As a docent at the San Marcos Foothills Preserve, you'll have the opportunity to teach visitors about our native plants and wildlife, share the preserve's fascinating history, and help foster a deeper connection between our community and this treasured open space. Whether you're interested in botany, birds, geology, or simply love being outdoors, there's a place for you in our program.

This is a unique and rare opportunity to take a day trip to Eastern Santa Cruz Island and contribute to an important project to revegetate several acres of habitat. We will focus on restoration near the lookout at Cavern Point. Channel Islands National Park plans to restore native vegetation in an area degraded by years of grazing, with ongoing support from volunteer work leaders. Channel Islands Restoration will assist by leading trips for National Park Service volunteers this year, so this is your opportunity!

Beginning in the fall of 2023 and running for three years, this restoration project concentrates on California-native plants within a one-acre plot and compares the abundance, diversity, and composition of plant and animal life before and after the transformation. To achieve this work, we’re seeking volunteers to help clear invasive plant species, prepare the site for plantings, plant our projected 1,400 plants, and monitor the progress along the way through varied scientific methods.

The Santa Clara River Preserve spans almost two miles of this amazing waterway and encompasses nearly 1,000 acres of upland habitat and riverbed. There are few locations on the Santa Clara River that are accessible to the public. Now with the opening of this preserve, TNC has provided a beautiful space for outdoor education, community gatherings, wildlife viewing, and hiking. On the preserve, we want to give everyone a chance to connect with the dynamic Santa Clara River.