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.

To prevent drilling in Central California it is crucial to strengthen our local ordinances… in three ways: to integrate updated science to support the findings for why these uses are harmful to our community; to require voter approval for any onshore zoning changes needed to facilitate either offshore oil and gas drilling or deep-sea mining; and to explicitly prohibit any on-shore industrial activities that facilitate offshore oil and gas drilling or deep-sea mining, such as refining or trucking facilities, in industrially zoned areas. We urge everyone who is concerned about this threat to our coast, our environment and our way of life to submit your thoughts to cityplan@santacruzca.gov.

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.

Spend a morning working at the UCSC Farm in the Community Herb Garden, a BIPOC-centered garden space committed to uplifting knowledge of herbal medicine, with fellow volunteers and Center for Agroecology student staff. Tasks may include pruning, mulching, weeding, or hand tilling. Please come prepared with adequate shoes, water, and sun protection. We will provide all the necessary tools, but request that volunteers bring their own work gloves. Free parking is available in UCSC Lots 168 (the Village), 115, and 116. Please do not park in the dirt lot at the farm's back gate. Biking, carpooling, and busing are encouraged. RSVP HERE.

Join our professional Trail Crew to help maintain the trails at Cotoni-Coast Dairies. Help us keep the new trails at Cotoni-Coast Dairies as beautiful as opening day! We'll continue to monitor trails as usage increases and make repairs throughout the seasons. Tasks vary from rock work to trail repairs and so much more. Participants are expected to show up prepared with a pack including water, lunch and snacks, and personal protective equipment. Adults only. Beginner to intermediate. It's okay if you've never done trail work before. We love accommodating new and returning volunteers—all experience levels are welcome at SCMTS events. Access to and from the worksite is uphill and downhill 1-2 miles by hiking or biking. Info and sign up HERE.

We're back for our fourth National Trails Day and sign-ups are live! We’ll do some trail work in the morning, then gather for an epic celebration with catered lunch, raffle prizes, and a huge makers’ market at Woodhouse Blending & Brewing. Special shoutout to the crew at Future Motion for coming back on as the presenting sponsor this year. We're ready to go big, and we want to see you there! Info and sign up for 18 different sites HERE.

Enjoy an engaging day of toes in the sand with family, friends and new acquaintances, raising awareness about litter and plastic pollution. Our local beaches are stewarded by volunteers just like you! We welcome you to an engaging day of toes in the sand with family, friends and new acquaintances, raising awareness about litter and plastic pollution. By taking practical action to protect the environment, your collection efforts allow Surfrider to use data to influence laws and reduce waste at the source! Info and signup HERE.

This is a great chance to gain hands-on experience working with children in a beautiful outdoor setting and helping out with activities to make camp happen! Volunteers can assist with: Teaching activities; Behind-the-scenes tasks, such as setting up stations, restocking supplies; Leading food tastings and/or games; Gain valuable experience working with children in an outdoor setting and build your resumé! Multiple sessions are available from June 22-July 31, with flexible scheduling options. Info HERE.

Our natural resources staff have begun a large-scale project across Año Nuevo State Park. The project’s primary objective is to convert 30+ acres of invasive grassland back to a native coastal scrub habitat with the help of public, student, and docent volunteers. State parks staff lead weekly on-going workdays, with volunteer expectations varying dependent on season. Dry season months will primarily involve brush cutting work, sheet mulching efforts, and invasive removal, whereas the wet season months will prioritize native planting and propagation into the areas prepared during the dry season. To receive updates and workday info about all upcoming projects and to sign up go 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.

The UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden relies on 100+ volunteers year-round to keep this place growing! By volunteering you become part of a community that directly supports the Arboretum’s overall mission to connect people with plants. No matter what group you work with, you will learn by working side by side with home gardeners, experienced and amateur naturalists, active and retired professionals as well as people who are just beginning to explore the world of plants. To become a volunteer at the Arboretum, prospective volunteers review available volunteer opportunities then fill out an online application form. More info HERE.

Do you love hands-on science and getting out in nature? Watsonville Wetlands Watch partners with the City of Watsonville and County of Santa Cruz to regularly collect water quality data at a number of sites throughout the Watsonville Slough System. Join our water quality testing team and help us monitor the health of our sloughs in Watsonville! You'll receive basic training in water quality testing methods. We provide volunteers free snacks on the day of our monthly water quality data collection. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and able to hike on rugged or muddy terrain. For more info, or to sign up, email Geniva HERE.