Volunteers of all ages are the backbone of our organization. Our weekend warriors are battling against invasive plants, tearing down relic barbed wire fencing, and picking up small pieces of trash that are harmful to young – and critically endangered – California condors. It’s our way of giving something back to the places we love, while getting our hands dirty and directly improving wildlife habitat and recreation areas in our local backcountry.
More than 900 volunteers are involved with ForestWatch, and our strength in numbers produces big results. Our volunteers have hauled out nearly 20,000 pounds of trash from the forest, surveyed over 50 miles of streams for invasive plants like tamarisk, and removed more than 15 miles of old fencing from the Carrizo Plain National Monument. With the fences gone, pronghorn antelope and other wildlife are less vulnerable to predators, reclaiming the freedom to roam across this vast landscape.
Past Projects
Volunteer projects happen all over Los Padres National Forest, and we’re always working to expand our efforts. Below is a map of most of the volunteer projects we’ve put on since December, 2013. Locations are approximate to protect the exact locations of some sites.
Types of Volunteer Field Projects
Microtrash Removal |
Invasive Plant Removal |
Marijuana Grow Site Cleanups |
Trash Cleanups We remove trash from mistreated trails, illegal target shooting sites, and more. |
Biological Surveys We document endangered and sensitive species that would go unnoticed and unaccounted for without our assistance. |
Fence Removal We work to remove or retrofit relic fencing on the Carrizo plain to help improve Pronghorn Antelope movement. |
Other Volunteer Opportunities
We also rely on volunteers behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly. We take on volunteers to help us with office tasks that include fundraising, data entry, event preparation, and mailing parties. Additionally, our events could not happen without the help of volunteers and we always need help at events with check-ins, food service, bar tending, and preparation.
