Natureland Wildlife Trust is a community focused conservation charity (#49944) that exists to be a community hub to connect people, places, and animals. We are proud to be a safe, affordable, and accessible place for people to engage with animals and bring the wild into Nelson. We are also growing into one of the most important sites for nature play in children’s increasingly urban lifestyles.

Join our team to volunteer at one of Nelson’s most unique and exciting charitable trusts. If you enjoy a dynamic environment, being outdoors, contributing to conservation efforts, and are over 16 years of age, you may be eligible to volunteer at Natureland Wildlife Trust. Volunteers support our staff to create a welcoming, safe, fun site for nature play.

Our volunteers are the heart of our team and bring with them a variety of talents and interests. There is a spot for everyone at Natureland!

Customer Service/Retail Volunteers

• Do you have retail experience or are you interested in learning about retail? Our Natureland Shop and New to You second-hand store in Nelson CBD provide excellent opportunities for seasoned retail workers to volunteer their expertise and those new to retail to gain valuable work experience.

Animal Care Volunteers

• Are you passionate about animal care? Are you interested in finding out what a career in animal care or conservation would be like? Natureland is a great place to start! We have multiple volunteer roles for hands-on experience with our domestic animals learning how to feed them, care for them, and clean up after them. Work directly with the keepers and learn from their wealth of animal care knowledge.

Food Preparation

• Are you handy in the kitchen? Would you like to learn about animal nutrition? Come help us prepare a day’s worth of meals for all of our animals! Each species has their own unique needs when it comes to food, and we love when we can share our knowledge of animal nutrition with volunteers. Have you always wondered what Pygmy Marmosets eat? Volunteer at Natureland and find out!

Caring for our Park

• Natureland sits on approximately 1 hectare and we have 8 buildings and 22 habitats to care for, so we need as many gardeners, fixer uppers, and cleaners to help as possible! From washing dishes (we go through a lot) to raking leaves, we always have jobs to do. We appreciate even an hour of your time to help us get through the daily tasks that keep our park pristine.

If volunteering is not an option for you, there are many other ways to support Natureland! Saving wildlife is a team effort, and our staff would like to you to join us as we work to save species. You can donate, sponsor a species or a project, or simply pay us a visit.

No single organization can accomplish wildlife conservation all on its own.  Natureland works with other members of the Zoo and Aquarium Association, Nelson City Council, the Department of Conservation, and our conservation partners to achieve great outcomes. Together with our volunteers and dedicated staff, we are confident we can make a difference. Come join us!

Proud to be a not-for-profit conservation charity!