Volunteer at a Reserve

The NRS is a great place to volunteer. At the Coal Oil Point Reserve, volunteers patrol the beach protecting the nesting sites of endangered snowy plovers. At the Sedgwick Reserve they manage a native plant nursery. At Stunt Ranch they lead school groups on tours exploring the site’s natural and Native American history. At Santa Cruz Island they work to restore the natural ecosystem by removing fennel and other exotic plants.

Opportunities like these exist throughout the NRS. If you enjoy spending time outdoors, and want to learn more about California natural history consider volunteering your time at a local reserve. Whatever your skills, reserve managers are always looking for help in handling the myriad of tasks it takes to run a reserve.

Here is a list of current volunteer opportunities:

The Coal Oil Point Reserve offers several volunteer opportunities. Volunteers may help in restoration projects to improve native habitats at the reserve. Contact Julie Love to obtain a schedule for workdays. The Snowy Plover docent program recruits and trains new docents every month. The plover docents help protect the snowy plover and educate the public about responsible beach recreation. Please contact Jennifer Stroh for training dates. Volunteers can also assist with monitoring research and with various aspects of the reserve's administration and maintenance.