NPS Volunteer In Parks Annual Report

[Xplorer]

I came across this NPS Annual Report from FY05. Could not locate any later report. Thought some might find it interesting.

From time to time there have been discussions regarding the value of Volunteer work, etc.....this report places a value on the hours Volunteers work for the NPS.

Here is an excerpt:

Current Status

In FY2005, 137,000 VIPs contributed 5.2 million

hours of service (or 2500 FTEs) valued at

$91,260,000 based on the private sector value

figure of $17.55 as used by AARP, Points of Light

Foundation, and other large-scale volunteer programs

including many federal agencies. There

are 365 separate volunteer programs throughout

the National Park Service. Since 1990, the number

of volunteers has increased an average of

2% per year.

FYI, an FTE is a government acronym for Full Time Equilavent, which refers to one position. A Full Time Equivalent Position in 1999 was considered to be 2087 hours worked in one year. If you do the math, it comes out to 2100 hours per year, this may be the new FTE,,,,if so,,, it has been raised twice that I am aware of. The benefit comes out to over $5.2 million and change. Unless, they are using "Close enough for Government Work" figures.

Fy05 Volunteer In Parks Report

Cut & Paste if link problems:

http://www.nps.gov/archive/volunteer/FY05annualVIPreport.pdf

The report also discusses International VIPS:

"Every year, more than one hundred individuals from all over the world

volunteer in America’s national parks. The International Volunteers-In-Parks

Program (IVIP) benefits both the individual volunteer and the National Park

Service. International volunteers receive training in such areas as park

management, wildlife research, environmental education, and interpretation

and are then able to apply those skills at home."

The report goes into more detail about sites around the world open to Volunteering.

There is also some Park specific info for NPS Parks.

I found it interesting, your experience may be different.