Marin Chapter California Native Plant Society

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Volunteer Opportunities in Marin County

Save Native Plant Habitat at Point Reyes
with the “Third Thursday Weeders”
A contingent from the Alameda Coast Guard giving the Weeders a big assist at Abbott's Lagoon Would you like to help improve plant habitat with your own two hands?
Join the “Third Thursday Weeders” -- a collaboration of the Marin chapter of CNPS and the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin -- to tackle invasive weeds that threaten important plant habitat in the Point Reyes National Seashore.

The Weeders meet regularly on the Third Thursday of every month, either in the Seashore or at other locations in West Marin. The locations of each session are set in consultation with Seashore staff. This summer, we made great progress on the iceplant infestation at the Outer Point, while our September work party focused on European beachgrass seedlings that are threatening to get reestablished at Abbott’s Lagoon.

Our next work party will take place on Thursday, January 19, 9:30 to 1:30. Send an email to Ellen Hamingson at Ellen_Hamingson@nps.gov to be notified of the time and place to meet. Tentatively, we are planning to weed around the edges of the Point Reyes Lighthouse Parking Lot, an area which supports numerous species of unusual native plants. Ehrharta grass and other invasives are trying to displace these species so the area needs our attention!

Please let us know if you plan to join the group by emailing Ellen as mentioned above. Ellen will send out a reminder and instructions on where to meet. For more information, contact Carolyn Longstreth at cklongstreth@gmail.com. Bring plenty of water, lunch and snacks, warm and wind-stopping layers, sturdy shoes, and work clothes. No shorts or open-toed shoes. The Park provides tools and gloves.

Devils' Gulch Forget-me-not eradication
Nancy Hanson has scheduled two dates for CNPS volunteers to return to Devil's Gulch in Samuel P. Taylor State Park. We'll be pulling Forget-me-nots again this year, mostly the seedlings from last year's plants on Bill's Trail and the trail to Stairstep Falls.
Thursday, Feb. 9 and Saturday, Feb. 18 Both days start at Devil's Gulch Parking area on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. at 9:45 and end around 2pm. Be prompt as we will caravan up the side gulch through a locked gate to the trail head. You will need gloves, water and lunch. This is easy work, but meticulous and there is poison oak in some spots so wear protective clothing. Be prepared to walk a magical woodland trail, fairly level, for as much as a mile and a half each way. There is an amazing variety of lovely native plants to admire and save on this trail. No need to confirm, just show up.


More Volunteer Opportunities in Marin:
Mt. Tam - Marin Municipal Water District
Point Reyes National Seashore
SPAWN
Marin County Parks and Open Space
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
Save the Bay
Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary
Audubon Canyon Ranch

Marin County Parks and Open Space Volunteer Opportunities

Arroyo Avichi Creek Revegetation Project includes replanting native plants that used to adorn the creek bank; and monitoring the project for a couple years until the replantings have become established. We hope to recruit neighborhood and community volunteers as much as possible for all phases of the project.
October 22, 2011 Public introduction of the project and volunteer sign ups
October 24 - 31 Begin fence installation and ground preparation for planting
November - January 2012 Replanting native plants to rehabiliate the creek bank
For additional information contact Rand Knox at (415) 499-7057, or rknox@co.marin.ca.us To volunteer to restore Arroyo Avichi Creek habitat, contact Greg Reza at (415) 499-3778, or greza@co.marin.ca.us
SPAWN" (The Salmon Protection and Watershed Network)

Saturday October 15, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and weekends from now through the end of the year
native riparian habitat restoration along a section of Geronimo Creek in Forest Knolls
SPAWN (the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network), in partnership with the Corte Madera outlet of REI, will be hosting a volunteer habitat restoration project to help restore the native riparian habitat along a section of Geronimo Creek in Forest Knolls. Work will entail removing lawn and other invasive plant species from a partnering landowner's creek-side property and replanting with native riparian species (trees, shrubs, sedges). The native coho salmon population and other wildlife will benefit when fertilizer and water used to maintain the lawn are no longer seeping into the creek. No prior experience is necessary; SPAWN staff will provide tools, work gloves, and project supervision. All ages are welcome; anyone under age 18 must be accompanied by a supervising adult. SPAWN recommends that you wear clothes you can get dirty-long pants, long-sleeved shirt, and a hat or visor. Please bring sunscreen, water bottle (with water), and your lunch. REI will provide breakfast snacks. The maximum number of volunteers needed is 30. To register (required) and find out additional details, contact Aaron Fairbrook at aaron@spawnusa.org or (415) 663-8590 x 111.

