Volunteer Nele Schindele, from the Palos Verdes Land Conservancy, works in the scenic Alta Vicente Reserve to plant native plants as part of a habitat restoration project, and to remove invasive non-native weeds.
(Kendra Frankle / For The Times)
18 ways to volunteer with native plants in and around L.A.
One of the easiest ways to learn about California native plants is volunteering to get your hands dirty.
There are numerous nonprofit organizations devoted to protecting and/or restoring habitat in Southern California’s fire- or invasive-weed-ravaged hills, and they rely on volunteers to help them with a variety of chores, from seeding and potting to planting native seedlings in the field.
Basically, if an organization refers to a habitat restoration project, chances are excellent the work involves native plants — collecting native seeds, transplanting seedlings, planting those seedlings in the wild and removing invasive weeds that threaten them.
Habitat restoration is labor-intensive, time-consuming work, but it’s also a great way to get hands-on lessons from the botanists who spend their days trying to shore up our indigenous animals by rebuilding what’s been lost to wildfire, development and fast-growing non-native plants like black mustard.
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Those jobs are also a way to scratch an itch to work with plants, even if you don’t have a traditional yard. Barbara Chung, for instance, has only a tiny 7-by-12-foot patio at her Santa Monica townhouse, but she still created a habitat garden with more than 100 native plants in pots that regularly hosts hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators, inspired by her volunteer work with habitat restoration organizations like TreePeople, the Santa Monica Mountains Fund Native Plant Nursery and Theodore Payne Foundation.
Volunteers from the Palos Verdes Land Conservancy work in the scenic Alta Vicente Reserve on March 23 to plant native plants as part of a habitat restoration project, and to remove invasive non-native weeds.
(Kendra Frankle / For The Times)
Her habitat work also inspired Chung to become a certified naturalist, publish a native plant fairy tale and ultimately pursue a law degree to help environmental causes. There are other less life-changing but still lovely benefits too, Chung notes, because some organizations, such as the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, give volunteers a few plants to take home after two hours of work.
L.A. Times Plants, the Theodore Payne Foundation and the California Native Plant Society team up to offer an immersive introduction to native plants at Festival of Books.
Here’s a list of some of the top organizations in Southern California looking for volunteers to help with habitat restoration with native plants. But other nonprofit organizations may need help with labor-intensive projects, so if you know of a group that isn’t listed here, call them to see how to get involved. — Jeanette Marantos
Showing Places
(Jeanette Marantos / Los Angeles Times)
Arroyo Seco Foundation's Hahamongna Native Plant Nursery
Pasadena Nature Conservancy
The Arroyo Seco Foundation’s small, mostly volunteer-operated nursery was created to raise plants native to Pasadena’s Arroyo Seco for habitat restoration, but these days Hahamongna Native Plant Nursery is mostly focused on retail sales and educating the public about native plants through workshops, research projects and other events, said manager Jason Suddith.
“We’re not like a big-box retail store, selling plants to sell plants,” he said. “We try to find out what people need, their space requirements and expectations. We want to help people build habitat and help pollinators.”
The nursery is open five days a week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Volunteers — both adults and (supervised) children — are needed for a variety of jobs to help create more plants for the nursery to sell, Suddith said, from collecting, cleaning and sowing native seed to propagating new plants. “Sometimes groups come through — we just had a Scout troop here a couple weeks ago — so we try to tailor our jobs for all skill levels, depending on the group or individual.”
Pre-registration is required for all volunteers through the Arroyo Seco Foundation’s volunteer form. The surrounding grounds have plenty of mature native plants, so volunteers can see what those seedlings in the pots will look like once they grow to maturity. Plus, getting to the nursery is a scenic adventure that requires driving through the oak-strewn Hahamongna Watershed Park, past a youth camp and surrounding stables, into a serene little spot full of birdsong, equestrian whinnies and the constant scuttle of lizards and busy ground squirrels. It’s definitely a lovely place to learn about native plants.
“We’re not like a big-box retail store, selling plants to sell plants,” he said. “We try to find out what people need, their space requirements and expectations. We want to help people build habitat and help pollinators.”
The nursery is open five days a week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Volunteers — both adults and (supervised) children — are needed for a variety of jobs to help create more plants for the nursery to sell, Suddith said, from collecting, cleaning and sowing native seed to propagating new plants. “Sometimes groups come through — we just had a Scout troop here a couple weeks ago — so we try to tailor our jobs for all skill levels, depending on the group or individual.”
