Purchase Native Plants Support the Bolsa Chica Conservancy
ALL SUMMER LONG! Bring the beauty of Bolsa Chica to your home and support local ecosystems at the same time! Want to purchase some native plants? The Bolsa Chica Conservancy periodically hosts native plant sales, so check back regularly. Native plants are widely diverse and a great addition to any growing space! In southern California, where residents contend with long, dry summers, and short, unpredictably wet winters, adding native, drought-tolerant plants is a great way to add some color to your home while also saving money! https://bolsachica.org/native-plants-at-home/
Help Save Our Environment and Donate to Support the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
ALL SUMMER LONG! The Conservancy helps preserve plants, animals and natural habitats all over the Peninsula. By joining the Conservancy today, you will be welcomed into a family of dedicated individuals committed to saving open spaces on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. There are many ways to make a donation.
Volunteer to be an Onshore Volunteer for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
ALL SUMMER LONG! Onshore Volunteers are an essential part of ensuring funding for Sea Shepherd campaigns and carrying Sea Shepherd’s mission to the general public. Their campaign leaders, directors and other staff cannot be everywhere at once, so their OSVs help bring Sea Shepherd’s important message to as many corners of North America as they can. The OSVs arrange participation in events, help to manage and transport our merchandise and informational materials, and interact with the public. Without funding and public awareness, Sea Shepherd cannot do the work that we do. We are wholly funded by donations, not corporate sponsors or political interest groups. Our vested interest is in the welfare and preservation of ocean wildlife. There is no other group or movement like Sea Shepherd, and our OSVs must reflect that uniqueness in the effort that they put into our Onshore Volunteer program.
Hop Aboard and Volunteer to be a Crew Member on One of Sea Shepherd’s Vessels
ALL SUMMER LONG! We are looking for navigators, sailors, engineers, electricians, carpenters, welders, cooks, medics or nurses, small boat operators, photographers, videographers, electronics technicians, radio and antenna technicians, and even a few unskilled but dedicated Ocean Defenders
Volunteer as a Bird Bander with the Starr Ranch Sanctuary
ALL SUMMER LONG! Dedicated birders who would like banding experience are invited to apply to become volunteer banders for a MAPS (Mapping Avian Productivity and Survivorship) station at the Starr Ranch Bird Observatory. MAPS is a growing network of hundreds of songbird banding stations in North America run by the Institute for Bird Populations (IBP). Long term banding data from MAPS stations help track changes in populations and migration patterns. In 2005, we became part of an international monitoring network that tracks birds in their wintering grounds, MoSI (Monitoreo de Sobrevivencia Invernal) with stations from Mexico to Columbia (and Starr Ranch!).
Volunteer for Songbird Monitoring with the Starr Ranch Sanctuary
ALL SUMMER LONG! Besides bird banding, Starr Ranch manages other songbird monitoring projects that utilize volunteer citizen scientists who are trained by ornithologists. Monitoring usually targets rare species and habitats such as coastal sage scrub but they also use songbirds as indicators of restoration success and climate change. New monitoring projects help them make decisions on which invasive plant species they will work to control.If you would like to volunteer or would like to learn more about Starr Ranch songbird monitoring projects, please contact Sandy DeSimone (sdesimone@audubon.org) at 949-858-0309.
Volunteer to Control Invasive Plants with the Starr Ranch Sanctuary
ALL SUMMER LONG! Starr Ranch “Weed Warriors” help them remove invasive plant species. Invasive species can alter habitats and can have negative effects on wildlife. All of their weed control is non-chemical, and done with hand tools. Currently volunteers help them with periwinkle, English ivy, and Smilo grass removal. If you would like to become a “weed warrior” at Starr Ranch, please contact Sandy DeSimone (sdesimone@audubon.org) at 949-858-0309.
Gather Data on Stream Waters with the Starr Ranch Sanctuary
ALL SUMMER LONG! Since 2003, Starr Ranch biologists have trained volunteers to use a standardized protocol to gather data on stream water quality and the impacts of urban run-off on the physical, chemical, and biological components of water quality in the creeks of Starr Ranch. The results are sent to a statewide database. If you would like to volunteer with the annual stream bioassessment project, please contact Sandy DeSimone (sdesimone@audubon.org) at 949-858-0309.
Featured Projects
Donate to Big Sunday’s Back to School Drive
Big Sunday,
nicolo@bigsunday.org,
(323)549-9944
ALL SUMMER LONG! Help send kids back to school in style by donating to Big Sunday's Back to School registry! This year, we've made it faster, easier, and more cost-effective by creating our own registry. Our goal is to fill over 4,000 backpacks, each containing one of the items listed on our registry. Purchase as many items as you like, and use our handy registry to contribute. Together, we can ensure students start their school year equipped and ready for success. Let's make a difference this summer!