Every Saturday, 10am - 1pm, Creekside Habitat Restoration
Join us as we plant, prune, remove invasives, and improve endangered coho habitat in the San Geronimo Valley! Its a wonderful opportunity to learn more about salmon and share rewarding experiences with like-minded folks of all ages while restoring our local ecosystem. Location varies, please visit SPAWN"S upcoming events for more details!

Every Friday, 10am - 1pm, Native Plant Nursery Day
Come out and help SPAWN volunteers at our very own Native Plant Nursery! We cultivate beautiful plants destined for restoration sites throughout the valley - everything from native blackberries and grasses to majestic redwoods and Douglas fir. Be a part of transforming creekside habitat from the ground up!
Point Reyes National Seashore Volunteer Opportunites
At Point Reyes Seashore, we have a very great need for volunteers. There are thousands of known species here, 131 of which rare, endangered, or threatened. Nearly 20% of the State's flowering plant species are represented on the peninsula and over 45% of the bird species in North America have been sighted here. That's a lot of plant and wildlife to protect, and plenty of habitat to restore. That is why we need you to come and lend a hand. This great and beautiful planet we call our home belongs to all of us and therefore everyone must do his or her part to maintain its vibrance, diversity and health. The greatest opportunity we will ever have to save our planet's ecosystems is right here, right now. Come to Point Reyes and fulfill your sense of stewardship and express your love for the environment. A volunteer will find few places more beautiful, captivating or rich in diversity than Point Reyes National Seashore.

Invasive Plant Removal Program

Native Plant Seed Collection

Habitat Restoration Program
Workdays are normally held on the second Sunday of each month. Come out and join us for a day of work and friendship!
California Academy of Sciences Volunteer Opportunites

The California Academy of Sciences is looking for volunteer plant mounters to prepare California botanical specimens for research. Plant mounters glue dried plant specimens and accompanying labels onto acid-free paper. We will provide training in the techniques used at CAS. Once adept, volunteers can schedule their time here on weekday mornings.
Volunteers will need good manual dexterity, good eyesight, the ability to sit for long periods; it helps to be free of plant allergies. You do NOT need a science background to participate.
We are asking for a regular time commitment of at least 2.5-3 hours, one morning per week. Volunteers may come more often if their time permits.
New to CAS? Please call or email Rosalind Henning; 415-379-5111, rhenning@calacademy.org
Questions? Please call or email Rebecca Peters: 415-379-5392, rpeters@calcademy.org
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Volunteer Opportunites

Redwood Creek Restoration at Muir Beach We are looking for eager volunteers to join us for invasive-pulling and native-planting. We are also looking for longer term volunteers that know their native and non-native plants (or would be willing to learn them!) to focus on the more sneaky plants.
Our team of three is out (almost) every Saturday and would be willing to lead a group any day from Tuesday to Saturday. If you are interested either as individuals or as a group, lets work out some dates that you could come out to help. It’s a rather amazing and inspiring project.


The Golden Gate National Parks Volunteer Program is a cooperative parkwide effort of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the Presidio Trust.
We need your help! Come out and lend a hand while enjoying the scenic landscapes of the Golden Gate National Parks. Whether it be protecting endangered species habitat, restoring historic features, improving trails, or caring for native plants in one of our nurseries, you'll get to explore beautiful areas of the park, make a lasting impact on the protection of your national park next door, and meet new people in your community.
Volunteer opportunities are available throughout Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo County. Individuals and groups of all ages are welcome.
For more information, contact us at: (415) 561-3077 or volunteer@parksconservancy.org.
Marin County Programs:


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