Ogden Volunteers Donate 8,000 Hours to Nature Center

In the middle of bustling Ogden, Utah, more than 1,000 volunteers are quietly protecting 152 acres of wild beauty that sits between the IRS building and the business depot.

The Ogden Nature Center hosts between 900 and 1,250 volunteers annually who collectively donate over 8,000 hours of their time. They weed gardens, guide visitors, and care for birds that can never return to the wild.

Rosanna Kulish is one of the dedicated few trained to care for non-releasable birds who've found their forever home at the center. She feeds them, waters them, and keeps their spaces clean with the same attention you'd give a beloved pet.

Jackie Kent has formed a special bond with a resident crow during her volunteer shifts. "I feed the animals and the crow is my favorite, so I spend extra time hanging out with the crow," she explains.

Heidi Austin, the center's Volunteer Manager, says this outpouring of support reflects something special about Ogden itself. "I have worked at other nonprofits, and I have never found people so willing to help," she notes.

The volunteers make it possible for the center to function as both a living museum and outdoor classroom. Without them, the educational programs and habitat protection simply wouldn't exist.

Sunny's Take

There's something beautiful about a community choosing to protect wild spaces in their own backyard. These volunteers aren't just caring for birds and pulling weeds. They're showing up for thousands of hours each year because they believe nature deserves a safe place, even when it's surrounded by parking lots and office buildings. That kind of commitment doesn't just protect habitat. It protects hope.

The center welcomes new volunteers year-round for anyone wanting to be part of keeping this urban oasis alive.