Volunteer Recruitment and Retention in Ecological Restoration: A Service-Learning Perspective

Environmental groups combat global warming and climate change using a variety of restoration efforts, often with the help of volunteers. In this project, we examine the impact of volunteerism on coastal ecological restoration work with the Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab (CEELAB) at the University of Central Florida (UCF). We recruited volunteers from UCF Pre-Med American Medical Student Association (AMSA) to help with mangrove restoration and oyster unit construction service dates. We studied the influence of the work through factors such as the number of service hours contributed and social media attention garnered, both indicating a significant impact. As a service-learning project, we also learned how this project benefited us by enabling real-world associations to coursework and providing a basis for professional connections.https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hip-2023fall/1038/thumbnail.jp