Volunteer and Protect What You Love!

The canyons surrounding Laguna Beach have captured the inspiration of both artists and nature lovers throughout history. Those of us lucky enough to call this special place home appreciate the canyons’ natural beauty, environmental benefits, and diverse recreational opportunities. But most visitors are unaware of how valuable the ecosystem is that sits in their own backyard. The trees, shrubs and wildflowers that we admire are home to countless species of wildlife such as the bobcat and great horned owl. The coastal sage scrub habitat that makes up much of the canyon ecosystem is some of the last of its kind and one of thirty-five globally recognized biodiversity hotspots in the world!

Native habitat supports a diverse population of plants and wildlife, while a habitat dominated by non-native plants does not make a good home. Take a moment to imagine a hillside of non-native mustard versus a hillside full of native plants like sagebrush, buckwheat, and lemonadeberry. While wildlife can use mustard for food and shelter, most species greatly prefer the native hillside, with a variety of insect hosts, different seed types, and a varied flower blooming schedule.

Our mission at Laguna Canyon Foundation is to protect, preserve, enhance and promote the South Coast Wilderness. A great way to do all these things is to participate in volunteer stewardship. Stewardship in this sense means taking responsibility for the care and management of the land. This may take many forms, including removing non-native plants from sensitive native habitats, adding native plants in degraded areas to restore them to their historic condition, or educating the public about the beauty, ecology and threats to our wildlands. All these activities can greatly impact the native habitats that are found in the open space, and help the unique, threatened, and endangered species that make the South Coast Wilderness such an important place to preserve and protect.

Laguna Canyon Foundation offers multiple volunteer opportunities each month for people of all ages to participate in events that help to protect and restore the open space that we all love so much. Rather than simply observing the natural world, or seeing landscapes through the window of a car, you and your friends and family can directly impact the fragile ecosystem that sits in your backyard.

Participants will follow the life cycle of a plant, from collecting and planting seeds, to caring for the young nursery plants, to planting them at our restoration project site. Once the plants are in the ground, volunteers will have the opportunity to continue tending them during our monthly restoration events. You will learn about native plants, habitat restoration, and the importance of conserving our wildlands, while contributing in a tangible, hands-on way to making the parks a better place for wildlife.

There are no requirements or special skills needed to be a steward except the motivation to show up and participate. So, what are you waiting for? Come join the fun and learn more about stewardship with LCF! Bring your friends, bring your family and come help keep it wild! Wednesdays and Saturdays from October 2018 to June 2019. For more information and to sign up, click here.