Amah Mutsun Land Trust
Our Guiding Vision: Is of a future where our people and all people may once again drink safely from clean and clear, flowing waters; hunt from healthy herds of elk and deer; and harvest salmon and abalone from resilient fisheries; behold and pray to a self-sustaining population of condors and eagles soaring the ridges and valleys; witness the sky darken with geese rising off our healthy lakes and wetlands; rest assured that those who have passed may rest in peace; and know their connection to land because they live connected to the land.
BIRD SCHOOL PROJECT
The Bird School Project uses outdoor experiential learning to inspire students and teachers to develop a scientific understanding and appreciation of their local environments. We take students into the school yard where they acquire basic naturalist skills, learning how to observe, use binoculars, take detailed notes, and have fun with friends while doing so.
California Native Plant Society: Santa Cruz County Chapter
The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a statewide non-profit organization of amateurs and professionals with a common interest in California’s native plants. CNPS seek to increase understanding and appreciation of California’s native plants and to preserve them in their natural habitat through scientific activities, education, and conservation.
Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve – CA Dept of Fish and Game
The mission of the Elkhorn Slough Foundation is to conserve and restore Elkhorn Slough and its watershed. For volunteer opportunities Go Here
Fisheries & Conservation Biology Lab (MLML)
The Mission of the California Sea Grant Extension Program is to contribute to the wise use and conservation of the sea’s resources through research, education and advisory services.
Friends Of Corcoran Lagoon Beach
FoCLB assists Santa Cruz County Parks in meeting its mission to provide a safe, well-designed and maintained County beach access; assists County Planning and County Parks in meeting management obligations for wildlife habitat protection at Corcoran Lagoon Beach; and assists CA Fish & Wildlife in protecting the inner lagoon outflow from artificial breaching. Our main goals are to preserve and protect wildlife habitat, including nesting sites and the shoreline of the Monterey Bay National Marie Sanctuary, to educate through citizen science opportunities, and to chronicle species who call the beach their home through photography and exhibits.
Marine Mammal Center’s Monterey Bay Operations
MMC volunteers and staff rescue, rehabilitate, and release marine mammals who are injured, ill, or abandoned. The Marine Mammal Center’s Monterey Bay Operations rescues animals from both Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. Volunteers are always needed for animal assessment, rescue, triage, transport and equipment/site/vehicle maintenance. Additionally, volunteers assist with public outreach and education programs. Training is provided.
Monterey Bay Birding Festival
September marks the peak of fall migration, with wintering shorebirds arriving en masse. There’s no better time to visit the Monterey Bay area to see the greatest number of species or to find a rarity. The festival welcomes volunteers.
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
Our Mission is to inspire the public to protect Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary through participation in and support of sanctuary programs, projects, and partnerships.
We engage the public through public outreach and education programs; advocate on behalf of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary; and develop and strengthen partnerships to protect biodiversity and enhance ecosystem health in the sanctuary through coordinated action.
Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project
Founded in 1976, the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and enhancement of the native salmon and steelhead populations of the greater Monterey Bay area. Our genetic conservation and recovery hatchery can sustain and rebuild the unique races of salmonids native to the greater Monterey Bay Region.
Moss Landing Wildlife Area
Moss Landing Wildlife Area is an 872-acre property that is part of the largest unaltered salt marsh along the California coast. The tidal marsh is dominated almost exclusively by perennial pickleweed. Elkhorn Slough is an essential ‘pit-stop’ for migratory shorebirds. Mammals such as harbor seal and sea otter also occur in the area. Many of the over 300 species of birds recorded in the watershed of Elkhorn Slough also occur within the Moss Landing Wildlife Area, most notably the Federally threatened Western Snowy plover.
Oikonos
We are a non-profit organization that studies and protects imperiled ecosystems by engaging diverse communities through innovative scientific and artistic collaborations. We create and implement concrete conservation solutions through rigorous field research and collaborations with communities and the public-private sector. Locally, Oikonos works with a team of ecologists, habitat restoration experts, artists, designers and land managers to restore degraded habitat for nesting seabirds on Año Nuevo Island.
OTTER PROJECT
The Otter Project protects our watersheds and coastal oceans for the benefit of California sea otters and humans through science-based policy and advocacy.
Project Pollinate
Centered around bees and the interconnectedness of our shared existence, Project Pollinate works to build community through educational events. Incorporating topics of human rights and environmental sustainability we explore the ways we can work together to create a more sustainable and equitable world.
Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County
The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County facilitates stewardship projects to address water quality, biodiversity, ecosystem health, and water quantity on private and public lands through technical assistance, outreach, education and project implementation.
Santa Cruz Bird Club
The Santa Cruz Bird Club was founded in 1956. The Club sponsors birding walks in and around the county of Santa Cruz and meetings September through May featuring informative, illustrated talks for birders on wild birds and related topics. Walks and presentations are free and open to the public.
Save The Frogs
SAVE THE FROGS! is the world’s most effective amphibian conservation organization. Our mission is to protect amphibian populations and to promote a society that respects and appreciates nature and wildlife. We work in California, across the USA, and around the world to prevent the extinction of amphibians, and to create a better planet for humans and wildlife.
SEA OTTER SAVVY
The Sea Otter Savvy program strives to foster responsible behavior by users of the marine environment while they are viewing and recreating near sea otters. Together we can create a “sea otter savvy” community promoting responsible wildlife viewing, awareness of the effect our behavior can have on sea otters and other wildlife, and a safer, healthier coastal environment for all of us, otter and human alike.
Sempervirens Fund
Since 1900, Sempervirens Fund has permanently protected more than 53 square miles of redwood forests in the Santa Cruz Mountains by raising more than $50 million to purchase and protect forest lands. These lands provide critical wildlife habitat, clean air and water, and opportunities for us all to go out and enjoy the incredible local redwood forests.
SEYMOUR MARINE DISCOVERY CENTER AT LONG MARINE LABORATORY
The Seymour Marine Discovery Center is dedicated to educating people about the role scientific research plays in the understanding and conservation of the world’s oceans. Volunteers receive in-depth training to help educate the public through hands-on exploration of live animals and exhibits, outdoor interpretive tours, experiential learning programs, Science Sundays, and more.
Sierra Club Santa Cruz County Group
The Sierra Club mission is “To explore, enjoy and protect the planet. To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources; to educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out those objectives.” Our SC group offers opportunities for local involvement, activism and outings.
VALLEY WOMEN’S CLUB’S ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR THE SLV
The Valley Women’s Club is dedicated to community action, awareness and leadership in environmental, educational, social, and political concerns that affect the health and welfare of the San Lorenzo Valley and our community.
WATSONVILLE WETLANDS WATCH
Watsonville Wetlands Watch is dedicated to the protection, restoration, and appreciation of the wetlands of Pajaro Valley, especially by involving members of the Watsonville community and students of the PV Unified School District.