Pre-registration is required for all volunteers through the Arroyo Seco Foundation’s volunteer form. The surrounding grounds have plenty of mature native plants, so volunteers can see what those seedlings in the pots will look like once they grow to maturity. Plus, getting to the nursery is a scenic adventure that requires driving through the oak-strewn Hahamongna Watershed Park, past a youth camp and surrounding stables, into a serene little spot full of birdsong, equestrian whinnies and the constant scuttle of lizards and busy ground squirrels. It’s definitely a lovely place to learn about native plants.
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Volunteers clear invasive grasses at the Sunshine Preserve in Glendale.
(William Hallstrom)
Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy
Altadena Nature Conservancy
Angelenos are lucky to live adjacent to many beautiful natural areas that feature the kinds of wildlife that have lived here for thousands of years, but increasingly these habitats have become fragmented. Tim Martinez, program and land administrator for the Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy, in describing the goal of the organization, says, “Connectivity is key” — linking wildlife areas that otherwise would be “biological islands.” P-22, our late, great mountain lion, for instance, was effectively trapped within the confines of the Griffith Park area. Creating corridors for animals to pass through and linking habitats is what the conservancy has been doing for the last 20 years in and around the San Gabriel foothills, as well as in the Verdugo Mountains and the San Rafael Hills. The group specializes in procuring and maintaining wildlife corridors.
But with only a small staff, it depends on volunteers to maintain these sites, and a key part of the work is establishing local involvement to help projects have long-term success. The group hosts volunteer events almost every week, including habitat restoration and trail maintenance. This could mean weeding out unwanted invasive plants like fountain grass or mustard, spreading mulch to suppress weeds and putting in native plants. Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy also offers opportunities to help with wildlife cameras or to learn about leading educational field trips with students at the conservancy’s sites.
Volunteer events occur at various locations. The address listed is the site with the most frequent events.
But with only a small staff, it depends on volunteers to maintain these sites, and a key part of the work is establishing local involvement to help projects have long-term success. The group hosts volunteer events almost every week, including habitat restoration and trail maintenance. This could mean weeding out unwanted invasive plants like fountain grass or mustard, spreading mulch to suppress weeds and putting in native plants. Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy also offers opportunities to help with wildlife cameras or to learn about leading educational field trips with students at the conservancy’s sites.
Volunteer events occur at various locations. The address listed is the site with the most frequent events.
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Volunteers remove weeds from the California Botanic Garden grounds.
(California Botanic Garden)
California Botanic Garden
Claremont Botanic Garden
As the largest botanic garden devoted to California native plants, California Botanic Garden features 86 acres of them from all over the state. Visitors can explore the grounds, which showcase the overwhelming diversity of our plant life from oak woodlands to desert landscapes. There are exhibits showcasing ideas for home gardens, and a huge collection of plant specimens used by researchers.
California Botanic Garden offers many ways for volunteers to learn about the state’s indigenous flora, from leading tours to weeding or pruning in the gardens, mounting plant specimens in the herbarium, assisting in the nursery with plant cultivation and care, or even creating native plant bouquets for garden events.
Volunteers must fill out an application to work at the garden, complete a background check and fingerprinting, become a member ($50 a year for individuals) and attend an orientation within six months of starting their work.
California Botanic Garden offers many ways for volunteers to learn about the state’s indigenous flora, from leading tours to weeding or pruning in the gardens, mounting plant specimens in the herbarium, assisting in the nursery with plant cultivation and care, or even creating native plant bouquets for garden events.
Volunteers must fill out an application to work at the garden, complete a background check and fingerprinting, become a member ($50 a year for individuals) and attend an orientation within six months of starting their work.
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Friends of Ballona Wetlands volunteers work on a habitat restoration project.
(Friends of Ballona Wetlands)
Friends of Ballona Wetlands
Playa del Rey Nature Conservancy
The Friends of Ballona Wetlands was founded in 1978 to protect the wetlands around the Playa Vista riparian corridor. Marshy wetland areas once were common along the Los Angeles coast, but their acreage has greatly diminished. The wetlands are important in many ways: as a home for migrating birds, as a spawning ground and nursery for fish, as a natural water filtration system and as a way to mitigate flooding.
The Friends of Ballona Wetlands hosts multiple volunteer opportunities every month including cleanup and restoration events. Volunteers can expect to help with removing non-native vegetation, planting trees and shrubs and removing trash. With a staff of eight people, Friends of Ballona depends on volunteers to achieve its goals.
