Get involved in environmental action on campus with ANU Green volunteer opportunities.
ANU Green is the University's operational program seeking to improve our environmental sustainability efforts. We offer a range of ways to get involved on our campus, including water monitoring and environmental efforts and supporting the biodiversity and conservation of the natural environment and cultivated green spaces at ANU.
As a volunteer, you may liaise with various custodians and student or staff groups, collect important data and assist in analysing information to improve our sustainability efforts. Some opportunities are one-off events, and others are ongoing programs, making it easier for everyone to get involved.
Many of these programs are registered with ANU+, so students can have their contributions recognised on their academic transcript. Find more information about ANU+. Volunteer positions may be filled quickly. If a position is filled but you are interested in volunteering with ANU Green, register your interest for future opportunities.
Time commitments and skills required
Each opportunity has differing time commitments. Some opportunities might be one or two hours as a one-off event, and others require 1-to 2 hours per fortnight to collect data or support your peers to take climate-friendly actions. Check out our webpages for more detailed information about the various positions.
Volunteers will receive any necessary training from the ANU Green team. Check out the volunteer information sheets to understand what is required for each.
The following qualities or skills will set every volunteer up for success:
- Interest in sustainability issues
- Familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite
- Willingness to learn new software programs
- Willingness to engage with others to achieve desired outcomes, including establishing programs and seeking involvement from peers
Quick links
Tree planting
Tree planting sessions with the ANU Landscape and Conservation team come up from time to time. Drop in for part or a full session and get your hands dirty with others in our community interested in growing our green campus. No equipment is required, just your green thumb! This activity is not registered as an ANU+ opportunity.
Keep a look out in On Campus to get involved, or join our Teams channel – ANU Green Network – to receive communications about these sessions
Biodiversity reporting
Spot a frog or an echidna? Take a picture or let us know via the Nature Mapr app. Anyone can get involved by downloading the app. You can also register for one of eight opportunities to be a biodiversity reporter with ANU+. Find out more.
Water flow rate testing and reporting
Are there taps near you whose flow rate is too high? Measure water flow rates of tap fixtures across campus to help us find where we can improve the efficiency of water usage. Equipment provided by ANU Green. Find out more about the five opportunities available. This activity is registered with ANU+.
Water quality testing
How safe is Sullivans Creek for our community and wildlife? Sullivans Creek takes runoff from the inner north of Canberra and empties into the lake on the eastern side of campus. The ACT Government are working with ANU on a 2024/2025 Sullivans Creek regeneration project to improve the water quality of this important and ancient feature of our city. Volunteers are asked to participate in water quality testing for approximately 5 hours per month, for at least 12 months. Find out more about the opportunity available. This activity is registered with ANU+.
Water consumption monitoring
Make a splash in water conservation on our campus. As one of the largest water users in the ACT, we need your help to monitor and optimise our water usage. Identify anomalies, report potential issues and assist in rectifying them to directly support our Environmental Management Plan. Find out more about the opportunity available. This activity is registered with ANU+.
We encourage you to register for a position or an expression of interest in future volunteer positions using the link below, or contact the ANU Green team for more information.
Don't have spare time to volunteer with the above opportunities but looking for other wants to help reduce our environmental impact across all our emissions sources? Join and encourage others to join the ANU One Small Step program which makes sustainability activities fun, easy and accessible to everyone. The app speaks directly to our community with easy and fun ways to act more sustainably. You can also join the ANU Green Network, online resource for staff to hear about the latest in environmental sustainability at ANU, including a second-hand furniture channel. ANUSA has also helped start a Buy Nothing ANU Facebook group for students and staff to reduce waste going to landfill.