In this week’s Voluntourism Spotlight, find out how to volunteer and stay free of charge at the Grand Canyon with the Grand Canyon National Park Service.  Then check back every Wednesday for more voluntourism opportunities and tune into Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio on Saturday for more information.

The Grand Canyon National Park Service offers up a unique opportunity to go camping while also volunteering to restore the park’s natural beauty. Explore different peaks and desert views and even venture off into remote regions while you contribute to preserving the natural land. During this program you’ll learn about desert ecosystems, native plants and how you can prevent native wildlife from losing their homes to foreign plant species.

Headed up by Vegetation Program Staff, the projects include non-native and invasive plant removal, plant salvage and restoration site maintenance in areas impacted by construction. Volunteers are provided lunch, water and snacks for each workday as well as all the tools necessary for each work project.

Programs take place in various areas of the park and depending on which dates you choose you will be stationed in either the North Rim or South Rim. Hard work in the day pays off at night when you can enjoy your free-of-charge stay at one of the various Grand Canyon campgrounds, only a few minutes away from where volunteers will spend their day helping out.

The work is tailored to be suitable for teens, adults, seniors and families. There are no program fees and park admittance is also free.

Upcoming dates start as early as April 20, 2012 and run until October 2012 with program durations ranging between 2-5 nights. For more information and to register visit their website.

By Christina Issa for PeterGreenberg.com

Feature image credit via wikimedia, Tobias Alt