Volunteer: Habitat Restoration

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HRP volunteers remove invasive European beachgrass from dunes near Abbotts Lagoon.

The Habitat Restoration Program is indefinitely suspended. Park staff hope to be able to resume this program in the Fall of 2022. Check back then.

Overview

Join the original Habitat Restoration Program (HRP) at Point Reyes National Seashore to help protect and restore endangered plant and wildlife habitat at Abbotts Lagoon, the Lighthouse Bluffs, the Estero area, and other high-value habitat areas at Point Reyes National Seashore. Visit some of the most beautiful areas in the park and learn about local plant ecology while you work alongside park staff to carry out ecological restoration projects. Get involved, meet new people, and make a positive impact on your environment!

Duties

• Conduct manual removal of invasive non-native plant species under supervision of park staff
• Track amount of plant material removed in each workday
• Use hand tools safely and responsibly, returning them to park staff at end of workday

Knowledge/Skills/Experience Desired

Ability to perform moderate physical labor, sometimes on steep, uneven terrain in windy, wet, foggy, cool, or hot conditions.

Special Requirements of the Position

Volunteers are advised to wear long pants, sturdy shoes and other seasonally appropriate clothing, as well as bring lunch and water. Gloves and tools will be provided. Weather at work sites may be considerably cooler than that at Bear Valley.

Schedule and Time Commitment

Workdays are scheduled throughout the year on either the second or last Sunday of the most months and on some third Thursdays.

For the Sunday workdays, we meet at 9 am at the Bear Valley Visitor Center and carpool to a work site elsewhere in the park, then work until about 1 pm.

Volunteers are not required to work more than one day at a time. However, volunteers are welcome to work as many of the work days as desired.

Training

Training is provided on-the-job.

Benefits to the Volunteer

Volunteers have the opportunity to work in some of the most beautiful areas in the park and learn about local plant ecology while working alongside park staff. Volunteers enjoy the satisfaction of helping to protect and restore endangered plant and wildlife habitat.

Group Type

Individuals and groups welcome. Minimum group size is 4, maximum group size is 20. If you have a group of 5 or more, please call as far in advance as possible to see whether space is still available since many sites can support only a limited number of volunteers. Many groups contact us a month or more in advance. However, do not hesitate to call as late as the Thursday preceding the Sunday workday. Program staff usually take their weekends on the Friday and Saturday preceding the Sunday workday.

Minimum Age

Minimum age is 9. Minimum age for groups of 8 or more is 16. All volunteers under 18 must have a signed parental consent form. Please contact us (see below) for more information.

Accommodations

Housing and RV sites are not available.

Application and Contact Information

Please confirm your attendance before 4 pm on the Thursday immediately preceding the Sunday workday, or apply here. (You will be directed to Volunteer.gov.)

Visit the Habitat Restoration Volunteer Program page for more information.

 

National Invasive Species Awareness Week

National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) is a nationwide event occurring in the spring to raise awareness of the threat of invasive species of plants and animals and what people can do to prevent their spread. Representatives from local, state, and regional organizations gather in Washington, D.C. in late February to discuss policies and changes that can be made to prevent and manage invasive species. A series of educational and advocacy events are planned online and in local communities. In the late spring, local partners hold public events to remove invasive species and educate the public. For 2022, NISAW will occur from Monday, February 28 through Friday March 4. Visit NISAW's website to learn about local invasive species prevention, removal, and educational events.

 

California Invasive Species Action Week

The 2021 California Invasive Species Action Week was observed from Saturday, June 5, through Sunday, June 13, 2021. Check back in the spring of 2022 for information about the 2022 California Invasive Species Action Week. The goal of the Action Week is to increase public awareness and promote public participation in California's fight against invasive species. There are numerous ways for people to participate, either independently, or as part of an organized effort. For example, you can learn which invasive species are issues in your area, remove invasives from your property, select native plants for your garden, harvest them for food, or volunteer to remove invasives from a participating park.

 

California Invasive Species Action Week Youth Art Contest

In 2021, kids were invited to learn about an invasive species that threatens your favorite outdoor place and enter the Department of Fish and Wildlife's "Invasive Species Detective" youth art contest. The deadline for entries was May 10, 2021, and winners were announced during the Action Week! Check out the CISAW website's Action Week page for poster contest details and to find out how you can take action.

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