Volunteer events occur at various locations. The address listed is the main one for the wetlands.
The Friends of Ballona Wetlands hosts multiple volunteer opportunities every month including cleanup and restoration events. Volunteers can expect to help with removing non-native vegetation, planting trees and shrubs and removing trash. With a staff of eight people, Friends of Ballona depends on volunteers to achieve its goals.
Volunteer events occur at various locations. The address listed is the main one for the wetlands.
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Friends of Griffith Park volunteers help to maintain the trails at Griffith Park.
(Friends of Griffith Park)
Friends of Griffith Park
Griffith Park Park
With more than 50 miles of trails that meander across wild hills, and panoramic views of Los Angeles from the Pacific to the San Gabriel Mountains, Griffith Park stakes a claim as a bulwark amid the sprawl of the city. Here is the Hollywood sign and the Greek Theatre, but also so much wildlife such as hawks, deer, bobcats and sometimes a mountain lion. Hikers, runners and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds come in throngs to this wild place mere miles from downtown. The goal has always been to keep it a public space since Griffith J. Griffith donated it to the city, and in 2009 legislature was drawn up to stipulate that today’s Griffith Park, at least in part, should represent the landscape of precolonial Los Angeles.
The Friends of Griffith Park is helping to maintain this vision. Brenda Rees, a veteran volunteer with the group, says volunteer events are joyful and inclusive. She says volunteers “love to be at events like this because we get our hands dirty, feel the breezes and maybe hear the chortling quail or howling coyotes.” The group hosts a few big volunteer days every month that typically involve cleanup around trails, removing invasive plants and restoring habitat areas.
Volunteer events occur at various locations within Griffith Park.
The Friends of Griffith Park is helping to maintain this vision. Brenda Rees, a veteran volunteer with the group, says volunteer events are joyful and inclusive. She says volunteers “love to be at events like this because we get our hands dirty, feel the breezes and maybe hear the chortling quail or howling coyotes.” The group hosts a few big volunteer days every month that typically involve cleanup around trails, removing invasive plants and restoring habitat areas.
Volunteer events occur at various locations within Griffith Park.
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Friends of the L.A. River volunteers working at Sepulveda Basin.
(Friends of the L.A. River)
Friends of the L.A. River
Encino Nonprofit
The Los Angeles River really is a river. Despite being mostly covered with concrete and channeled to mitigate flooding, the L.A. River is a naturally occurring waterway that for thousands of years provided water to communities in and around what today is Los Angeles. The Indigenous peoples of this region lived along the river and the Spanish built the original El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles along the river in and around what’s now Olvera Street. In many places the natural history of the river still shows through; in some cases it is even being restored. Poet, activist and L.A. River steward Lewis MacAdams formed Friends of the L.A. River in 1986 to advocate for the river and restore it as a natural ecosystem open to the public. For 30 years the group has hosted an annual Great L.A. River CleanUp and many other events in pursuit of that goal. Friends of the L.A. River partners with the California Native Plant Society to host a monthly Habitat Restoration Day at the Sepulveda Basin; volunteers help remove invasive plants while learning about their effects on local ecosystems.
Volunteer events occur at various locations. The address listed is for the group’s main office.
Volunteer events occur at various locations. The address listed is for the group’s main office.
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Volunteers work among rows of bright yellow native blooms aptly named California goldfields at the Irvine Ranch Conservancy’s Native Seed Farm.
(Irvine Ranch Conservancy)
Irvine Ranch Conservancy
Orange Nature Conservancy
The Irvine Ranch Conservancy is tasked with “the protection, restoration and enhancement” of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, more than 40,000 acres of open space on the Irvine Ranch, as well as other “urban wildlands” in Orange County in partnership with multiple entities, including Orange County Parks and the cities of Irvine and Newport Beach.
It’s a big job, and as such, it has lots of opportunities for volunteers, from group projects to single-day activities as well as advanced training in native plant restoration, control of invasive plants and related topics in its IRC-Certified Volunteers program for adults 18 and older.
The conservancy’s natural resource stewardship projects don’t require any special training, just a willingness to get dirty removing invasive weeds, collecting seeds, studying wildlife and planting native seedlings. Trail crew volunteers are trained to assist in restoration projects as well as maintaining habitats and trails. And the conservancy’s 14-acre Native Seed Farm in Irvine relies on volunteers to gather more than 500 pounds of seeds annually, pull weeds and otherwise care for more than 50 plant species growing at the farm as well as several native plant nurseries that it also manages.
