Each year, nearly 1,000 Midpen and partner volunteers contribute over 20,000 hours preserving and protecting open space lands by participating in a variety of ways such as educating and inspiring visitors, constructing and maintaining trails and removing invasive, non-native vegetation. These volunteers are key to our success. Their energy and dedication is immeasurable and their efforts are greatly appreciated by board members and staff. How will you help?
COVID-19 AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS:
Volunteer programs, training opportunities, and activities have been suspended until further notice. Please submit your interest in future training opportunities for the different programs listed below.
Please note age requirements and desirable skills as marked.
Volunteer Programs
Preserve Partner
Be on the front lines and get involved in restoring and maintaining Midpen trails and preserves. Each year we host over 70 fun, educational, and productive Outdoor Service Projects.
Advanced Resource Management Stewards
Adopt a resource management site within a preserve and work independently on a wide range of tasks to restore the complex open space preserve ecosystems.
Trail Patrol Volunteer
Hike, ride your bike, saddle up your horse, and hit the trail. Trail Patrol Volunteers provide a valuable resource to visitors to our open space preserves.
Nature Center Docent
Staff the David C. Daniels Nature Center located at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve. The Nature Center is open weekends April to mid-November.
Docent Naturalist
Provide year-round guided interpretive hikes and rides that engage preserve visitors with the natural and cultural history, and ecology of the mid-peninsula region and Santa Cruz Mountains.
Outdoor Education Docent
Work as part of a docent team leading small groups of 3rd - 5th graders on a field trip to the Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve and the David C. Daniels Nature Center. Field trips take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the spring and fall of each year.
Preserve Partner
Be on the front lines and get involved in restoring and maintaining Midpen trails and preserves. Each year we host over 100 fun, educational, and productive outdoor service projects. Sign up for as many of these projects as fit your schedule
Duties
- Habitat restoration (removal of invasive, non-native vegetation, planting native vegetation, installing erosion control materials, etc.)
- Trail restoration
- Fence construction and repairs
- Other important resource management activities
Training
- No advanced training or experience necessary!
- Midpen staff members provide all tools and on-site training and instructions.
Suspended further due to rise in COVID-19
Advanced Resource Management Stewards
Take your passion for resource management to the next level! Part hands on work in the preserves and part data management, this advanced volunteer role allows individuals to 'adopt-a-site' within a preserve and work independently on a wide range of resource management tasks to restore the complex open space preserve ecosystems. (Note: This opporunity is open to individuals, please refer to Group Volunteer Projects if you are looking for opportunities for your group)
Duties
- Perform invasive, non-native vegetation management on your own
- Site monitoring
- Data collection and reporting using Calflora, an online data repository of plants (native and non-native) found in California
- Regular communication with designated staff to ensure efficient execution of site plan
- Attend scheduled training and/or meetings
Training
- Mandatory training for all individidual in this program includes an interview, 2-3 scheduled work sessions and site visits, and check-out and authorization for unaccompanied use of handtools in Midpen preserves.
- You'll learn how to identify common invasive and native plants, proper tool use, and data management in Calflora.
Prerequisites
- Attend 3 Outdoor Service Projects to experience the field aspect of this role - let the project lead know of your interest in the ARMS program!
- Previous experience in restoration, botany, or land management is helpful, but not required; most important is a passion for resource management and the ability to properly learn/identify various plant species
- Computer literacy and the ability navigate an online database
Must be at least 18 years of age. This is program requires a high level of commitment and training both in the field and online, and is limited in capacity based on staff availability for training and oversight.
Submit a Volunteer Interest Form
Staff the David C. Daniels Nature Center located at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve. The Nature Center is open weekends April to mid-November.
Duties
- Greet visitors and share information about Midpen preserves.
- Share environmental and natural history information; engage visitors with interactive exhibits.
- Conduct hands-on discoveries (pond ecology, wildlife viewing, etc.)
Upcoming Training
- Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, scheduling of a training date is uncertain. Please submit an interest form to be notified of next available training.
Must be at least 18 years of age. Previous experience working with the public, youth, and involving nature/environment is desirable but not required. Midpen provides all necessary training and ongoing enrichment opportunities.
Submit a Volunteer Interest Form
Outdoor Education Docent
Work as part of a docent team leading small groups of 3rd-5th graders on a field trip to the Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve and the David C. Daniels Nature Center. Field trips take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the spring and fall of each year.
Duties
- Using Midpen's unique "Spaces & Species" curriculum, teach children about the natural world, providing opportunities for environmental learning (including a 1-mile easy-to-moderate hike) while fostering a fun atmosphere for discovery and exploration.
Training
- A 2021 training is planned - date yet to be determined. Please submit an interest form to receive future notifications.
Must be at least 18 years of age. Previous experience working with the public, youth, and involving nature/environment is desirable but not required. Midpen provides all necessary training and ongoing enrichment opportunities.
Submit a Volunteer Interest Form
Docent Naturalist
Provide year-round guided interpretive hikes and rides that engage preserve visitors with the natural and cultural history, and ecology of the mid-peninsula region and Santa Cruz Mountains.
Duties
- Design and lead (or assist with) activities on preserves such as hikes, mountain bike excursions, and horseback rides.
- Using interpretive techniques and an understanding of ecology, natural resource management, and local history, encourage appreciation and stewardship of open space and wildland habitat areas.
Training
- A 12- to 14-week (one evening and one Saturday per week) training and orientation program is required. The training is usually offered biennially from April through June. This training incorporates the UC California Naturalist certification.
- Thank you for your interest in this program. The 2020 Docent Naturalist training course was postponed due to the COVID-19 health crisis. NOTE: All currently accepted applicant-trainees will be the first to be notified of a rescheduled training (tentatively a split-season course fall 2021 and spring 2022). In the event that already accepted trainees decline the training offer/withdraw from the course others from a list of interested individuals may be contacted (in date order of interest form received). Please submit an interest form to be placed on 2021/2022 waitlist and/or for the interested list for a future training
Must be at least 18 years of age. Previous experience working with the public, youth, and involving nature/environment is desirable but not required. Midpen provides all necessary training and ongoing enrichment opportunities.
Submit a Volunteer Interest Form
Trail Patrol Volunteer
Hike, ride your bike, saddle up your horse, and hit the trail. Trail Patrol Volunteers provide a valuable resource to visitors to our open space preserves.
Duties
- Talk with visitors and provide trail safety, etiquette, and general information
- Respond to patrol and other staff requests for targeted messaging and assistance with visitor contacts
- Monitor and report trail conditions such as downed trees, slides, and other hazards
Training
- A mandatory training program, consisting of an interview and 2-3 scheduled training sessions.
- During informative training sessions, you will learn how to handle emergencies and identify potential trail hazards. We ask for a commitment of at least once a month for one year.
- Due to COVID-19, the spring/summer 2020 training class has been cancelled and will be rescheduled once we resume normal operating functions and have had time to evaluate available staff time and resources for various Midpen projects and programs.
Must be at least 18 years of age.
Submit a Volunteer Interest Form
Need More Information?
For further information about Docent Naturalist, Outdoor Education Docent, or Nature Center Host opportunities, please email docent@openspace.org.
For more information about Preserve Partners or Trail Patrol, email volunteer@openspace.org or call 650-691-1200. For group projects, please refer to the information on our Group Volunteer Project page.