Volunteer groups pitch in to keep local parks looking beautiful, and safe from invasive species.

A group of people in outdoor clothing gather at Garrapata State Park, a setting noted for trails tracing from ocean beaches into redwood groves. They head up the Soberanes Canyon Trail, where one can see the waves crashing against the shore from lookout points along the trail. Sea lions and sea otters frequent the coastal waters, and gray whales pass as they migrate.

But this particular group has not come to simply appreciate nature, but to keep it truly natural. Sam Winter, with California State Parks, is leading the volunteers. It’s a chilly morning, but a large party has gathered.

Several are long-time volunteers, familiar with Winter and the trail. There’s a cluster of young adults and a couple of families with children. The plan on this particular day is to remove sweet alyssum, poison hemlock, ripgut brome and mustard, among other invasive plants.

Winter divides them into two squads, one focusing on the beginning of the trail, the other heading up some of the lookout points. Everyone is given gloves, tools and some bags to collect the non-native refuse. He says the goal is to allow native plants the space they need to thrive.

“We’re helping protect the native habitat,” he explains. “Many of our native plants support native pollinators like insects and birds. So the plants serve as the base of the ecosystem in several different ways.”

When species are brought in from other parts of the world, they disturb the balance between the demand and supply of nutrients, a dynamic that is commonly understood. What Winter brings to the effort is a rich understanding of what should and should not exist in this environment – and why.

“Sweet alyssum is a great example. It doesn’t really support many of our native pollinators,” he points out. “But they are taking up space from plants like seacliff buckwheat, which is the only plant the Smith’s blue butterfly will use when migrating. So we’re losing space, and the ability for that butterfly to survive.”

And so you pull them and make space yourself. The process is simple, but the work is real and manual. Still, there is the fabulous setting. Through the volunteer program, participants can take the opportunity to enjoy the view, while also benefiting the park.

Helen Ogden is a long-time volunteer for State Parks. She says getting more involved helped her to become trained in what to look for and have authorization to visit sites more often. Now, she volunteers weekly, and visits Garrapata with a small group on her own to pull invasives.

“I knew nothing about plants or invasive species three years ago,” Ogden admits. “It grows into a passion.”

Paula Donnelly is also a long-time volunteer who participates weekly. She says it’s a way to protect the trails she loves to use so much. “My husband and I hike often. We love Big Sur and want to give back,” Donnelly says.

The public volunteer program operates once a month. There are also other regular volunteer projects at parks around the county, from state parks to local city parks.

Until one has taken part in the process of identifying and digging out non-native species, it’s easy to forget the work that goes into ensuring public spaces stay they way nature intended. The California State Parks Department has some jurisdiction when it comes to keeping the spaces free from invasives, but those resources are limited.

That is where Winter and the volunteer programs come into play. “The mission of state parks is to protect our natural resources, and increase opportunities for the public to be out in nature and enjoy these beautiful places,” he says. “To me, working with volunteers brings both of these things together.”

The program allows volunteers a few hours to get to know a plot of land and connect with others – all while doing something positive for a small part of a large environment.

“You can’t love things that you don’t know,” Winter says. “So this is a wonderful way to connect.”

Learn more about the different volunteer options available near you at parks.ca.gov/?page_id=21284.