The conservancy also offers multiple projects for ongoing habitat restoration projects every month, such as restoring wildflowers and wildlife in Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve, adding native plants to the Buck Gully Reserve in Newport Beach and caring for young, rare Tecate cypress trees in the Fremont Canyon Nature Preserve.
It’s a big job, and as such, it has lots of opportunities for volunteers, from group projects to single-day activities as well as advanced training in native plant restoration, control of invasive plants and related topics in its IRC-Certified Volunteers program for adults 18 and older.
The conservancy’s natural resource stewardship projects don’t require any special training, just a willingness to get dirty removing invasive weeds, collecting seeds, studying wildlife and planting native seedlings. Trail crew volunteers are trained to assist in restoration projects as well as maintaining habitats and trails. And the conservancy’s 14-acre Native Seed Farm in Irvine relies on volunteers to gather more than 500 pounds of seeds annually, pull weeds and otherwise care for more than 50 plant species growing at the farm as well as several native plant nurseries that it also manages.
The conservancy also offers multiple projects for ongoing habitat restoration projects every month, such as restoring wildflowers and wildlife in Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve, adding native plants to the Buck Gully Reserve in Newport Beach and caring for young, rare Tecate cypress trees in the Fremont Canyon Nature Preserve.
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(Dan Jamieson)
Monarch Nature Trail in Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach Natural reserve
The Monarch Nature Trail in north Huntington Beach is tenacious testimony to the power of neighborhood activism. The 1.2-mile trail between Rancho Road and Edwards Street is an abandoned Navy railroad spur that the city acquired in 2016 with the idea of making it part of a planned trail system. The funding didn’t materialize, however, and in 2017 city officials proposed leasing the area as a new-car storage spot for local auto dealers until funding did become available. After more than 80 neighbors turned out to protest the idea, the plan was dropped and the neighbors, led by Dan Jamieson and his wife, master gardener Roxanne McMillen, joined forces to begin clearing the trail of trash and weeds.
Now, the first Saturday of every month, from 9 to 11 a.m., they invite volunteers to help weed, spread mulch and restore habitat by planting sages, buckwheat, bladderpod and other native seedlings to attract birds, bees and butterflies, especially the Western monarchs that overwinter in coastal areas, including Huntington Beach.
“The idea is to have beautiful natives growing along both sides of the trail ... to make it a pleasant place to take a walk and enjoy nature,” McMillen wrote in an email. “The areas that have been transformed are so nice compared to the other areas of weeds. It is quite a battle with the weeds until the natives grow large enough to block them out.”
These days, the volunteers also get support from the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Orange County, the Orange County Chapter of the California Native Plant Society and the city of Huntington Beach. And people of all ages are welcome to help, McMillen said, even young children (accompanied by adults) who can fill holes with plants or help water the new plants.
Now, the first Saturday of every month, from 9 to 11 a.m., they invite volunteers to help weed, spread mulch and restore habitat by planting sages, buckwheat, bladderpod and other native seedlings to attract birds, bees and butterflies, especially the Western monarchs that overwinter in coastal areas, including Huntington Beach.
“The idea is to have beautiful natives growing along both sides of the trail ... to make it a pleasant place to take a walk and enjoy nature,” McMillen wrote in an email. “The areas that have been transformed are so nice compared to the other areas of weeds. It is quite a battle with the weeds until the natives grow large enough to block them out.”
These days, the volunteers also get support from the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Orange County, the Orange County Chapter of the California Native Plant Society and the city of Huntington Beach. And people of all ages are welcome to help, McMillen said, even young children (accompanied by adults) who can fill holes with plants or help water the new plants.
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Mujeres de la Tierra volunteers during a restoration event over the summer at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area.
(Mujeres de la Tierra)
Mujeres de la Tierra
Lincoln Heights Nonprofit
Mujeres de la Tierra promotes environmental equity through community projects, focusing on underrecognized and marginalized people in Los Angeles. Started in 2004, the Latina-founded nonprofit is committed to healing la madre tierra (Mother Earth). The group hosts beautification and restoration events at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area and at the Los Angeles River Center and Gardens. While not all events are focused on horticulture, environmental awareness is a key part of its mission. It hosts a grassroots theater project called Telenovelas in the Park, which makes dramatic presentations on issues such as drought, water conservation and plastic pollution.
