We welcome all individuals and groups to volunteer with us at Idaho Rivers United. We offer public opportunities throughout the year, or we can coordinate something specific for your group. Fill out our volunteer sign-up form and you’ll be the first to hear about volunteer opportunities and events!

Current Volunteer Opportunities

If you have questions about upcoming volunteer opportunities or want to learn more about our programs please email IRU’s Volunteer and Engagement Manager, Lindsey Paynter.

Table an IRU booth: This is an opportunity for you to connect with our local communities while informing the public about current issues affecting our rivers and fish. IRU is looking for a few outgoing individuals interested in helping IRU run a booth at our outreach, educational, and fundraising events occurring across the state of Idaho.
Special Event Volunteers: IRU hosts special events throughout the year and we rely heavily on our volunteer team to help us run these events. Role descriptions for volunteers vary depending on the event, please see specific events for more details.
Lonesome Larry Costume: Our wild, sockeye mascot costume is a great way to interact with the crowd and engage with guests at various events throughout the year. IRU is always looking for “Larry” volunteers.

Email IRU's Volunteer Manager

Volunteer Sign Up Form

Volunteer Portal

We invite you, your family, friends, and coworkers to join us on April 5, 2025 from 11AM-1PM to help us clean-up the banks of the Boise River! IRU's Lead Stewards will be hosting stations across the Treasure Valley greenbelt expanding from Boise to Eagle, Idaho. At each station we will provide you with the need supplies to pick-up trash along the Boise River including maps, trash bags, and gloves. Volunteers are always welcomed to bring their own supplies.
This event will take place rain or shine!
Starting Locations
- Greenbelt parking lot on Glenwood/Marigold Street (Garden City, ID)
- Reid Merrill Park Greenbelt (637 E Shore Dr, Eagle, ID)
- Idaho River Sports (601 N Whitewater Park Blvd, Boise, ID)
- Cascade River Gear (604 E 45th St, Garden City, ID)
- Idaho Rivers United's Office (3380 W Americana Terrace, Boise, ID)
- Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park ( 500 S Walnut St., Boise, ID)
To join us for this fun, family friendly event, please fill out the form HERE.
If you are joining with a group, business, or organization every volunteer attending the clean-up must fill out this form and our volunteer waiver.
E-mail any questions to our Volunteer and Engagement Manager, Lindsey.
Last day to sign-up is Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 11:59PM.
This program is dedicated to helping Idaho Rivers United maintain our adopted section of the Boise River Greenbelt.
Our adopted section of the greenbelt runs through the heart of downtown Boise from Capitol Boulevard to Broadway Avenue and it is a highly used section of the greenbelt. We are looking for volunteers who are passionate about the health of the Boise River and want to help us keep this section clean.
As our Adopt-the-Greenbelt volunteer team expands for this program, it is our goal to increase our impact to neighboring sections of the Boise River.
Adopt-the-Greenbelt Volunteer sign-up
Idaho Rivers United's Urban River Stewards (URS) program is a self-guided volunteer opportunity designed to build stronger advocates for the Boise River through stewardship, education, and community engagement.
As a river steward, you will be required to complete at least three activities that contribute to the overall health of the Boise River watershed including, but not limited to, self-led riverbank cleanups, conducting water quality tests, and spreading awareness about the URS program and the health of the Boise River at local events.
Stewards are required to attend a mandatory, in-person training on April 17th from 5:30-7:30PM at Idaho Rivers United office located at 3380 W Americana Terr STE 210, Boise, ID 83702. This training will equip you with the essential knowledge and tools need to successfully complete this program, as well as a provide an overview on the history of the Boise River and current issues affecting its watershed.
Note: This program is available to all ages, but any river steward under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult or guardian during all river stewardship activities, this includes but is not limited to all trainings, river clean-ups, and events.
Sign-up to join our URS program HERE. 2025 Urban River Stewards Application closes on March 31, 2025.
LEAD Urban River Steward applications are due 3/2! All Lead Stewards must attend a training on March 10th at IRU’s office.
This is a self-guided stewardship opportunity dedicated to safeguarding the Salmon River in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA).
As an IRU Salmon River Steward, your role involves actively participating in self-led stewardship activities: riverbank clean-ups, removing invasive plant species, dismantling fire rings, and providing information about preventing the spread of invasive species, protecting fish and their habitat, and Leave No Trace practices.
Stewards will attend a mandatory training followed by an optional Salmon River Clean-up at the Stanley Ranger Station in Stanley, ID on May 31, 2025. Training is from 9AM-1PM and the optional clean-up is from 2-4PM. This training will equip you with the necessary knowledge and tools needed to successfully participate in the stewardship program and gives you an opportunity to connect with like-minded river and conservation enthusiasts.
You're also invited to camp overnight with the IRU team and your fellow Salmon River Stewards on May 31, 2025. Please RSVP to camp by May 17, 2025.
Sign-up to become a Salmon River Steward HERE. Application deadline is May 17, 2025
This program is offered through a partnership with the Sawtooth National Recreation Area of the Sawtooth National Forest.
Application for Boise River Clean-ups for Businesses, Organizations, & Groups
- Please check out our available clean-up dates for our Adopt-the-Greenbelt program and the list of clean-ups led by our stewards in our Urban River Stewards program. If none of these dates work for your organization please submit an application.
- The IRU team will review applications in January, March, June, and September. We will select 1-2 organizations depending on staff availability. You will notify you if your organization has been selected by phone or email. If you're organization is selected each volunteer attending the clean-up will need to complete an IRU volunteer waiver.
- These programs take staff time and financial resources to host. If selected, we kindly request that your business or organization makes a financial contribution to help cover the cost and support our programs.
IRU is hosting our second annual End of Float Season River Clean-up at Idaho River Sports in Boise! We’re always looking for great volunteers to help at the event, or become a sponsor! Email Lindsey, our Volunteer & Engagement Manger to learn more at lindsey@idahorivers.org.
Join us for our annual benefit!
- Set-up & take-down volunteers
- Check-in volunteers
- Auction flaggers
2025 date is TBD.
Email lindsey@idahorivers.org if you are interested in signing up to volunteer!
IRU staff’s ambitions are big, but we are a small crew and often require office help from our amazing volunteer team. If you are interested in helping IRU with various administrative tasks around the office, this is the role for you!
Email Lindsey, our Volunteer and Engagement Manager, to learn more at lindsey@idahorivers.org.