s a lot of leeway in what you can do and share as a Service employee and looks forward to working with us again.
Elizabeth Simpson at Eisenhower National Fish Hatchery
Armed with a bucket of fish and an abundance of balance, Elizabeth Simpson traverses the walkway and feeds the brook trout at Eisenhower National Fish Hatchery with fervor every week. She’s been volunteering at the hatchery for the past two years.
Simpson’s father was a fisherman, so she grew up around fish, evident from her term of endearment for the brook trout: “brookies�
When she moved to Vermont two years ago, she wanted to find a new place to volunteer. She met hatchery manager Shane Hanlon’s wife at a plant sale and found out about the hatchery volunteer opportunity from her.
“I used to volunteer for a food bank, a local historical museum, and as a hospice volunteer, but being at the hatchery has been my favorite,� she said. “The more time I spend in fresh air, the happier I am.�
Simpson enjoys feeding the fish and learning about them. In the past, she weighed and measured the fish to determine their growth over time. This past winter, she sorted nonviable fish eggs from viable eggs for transport to hatcheries around the country. Years ago, Simpson went on a hatchery fish stocking trip and hauled buckets of brook trout through the woods from a stream.
She describes the brook trout as fierce feeders that splash a lot and have pink streaks along their bellies that shine in the sun.
“I’ve discovered the craft to feeding them, using a subtle method to signal the fish when they’re about to be fed once they’ve woken up.�
A retired middle school special educator, Simpson sees a few similarities between her old job and her volunteer work at the hatchery. One of her secondary tasks is giving tours to visitors, and answering their questions, just like she would in her classroom. She also has to be observant when feeding the fish to ensure they get the correct amount of food.
“I’m lucky that after having an indoor job, I can now spend more time outside,� she said.
She praised the hatchery staff as wonderful people always willing to share knowledge and respectful of Simpson’s safety. Almost 70 years old, Simpson appreciates the heads-up they give if she’ll be asked to traverse the walkway to feed the fish or do other physical tasks. “They always invite me to their picnics and events and make me feel appreciated every time I walk in.�
When asked why she volunteers, Simpson says volunteering wasn’t always presented to her as the fun activity she now considers it to be. The hatchery changed her view.
“I’ve heard that volunteering is not meant to be enjoyable because you are helping someone else out, but this is fun.�
In addition, she likes volunteering at the hatchery because it has to do with animals and the outdoors and is a quiet activity where she can sometimes go a whole shift with just the fish.
“A lot of people sit in their car before they go into a place and have that *sighing* feeling. I’ve never had that coming to the hatchery.�
Simpson says it’s tough to choose her favorite aspect of volunteering at the hatchery. “It's all a package. I’ve been volunteering since I was a Girl Scout, but this is the best opportunity ever. I enjoy checking in with staff, talking with visitors and giving tours but also quiet time feeding the fish.�
“Each component brings its own happiness.�
Craig Koppie at Chesapeake Bay Field Office
The Service depends on many volunteers to assist with habitat plantings, wildlife monitoring and invasive species management. Many of these volunteers are retired biologists who continue to use their expertise to help conserve our nation’s wildlife. Such is the case with raptor biologist Craig Koppie who, after 39 years as an employee, continues to volunteer his time and knowledge to conserving raptor species through the Chesapeake Bay Field Office.
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappÏÂÔØ in collaboration with state, federal and bird rehabilitation partners, Koppie conducts annual peregrine falcon nest monitoring and banding in Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia and West Virginia and assists rehabilitation centers in renesting peregrine falcon young, and other raptor species, displaced from their nests.
In addition, Koppie assists the Maryland Department of Transportation with best management measures to protect peregrine falcon pairs nesting on bridges undergoing maintenance. This includes developing design plans for peregrine falcon nesting on the Francis Scott Key Bridge replacement, after the prior nest site was lost in a cargo ship collision that destroyed the bridge. He also works with corporate entities in Baltimore and Silver Springs, Maryland, to protect active nesting sites on their buildings.
Koppie played a big part in the U.S. Geological Survey’s Avian Influenza and West Nile Virus Blood Sampling. He coordinated capture of peregrine falcon adults and nestlings from four nest sites and conducted blood samples, swabs and bandings of each bird. He also ascended a bald eagle nest tree at Poplar Island in the Chesapeake Bay for collection of blood samples from two eight-week old eaglets.
While he was still working for the Service, Koppie played an integral role in the Eastern Golden Eagle »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappÏÂÔØ Group, adding knowledge about wintering golden eagles in the coastal plain through trail camera/bait stations. This information helped develop an Eastern Golden Eagle Conservation Plan.
Of 10 transmitters placed on birds, he continues satellite tracking a female golden eagle live-trapped from Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 2015 in her wintering range near Lake George, New York. She has returned to her summer grounds of northern Quebec for many years now and has recently established a nesting territory in Labrador, Canada.
By continuing to work on these projects, Craig Koppie, like so many other volunteers, ensures that these coordination, monitoring and data collection activities, so important to the conservation of wildlife, also continue.
Maeve Ahern at Nashua National Fish Hatchery
Three days each week, Maeve Ahern drives two exits up the highway from where she lives, takes a couple of quick turns, and arrives at Nashua National Fish Hatchery in New Hampshire. After inquiring about volunteering and receiving a tour from Project Leader Keith McGilvray, she knew she wanted to get involved.
While pursuing her a degree in environmental and earth science at Fitchburg State University, Ahern worked on some interesting research, particularly with tributaries of the Nashua River and one of its small fish inhabitants, the blacknose dace (Rhinichthys atratulus). Given her comfort with fish, she thought volunteering at the hatchery would be a great opportunity.
Ahern assists biologists Claudia Hernandez and Andrew McCarthy with anything and everything they suggest or need help with. A year in, she’s moved through the “seasons� of the hatchery, adapting to new responsibilities as they change and grow throughout the year. Her tasks range from cleaning rearing tanks, filling feeders and hand feeding, to collecting water samples and grading and stocking fish.
“I always leave with a sense of satisfaction, something I never thought I could experience from working with fish!�
Volunteering at the hatchery has also influenced other aspects of Ahern’s life, particularly by offering her children the chance to witness and appreciate the science, wonder and contributions the hatchery makes to New Hampshire. “I have four daughters, and any opportunity I get, I want to expose them to any aspect of STEM, so they know they’re not limited in where they can go in life.�
Ahernrecently started a master's program in wildlife conservation and advocacy at Unity Environmental University and hopes what she learns will enhance her skills and contributions.
“I aim to lead by example for my children, showing them that sometimes the most rewarding things in life don’t come with a paycheck,� she said. “I want them to understand that their contributions matter, no matter how big or small. While my focus and passion are on wildlife and our environment, I hope my example inspires them to pursue their own passions.�
Ahern’s passion for nature is rooted in an appreciation for its intrinsic value, reinforced by every fish she meets at the hatchery. "Watching the silvery flash of a landlocked salmon’s underbelly always brings a smile to my face,� she said. “Removing dead fish and inspecting each fish individually has allowed me to truly appreciate their sentience. They are not just fish; they are vessels of pure energy and strength, with ravenous appetites, each with its own purpose.�
Ahern is grateful for the opportunity to help conserve and protect New Hampshire's fish through her work at the hatchery.
“To say I enjoy my time there is not accurate, as I love it.�
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