In 1986, Santa Cruz County voters passed Measure A, which gives voters the final say on whether onshore facilities for offshore oil and gas would be permitted in Santa Cruz County. A Yes on Measure D would update this ordinance to add seabed mining, giving voters the final say on whether offshore oil and gas or deep seabed mining-related activities would be permitted in Santa Cruz County. With the Federal government aggressively attacking coastal protections at the state and federal level, the passage of Measure D is a powerful way to ensure local residents continue to have our say in how our onshore resources are protected and managed. Though the immediate threats of resource extraction are beyond local jurisdiction, Measure D’s onshore protections in Santa Cruz County makes any leases off our coast prohibitively expensive and inconvenient for interested companies to justify extraction project. More INFO. How to get involved HERE.

Stationary regulatory monitors often miss the local air quality issues that worsen lung conditions and our ability to breathe. In collaboration with Breathe California, this study aims to identify the factors that contribute to the air quality within and around households of Watsonville, CA. We are recruiting residents who are interested in receiving a free indoor air quality assessment. Upon form completion, we will contact you to schedule an appointment for an approximate 1-hour assessment. To find out more, please contact Gavin Li at gavin@lungsrus.org.

Come join your local community in coastal restoration at Seabright Beach. Help make our coast a better place and learn about coastal ecology. Together we are making an impact and have now restored over 1/2 mile of coastal dune, strand and bluff habitat. Click HERE for project background. Go HERE to sign up.

Do you love gardens and gardening? The UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden has a wonderful community of staff, students, and volunteers ready to welcome you. Opportunities include staffing our gift shop and retail nursery and working to care for our gardens and greenhouses. To learn more, join us at one of our monthly information sessions. Meet us at Norrie’s Gift & Garden Shop at 10am for an easy walk through the gardens to visit a few of our volunteer groups at work. More HERE.

Help remove invasive French broom at the San Lorenzo Valley Water District's Olympia Watershed property. This volunteer opportunity helps restore Santa Cruz Sandhills habitat! Volunteers should expect to walk over uneven terrain and spend extended time bending/crouching. Activities include pulling weeds by hand, using gardening tools, and carrying tarps filled with weeds. Registration is required. Please go HERE to register and learn more. Check out the District's Volunteer Opportunities WEBPAGE for updates on subsequent volunteer dates. Meet near entrance gate at the end of the Zayante Fire Dept parking lot.

Please join us for a day of harvesting, cleaning and storing dahlia tubers for the winter. After an incredible season of blooms, we will have cut back and lifted our dahlias, but they still need a bit of care and processing to be ready for storage until they are planted again in the spring. Participants will help with all aspects of this process and in exchange will learn about dahlia flower classes, year round life cycles, propagation methods, dividing tuber clusters, and all that you need to do to store your tubers! Registration required. More info HERE.

Join us for a special Weed‘em Out volunteer event at Cascade Ranch, where we will be planting redwood trees to replace the eucalyptus trees. Cascade Ranch, leased and operated by the nonprofit Pie Ranch, is an area of biological richness. The 1.2 miles of Cascade Creek, within Cascade Ranch, represents an important area of habitat connectivity for a wide array of plants and animals. Lunch provided! We will provide tools, guidance, and demonstrations. This will be a day to meet new people, spend time outside, learn about native plants, and help restore the ancestral lands of the Quiroste tribe. Hwy 1, Pescadero. Info and signup HERE.

Kick off the Dig Day season at Wilder! Help care for Cowboy Loop, West Engelsman's, and Enchanted Loop (the last two rerouted by SCMTS in 2019 and 2016), three popular trails shared by riders, hikers, runners, and equestrians, and get them ready for winter. Ages 14+. Difficulty: easy to moderate. Never done trail work before? You're in the right place. We'll bring the tools and know-how. Wilder is ~1mile from town on the bike path, so we encourage you to bike in and ride to the worksite. Start your morning with coffee from Lizzy Long Legs Coffee Roasting and pastries from Kelly's French Bakery, refuel on the trail with sandwiches from Togo's, then celebrate at the after party at Humble Sea Brewery with Living Swell Kombucha, and a sponsor raffle. Info and Signup HERE.

It is at Moran Lake Beach We encourage participants to bring closed-toed shoes, a bucket, and gloves, though extra supplies will be available. We'll also provide coffee and cookies (please bring your own mug). No experience is necessary; everyone is welcome!

Want to take your trail knowledge to the next level? Join us for Trail Crew Leader training this November to learn from our staff of experts. This training series teaches you the science behind trail design and the technical skills needed to build and maintain world-class trails. The Trail Crew Leader Training series is a comprehensive program offered both online and in the field. Its purpose is to equip volunteers with the necessary knowledge and skills to become certified Trail Crew Leaders for SCMTS events. Certified Trail Crew Leaders are tasked with leading volunteer groups during trail work events and serving as ambassadors for SCMTS while in the field. Info and signup HERE.

Join us for a fun-filled day of community and nature at our 4th Saturday Restoration Event at Hope Park, 76 Hope Dr. Help restore the habitat along the Pajaro River by removing invasive plants, learn about the amazing birds and wildlife that call these habitats home, and enjoy an educational wetland talk for all ages. With snacks and all materials provided, it’s the perfect family-friendly way to give back to the environment while having fun outdoors. Any questions? Please email outreach@watsonvillewetlandswatch.org. More INFO.

The objectives of these workshops are to build neighborhood connections and increase community confidence, preparedness, and resiliency towards climate disasters while informing community members of resources that support sustainable and resilient habits. Our flexible, interactive workshop model aims to accommodate a wide range of formats, from small gatherings (6+ participants) to larger community events. If you are interested in hosting or participating in a workshop, click HERE.

On the farm, you will meet the crew, learn more about the farm, and join that day's activities which may include: weeding, harvesting, planting, building compost and more. Projects are weather dependent and defined by the day's priorities. We often can't tell you exactly what project you'll be working on in advance. Arrive any time to join our crew for a day on the farm, working on a variety of tasks. Sign up for reminders and additional information or feel free to just drop in! At Natural Bridges Farm. Far West-side. INFO.

Rights of Nature is a growing legal and cultural movement that recognizes ecosystems — like rivers, forests, and oceans — as living entities with inherent rights to exist, thrive, and regenerate. Instead of treating nature solely as property, this framework gives communities a legal tool to defend the natural world when it’s threatened. We are a grassroots working group pursuing a ballot initiative to grant local ecological entities legal rights to exist and evolve. We're currently researching which ecosystem or species — such as the San Lorenzo River, salmon, or wildlife corridors — should be the focus of the policy. We need researchers now, and will need help with communications and signature collection as we move forward. We hope you will join us. Please visit our website HERE.

Offshore drilling leases and deep-sea mining are once again being proposed along the California coast, despite the major risks these industries pose to marine ecosystems and coastal communities. While these activities would occur in federal waters, local governments still have powerful tools to push back through ordinances that regulate onshore support facilities within their jurisdictions. Save Our Shores is partnering with local governments to strengthen California’s historic “Blue Wall” by updating existing ordinances to include protections against facilities supporting both offshore oil drilling and deep-sea mining. Your voice matters and representatives need to hear from you. Get info and sign up to keep informed HERE.