The UW Farm is an approved essential operation and may accept volunteers, following health and safety protocols. See the required guidelines and sign-up process below.
UW Botanic Gardens continues to follow all advice and directives set forth by the University of Washington, which are detailed at length on the UW Novel Coronavirus Information Page.
Guidelines and Safety Practices for Volunteering at the UW Farm
Following University protocols, limited in-person academic, co-curricular activities, and growing food/food security activities are permitted at the UW Farm. These activities include:
o Small group informal instruction (meeting with interns, capstone)
o Small group academic-related meetings.
o Work parties limited to 30 persons per plot with one supervisor
o Maximum capacity per group on the outdoor UW Farm field areas is limited to 30 persons.
o Meetings of registered student organizations
These in-person activities must meet the following requirements:
o The UW Farm is a unit within the College fo the Environment. At the UW College of the Environment, COVID-19 vaccination is required for in-person event attendance, including volunteer shifts. Guests over the age of 12 will need to provide proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the event. Masking is required for all attendees indoors and outdoors if a 6 foot distancing cannot be maintained.
o Participation is voluntary.
o Attendance and/or participation in these activities cannot be factored into grades.
o Equity must be considered. If students are unable to attend an in-person activity an alternative remote option must be offered.
o The total number of attendees are within space capacity limitations as dictated by health guidelines (distancing, masking, cleaning).
o Indoors – Participants must wear masks at all times unless in a designated eating area where distancing will be enforced and masks may be removed temporarily to eat and drink
o Outdoors – Masks/face coverings must be worn if participants are not vaccination and if physical distancing cannot be maintained.
o Volunteers are strongly encouraged to sign up for Husky Coronavirus Testing and the WANotify exposure notification app.
• Anyone who is sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, must stay home. Instructors, students or staff with COVID-19 symptoms should also get tested and are required to notify the UW Environmental Health & Safety COVID-19 Response and Prevention team (covidehc@uw.edu) if they test positive.
For more information: https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/work-task-force/