Over the summer, the group led four volunteer projects at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area where participants removed invasive weeds and planted California native plants. Volunteers can expect to enrich their environmental knowledge and take on leadership roles.
Volunteer events take place at multiple sites. The address listed is for Mujeres de la Tierra’s office.
Over the summer, the group led four volunteer projects at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area where participants removed invasive weeds and planted California native plants. Volunteers can expect to enrich their environmental knowledge and take on leadership roles.
Volunteer events take place at multiple sites. The address listed is for Mujeres de la Tierra’s office.
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A volunteer waters plants in the nursery at North East Trees in Ascot Hills Park in El Sereno.
(William Hallstrom)
North East Trees
El Sereno Nonprofit
North East Trees is based in Ascot Hills Park in El Sereno, a pretty amazing habitat space within view of downtown Los Angeles — proof that natural habitat is possible directly within our most urbanized areas. It was founded in 1989 with the goal of building and maintaining parks and other green spaces, as well as connecting communities with nature, especially in underserved regions.
The group restores and maintains a number of sites around Northeast Los Angeles, including at Ascot Hills Park, where its nursery is based, and the nearby Elephant Hill and Flat Top sites. North East Trees is very much a part of its community. Nursery Manager Hannya Ortiz Caldera grew up in nearby Lincoln Heights, and she says that local community involvement is “present and consistent.” She says many volunteers have made the North East Trees nursery their hangout spot and a place where they can decompress — some even find ways to help on their own time once they learn the basics.
Volunteer activities include seed collecting, seed processing and other nursery propagation tasks, as well as habitat restoration work and putting plants in the ground. North East Trees is developing a native plant micro-forest at Ascot Hills Park, a project involving a number of aspects of habitat restoration, which volunteers can learn about. North East Trees also helps local youth acquire skills to gain employment in green jobs. It promotes volunteer opportunities with other local organizations through its website as well.
The group restores and maintains a number of sites around Northeast Los Angeles, including at Ascot Hills Park, where its nursery is based, and the nearby Elephant Hill and Flat Top sites. North East Trees is very much a part of its community. Nursery Manager Hannya Ortiz Caldera grew up in nearby Lincoln Heights, and she says that local community involvement is “present and consistent.” She says many volunteers have made the North East Trees nursery their hangout spot and a place where they can decompress — some even find ways to help on their own time once they learn the basics.
Volunteer activities include seed collecting, seed processing and other nursery propagation tasks, as well as habitat restoration work and putting plants in the ground. North East Trees is developing a native plant micro-forest at Ascot Hills Park, a project involving a number of aspects of habitat restoration, which volunteers can learn about. North East Trees also helps local youth acquire skills to gain employment in green jobs. It promotes volunteer opportunities with other local organizations through its website as well.
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A Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy native plant nursery volunteer holds up two small potted plants.
(Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy)
Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
Nature Conservancy
By the ocean in Palos Verdes, under the rugged, weathered cliffs, next to tide pools populated with crabs and urchins, you may think you’re a million miles from the city. The Palos Verdes Peninsula is a unique and somewhat isolated part of Los Angeles with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. Those cliffs and tide pools, along with rare and endangered seaside plants, contrast with the expansive sandy beaches of the neighboring South Bay communities. The hilly landscape provides a buffer from the greater metropolitan sprawl. Also, in some parts the fragile geology makes a big impact on potential development.
The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy has worked since 1988 to preserve the history and ecology of open spaces in the area, and it now counts 1,600 acres under its stewardship. Volunteer program manager Lynn Rotunno says she is “inspired every day by our volunteers and their commitment to us.” First-timers can come out for weekly restoration and trail maintenance events. There are also opportunities for growing plants in the nursery and wildlife monitoring. Hikers who frequent the area can learn how to report trail damage so repairs can be made.
Volunteer events occur at various locations. The address listed is for the conservancy’s main site.
The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy has worked since 1988 to preserve the history and ecology of open spaces in the area, and it now counts 1,600 acres under its stewardship. Volunteer program manager Lynn Rotunno says she is “inspired every day by our volunteers and their commitment to us.” First-timers can come out for weekly restoration and trail maintenance events. There are also opportunities for growing plants in the nursery and wildlife monitoring. Hikers who frequent the area can learn how to report trail damage so repairs can be made.
