Each year, millions of people from around the world visit Alberta's parks and protected areas to relax, experience the great outdoors and learn about our province's heritage. You can share in their experience by becoming a host at one of our campgrounds or other facilities.

Campground hosts greet visitors and provide them with information. They volunteer a minimum of three to four hours a day, five days per week (including weekends). Hosts must provide their own self contained camping unit (RV, truck camper, or tent trailer).

Other hosts: in some parks, volunteers provide hosting services in day use areas and visitor information centres, rather than in campgrounds.

What It Means to be a Host

Your hosting duties:

Each site and each volunteer are unique so duties vary, but as a rule hosts:

• welcome visitors;
• assist with public education and interpretation
• provide information about facilities, services, activities, rules and regulations;
• provide information about things to see and do in the surrounding area;
• assist visitors in obtaining help in emergency situations; and
• inform authorities about observed infractions or public safety concerns

What support do we provide to our hosts?

• Supervision, training and orientation.
• Introductions to other team members, including staff, volunteers and contractors.
• A site tour to familiarize hosts with services, facilities and equipment.
• General information on duties, the work site and the surrounding area.
• Information about rules, emergency procedures and emergency contacts.
• Publications to hand out to visitors.
• A free campsite, easily accessible to visitors, with at least one utility if available.
• Identification items (nametags, ball caps, T-shirts, signs for the host's vehicle and campsite).
• An opportunity to participate in the annual volunteer conference held each spring.
• A copy of the "Partners in Preservation" newsletter, published twice a year.

Visitor benefits include:

• a friendly welcome;
• someone to talk to about registration, facilities and services;
• a richer camping experience through discovering new places to go, new attractions to see, and new events to take part in;
• an increased sense of security;
• a sense of community; and
• a lasting, positive impression!

Who makes a good volunteer host?

• Friendly, outgoing, hospitable people!
• People who have a keen interest in preserving and conserving nature.
• People who possess a general knowledge of Alberta's parks and protected areas.
• Camping enthusiasts who are available for a minimum of three weeks.

Volunteer Host Opportunities

Applications for the upcoming season are now being accepted.

The following sites may be available either full or partial season:
(click on each site for more information about it)

Northeast Alberta

Cold Lake Provincial Park
Ethel Lake Provincial Recreation Area
Gregoire Lake Provincial Park
Garner Lake Provincial Park
Kehiwin Provincial Recreation Area
Whitney Lakes Provincial Park (Ross Lake Campground)

Northwest Alberta

Dunvegan Provincial Park
Figure Eight Lake Provincial Recreation Area
Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park (Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation)
Moonshine Lake Provincial Park
Notikewin Provincial Park
Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park
Williamson Provincial Park

East Central Alberta

Big Knife Provincial Park
Dillberry Lake Provincial Park
Red Lodge Provincial Park

West Central Alberta

Crimson Lake Provincial Park (Twin Lakes Campground)
Pierre Grey's Lakes Provincial Recreation Area
Sundance Provincial Park
Wabamun Lake Provincial Park
Whitehorse Creek Provincial Recreation Area

Southeast Alberta

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park (Reesor Lake Campground & Firerock Campground)
Tillebrook Provincial Park

Southwest Alberta

Beauvais Lake Provincial Park
St. Mary Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area
Woolford Provincial Park

To apply to host at any of this sites, please visit our online Volunteer Hosting Application.

For more information about Volunteering in Alberta's Outdoors email Brad.Marshall@gov.ab.ca.