Whether pointing telescopes toward the night sky or picking up debris in the dunes, volunteer efforts often support the parts of the park experience visitors remember most.
Source: White Sands National Park (via Facebook)
Photos: Courtesy (credit cited where posted)
Cover Photo By B. Powers: Courtesy National Parks Service
As International Dark Sky Week and National Volunteer Month overlap this April, White Sands National Park is highlighting the role volunteers play in protecting the park and expanding what visitors experience there—from astronomy programming under the night sky to hands-on stewardship in the dunes.
Volunteers Behind Starry Night
Park officials this week recognized the contributions of members of the Astronomical Society of Las Cruces and the Alamogordo Astronomy Group, whose members have helped support the park’s annual Starry Night astronomy events.
Left: Courtesy Courtesy of Astronomical Society of Las Cruces; Right: Courtesy Alamogordo Astronomy Club
According to the park, members of the two groups have donated more than 225 volunteer hours across three Starry Night events since 2024.
Photo By Rebekah Hildebrant: Courtesy National Parks Service
Those efforts have included providing telescopes, guiding observations, and sharing expertise with visitors exploring celestial objects in one of the region’s notable dark-sky settings.
Park officials said the partnership has helped make the events possible and expressed hope to expand Starry Night programming beyond its current annual format.
Stewardship on the Ground
The park is also using National Volunteer Month to spotlight members of its Volunteers-In-Parks (VIP) program, including a volunteer named Hannah, currently serving in her first VIP term.
According to the park, Hannah embraced volunteering after purchasing an RV and discovering opportunities to support public lands.
Photo: Courtesy National Park Service
Her work includes helping remove litter from the dunes—sometimes uncovering debris buried for decades.
“My favorite thing to do is pick up trash in the dunes, especially after a windstorm,” Hannah said, noting she has found everything from decades-old packaging to socks, along with more common litter such as cigarette butts, wipes, and bottle caps.
Her message, park officials said, is simple: the best trash to remove is the trash never left behind.
A Shared Theme: Public Lands Depend on Participation
Though their work looks different, the volunteers highlighted this month share a common role: helping protect and enrich a place valued by visitors from across the region and beyond.
Whether pointing telescopes toward the night sky or picking up debris in the dunes, volunteer efforts often support the parts of the park experience visitors remember most.
And, as the park’s message suggests, visitors have a role too—by securing belongings, using waste receptacles, and leaving no trace.
Visitors Have a Role to Play, Too
Volunteer stewardship is only part of protecting White Sands National Park. Park officials are also reminding visitors that caring for public lands is a shared responsibility.
That includes following Leave No Trace principles, using designated waste receptacles, securing personal belongings so items do not blow into the dunes, and helping keep the landscape free of litter.
Park officials also note that some celebratory materials, including confetti eggs (cascarones), are not permitted in the park.
The message is simple:
Leave the dunes as you found them—or better.
Visitors seeking more information can explore the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace through the link below.
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