Volunteer events occur at various locations. The address listed is for the conservancy’s main site.
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(Jeanette Marantos)
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Botanic Garden
As the state’s second-largest botanic garden devoted to California native plants, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden offers a smorgasbord of opportunities for volunteers who want some hands-on learning about the state’s indigenous flora. And with 78 acres, the garden needs all the help it can get.
Among the many opportunities, volunteers can sign up for the “Hort Unit” to learn about propagation of native plants and the garden’s seed bank; work shifts in the garden itself, weeding, pruning, mulching and otherwise tending to plants; or work in the garden’s nursery to learn about the care and techniques for growing native plants.
Volunteers aren’t required to become members (although most are, said Kathy Castaneda, the garden’s manager of volunteer programs), but there aren’t many drop-in opportunities to help at the gardens. Because they must be trained to work in their chosen areas, volunteers are expected to make at least a three-month commitment of time to come in weekly or at least a few times a month, she said.
The garden also is organizing volunteers to help restore and maintain native plants at Elings Park and other locations as part of its five-year project to rebuild habitat with native plants in public gardens and open spaces throughout Santa Barbara County.
Among the many opportunities, volunteers can sign up for the “Hort Unit” to learn about propagation of native plants and the garden’s seed bank; work shifts in the garden itself, weeding, pruning, mulching and otherwise tending to plants; or work in the garden’s nursery to learn about the care and techniques for growing native plants.
Volunteers aren’t required to become members (although most are, said Kathy Castaneda, the garden’s manager of volunteer programs), but there aren’t many drop-in opportunities to help at the gardens. Because they must be trained to work in their chosen areas, volunteers are expected to make at least a three-month commitment of time to come in weekly or at least a few times a month, she said.
The garden also is organizing volunteers to help restore and maintain native plants at Elings Park and other locations as part of its five-year project to rebuild habitat with native plants in public gardens and open spaces throughout Santa Barbara County.
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(Casey Schreiner)
Santa Monica Mountains Fund Rancho Sierra Vista Native Plant Nursery
Goleta Nature Conservancy
If you’re looking for a real hands-on learning experience, then reserve your Thursdays to volunteer at the Santa Monica Mountains Fund Rancho Sierra Vista Native Plant Nursery, where you can spend an entire day learning about the propagation and care of California native plants while helping the nursery prepare plants for wildland restoration.
Bonus point: If you put in at least two hours of work between noon and 4 p.m. on Free Plant Thursdays, you can take home three plants for free. Propagation Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon are best suited for volunteers who want to improve their native plant horticulture skills. The tasks focus on one or two native plant species every week, such as milkweed, sages, manzanitas, dudleyas and monkeyflowers, with activities such as preparing plant cuttings, transplanting rooted cuttings into containers, creating and applying soil mixes and fertilizers and cleaning recent conservation seed collections.
The nursery also offers free workshops on a variety of plant topics, so sign up for its newsletter to find out about upcoming events.
Bonus point: If you put in at least two hours of work between noon and 4 p.m. on Free Plant Thursdays, you can take home three plants for free. Propagation Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon are best suited for volunteers who want to improve their native plant horticulture skills. The tasks focus on one or two native plant species every week, such as milkweed, sages, manzanitas, dudleyas and monkeyflowers, with activities such as preparing plant cuttings, transplanting rooted cuttings into containers, creating and applying soil mixes and fertilizers and cleaning recent conservation seed collections.
The nursery also offers free workshops on a variety of plant topics, so sign up for its newsletter to find out about upcoming events.
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A South Bay Parklands Conservancy volunteer pulls weeds at the Esplanade Bluff Restoration project in Redondo Beach as the sun sets.
(Daniel Fort)
South Bay Parkland Conservancy
Redondo Beach Nature Conservancy
The South Bay Parkland Conservancy in Redondo Beach is a nonprofit dedicated to acquiring open spaces and parks to keep them accessible to the public, and to restoring native habitat on public lands, as with its Esplanade Bluff Garden Restoration, between Avenue A and Knob Hill Avenue, on a small piece of ocean-facing property owned by Los Angeles County.
The conservancy has regular workshops that are monthly opportunities for volunteers to learn about native plants, wildlife and gardening while helping to restore and maintain sites such as the Esplanade Bluff, Hermosa Valley Greenbelt, Hopkins Wilderness Park and Redondo Beach Community Garden. The conservancy also offers guided nature walks in Hopkins Wilderness Park every month for children and adults discussing topics such as birds, pollinators and plant reproduction. Even its website is a revelation, with beautiful photos and names of plants native to the region.
