Get Involved - Why Volunteer

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Be a Member

Join NICA and you will find out more about us and get involved the way you like.  Memberships are free.  Just download the membership form, complete it and return to NICA. You are also invited to suggest potential new projects that NICA might undertake. Use the "Send an enquiry" button on the left panel to share your ideas with us.

Be a Volunteer - why?

• Make a difference
• Gain practical work experience
• Learn new skills
• Networking and be with like-minded people
• Have fun!

NICA is always looking for volunteers to assist with its various projects:

Noosa River Volunteer Rangers 

The Volunteer River Rangers venture out onto the river weekly to carry out water testing, clean ups or assist in erosion, seagrass or mangrove monitoring.  They also educate the public about the values of healthy rivers, the role of NICA and current river  regulations.  If you care about the Noosa River and love going out on the river (say once a month), join our rangers' team.  We are especially in need of people with a boat license and experience in outboard motor boat operations.

 

Eumundi Market Green Corner

Community environmental groups are invited to host the Green Corner at Eumundi Market on alternative saturdays. Volunteers are welcome to help man the stall (8am-2pm).  It's a great opportunity to reach out to the community and spread your messages. 

 

Keep Our Biosphere Beautiful

NICA is seeking volunteers to engage with the public about the problems of plastic waste and the practical ways of reducing wastes. A pull-up banner (PDF 1.3MB) and relevant educational materials are provided. The main working hours are 11am - 2pm or 3-6pm on Thur, Fri and Sat. 

Moreover, NICA also supports periodic cleanups of local areas, beaches, waterways (e.g. the Great River Sweep) and even shallow reef  areas involving scuba divers. These events are only made possible with the collaborative efforts of volunteers. So keep up to date with our upcoming events by checking our website regularly.

Inidividuals on your daily walks or paddling can also help cleanup. Let us know if you require any assistance or to report illegal dumping and litter hotspots. Go to our project page for more.

 

Communications / Public Relations Assistance

NICA is looking for a volunteer eager to enhance NICA's volunteer network through fostering relations with our members and volunteers. His / her tasks may include regular communications with members, organizing social and environmental events, newsletter editing and maintaining NICA Facebook page.

Fishing Line Recovery

Each year, countless numbers of birds, marine turtles and mammals are injuried or killed by lost or discarded fishing line and tackle. To reduce such harm, NICA with the local Council have installed over 20 fishing line recovery bins at popular fishing sites (e.g. Noosa Spit). Volunteers are needed to assist project officer in the regular servicing of these bins.

 

Fishcare Volunteer Program

NICA is facilitating the recruitment of new volunteers for the QPIF Fishcare Program on the Sunshine Coast. If you are passionate about the well being of the river and marine environments, love fishing and want to see fish stocks preserved for future generations, then Fishcare is for you.  A one day training course following completion of an online module is offered to all volunteers. Contact NICA or Fishcare for more information. 

Noosa River Seagrass Watch

When?

Monitoring takes approximately 1-2hrs per site and is done every 3 months. 

What is involved?

Seagrass is a useful bio-indicator used to assess river health. Data collected is used by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and local NRM groups, and is also submitted to Seagrass Watch HQ (Cairns) and included in a world wide database. Boats, kayaks, lifejackets and monitoring kit are provided. You will be trained in the methodology during your first monitoring round.

Noosa River Mangrove Planting Program

When?

Weekly while mangrove propagules are in abundance, usually from Feb-April and Sep-Oct.

What is involved?

While onboard the River Rangers' boat, ripe propagules are picked off the trees Rhizophora stylosa (Spotted mangrove) and planted at selected sites in and around John's Landing where human disturbance has caused severe bank erosion. Monitoring is conducted every three months.

 

Clean Up Australia Day

Clean up Australia day is a national event that takes place every year in the first week of March. In 2010, volunteers in Noosa area alone collected 6.2 tonnes of rubbish.