Celebrate Earth Day by volunteering at California State Parks
April 8, 2008
Though there is great merit in "greening" your lifestyle on a day-to-day basis, there’s still nothing quite like playing in the dirt to get back in touch with the Earth.
On April 19, California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) is organizing the 11th annual Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup, a state-wide improvement project across 22 state and community parks. Volunteers of all ages are needed to help restore the beauty of California’s treasured parks, especially in light of continuing budget cuts that limit CSPF’s resources and manpower.
There are many places around the state where you can participate, including several locations near Northern California hostels. It’s a great chance for a weekend getaway you can feel good about — give a few hours to nurture the land, and then spend the rest of the trip reaping the benefits as you hike or bike in renewed park lands.
Marin County
Mount Tamalpais State Park
20 miles north of the Marin Headlands Hostel
Time: 9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
North of San Francisco across the Golden Gate, Mount Tamalpais features redwood groves and oak woodlands with a spectacular view from the 2,571-foot peak.
Volunteers are needed for trail maintenance, campground restoration, non-native plant eradication, trash and litter removal, and sign installation. A barbeque will be held after the clean-up.
San Mateo County
Ano Nuevo State Reserve
7 miles south of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel
Time: 9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
Fifty-five miles south of San Francisco and the Golden Gate, a low, rocky, windswept point juts out into the Pacific Ocean. Elephant seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals come ashore to rest, mate, and give birth in the sand dunes or on the beaches and offshore islands.
Volunteers are needed for landscaping around the Marine Education Center, including trail, steps, and patio construction, and native tree and flower planting.
Half Moon Bay State Beach
7 miles south of the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel
Time: 9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
Four miles of broad, sandy beaches stretch out to welcome visitors to Half Moon Bay. This picturesque setting is ideal for sunbathing, fishing, and picnicking, and is home to a variety of coastside vegetation, marine life, and seabirds.
Volunteers are needed to remove non-native plants from the dunes at one of the four beaches that make up the State Park.
Pigeon Point Lighthouse State Historic Park
Located at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel
Time: 9:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel sits on California State Parks land, on the site of the historic Pigeon Point Lighthouse. One of the tallest lighthouse in America, the 115-foot lighthouse has stood proud since 1872 — the year it began to guide mariners from its perch on the central California coast.
Volunteers are needed for habitat and grounds restoration, including removing non-native ice plant, replacing mariner rope fences, and replanting native plants.
San Francisco
Candlestick Point State Recreation Area
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Candlestick Point State Recreation Area was the first California State Park developed to bring state parks into the urban setting. From historic wetlands to landfill to landscaped park, Candlestick Point has undergone major changes in its long history on the San Francisco Bay.
Volunteers are needed to help with planting, building greenhouse and plant nursery benches, and installing shade cloth in the nursery. A barbeque will be held after the work.
Golden Gate Park
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
San Francisco’s largest and most celebrated park covers over 1,000 acres and ranges more than 50 city blocks. Home to the Japanese Tea Garden, the San Francisco Botanical Garden, Koret Children’s Playground, and more, Golden Gate Park is truly a natural oasis amid the city clamor.
Volunteers are needed for gardening work at Speedway Meadow, Stow Lake, and Rhododendron Dell. Tasks may include invasive plant removal, pruning, mulching, weeding, planting, and habitat restoration.