Recently I became a volunteer with the SC DNR which encompasses a large variety of volunteer areas. I volunteered for the Charleston area which has opportunities for species monitoring as well as habitat improvement. One of the opportunities is rebuilding oyster habitats by placing shells into tidal areas. Once I volunteered, the volunteer coordinator put me on a list-serve that sends out alerts for upcoming projects and volunteer events. An upcoming project I would like to help with is the tagging of Monarch butterflies.

Tagging monarch butterflies along the coast of South Carolina is important because they choose to stay here during the winter as opposed to migrating to Mexico like most other Monarchs. Since the number of Monarch butterflies has been decreasing, the DNR is interested in seeing how many are occupying the area.

The training and tagging will begin in early December and last throughout winter. Many of the DNR volunteer opportunities require flexibility in one’s schedule because many of them are weather dependent. Volunteering with the DNR is also a great way to get your foot in the door for possible hourly positions. Here is the link to the volunteer page: http://www.dnr.sc.gov/volunteering/marine.html