The conservancy has regular workshops that are monthly opportunities for volunteers to learn about native plants, wildlife and gardening while helping to restore and maintain sites such as the Esplanade Bluff, Hermosa Valley Greenbelt, Hopkins Wilderness Park and Redondo Beach Community Garden. The conservancy also offers guided nature walks in Hopkins Wilderness Park every month for children and adults discussing topics such as birds, pollinators and plant reproduction. Even its website is a revelation, with beautiful photos and names of plants native to the region.
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Volunteers walk one of the trails toward a sprawling sunflower plant in South Pasadena Nature Park.
(William Hallstrom)
South Pasadena Nature Park
South Pasadena Park
The South Pasadena Nature Park is a great example of turning a neglected lot into something beautiful. It was once a vacant, derelict and unclaimed city-owned property at the edge of a recreation area and golf course adjacent to the 110 Freeway, a forgotten remnant of earlier infrastructure projects. In 2004 it was converted into a nature park as native plants were added to an existing system of trails. But without support, it was still threatened by invasive weeds. So in 2006, local resident Barbara Eisenstein started to bring in volunteers to steward the 4-acre parcel, which straddles South Pasadena and Highland Park. Now it is filled with a diverse and expanding palette of thriving California native plants that in turn support birds and other wildlife and make it a pleasant space for a quick escape from city life.
Volunteer days happen once a month. Cleanup, weeding, pruning and mulching are typical activities, but participants may also clear trails or engage in other special projects. Eisenstein says volunteers may have unique skills they can contribute. For example, volunteer Monica Kelly grows milkweed at home and started a butterfly garden at the nature park. She also educates visitors on the importance of milkweed for the monarch butterfly. Community is key at the South Pasadena Nature Park and it is likely something volunteers will learn how to foster.
Volunteer days happen once a month. Cleanup, weeding, pruning and mulching are typical activities, but participants may also clear trails or engage in other special projects. Eisenstein says volunteers may have unique skills they can contribute. For example, volunteer Monica Kelly grows milkweed at home and started a butterfly garden at the nature park. She also educates visitors on the importance of milkweed for the monarch butterfly. Community is key at the South Pasadena Nature Park and it is likely something volunteers will learn how to foster.
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Volunteers on the grounds at the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sun Valley.
(Theodore Payne Foundation)
Theodore Payne Foundation
Sun Valley Nursery / Garden Center
The Theodore Payne Foundation is perhaps best known for its annual garden tour, which has featured an amazing array of California native plant gardens throughout Los Angeles, as well as for its retail nursery carrying an extensive selection of native plants. Theodore Payne advocates for native plant landscaping, which is more drought-tolerant and also creates urban habitat to help offset the loss of wild spaces. The nonprofit organization has relied on volunteers in its operation since it was founded in 1960. Volunteer engagement coordinator Rachel Bailey says, “Our team of volunteers has an extensive knowledge base that they are always willing to share.”
The staff and community at Theodore Payne are incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to gardening with native plants in Los Angeles, so it is a great educational opportunity. It has regularly occurring volunteer days every week, as well as bigger project events that occur from month to month. One of the most intriguing aspects of the nursery is that it is situated within a lovely native plant showcase garden.
Volunteers can expect to help out with typical garden chores such as weeding or planting, but there are also opportunities to learn about things specific to the plant nursery, such as collecting seeds or propagating plants. Theodore Payne also partners with other organizations for volunteer days at sites like the Rio de Los Angeles State Park and the Audubon Center at Debs Park.
The staff and community at Theodore Payne are incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to gardening with native plants in Los Angeles, so it is a great educational opportunity. It has regularly occurring volunteer days every week, as well as bigger project events that occur from month to month. One of the most intriguing aspects of the nursery is that it is situated within a lovely native plant showcase garden.
Volunteers can expect to help out with typical garden chores such as weeding or planting, but there are also opportunities to learn about things specific to the plant nursery, such as collecting seeds or propagating plants. Theodore Payne also partners with other organizations for volunteer days at sites like the Rio de Los Angeles State Park and the Audubon Center at Debs Park.
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(Adam Corey Thomas)
TreePeople
Nonprofit
TreePeople is a nonprofit organization working in both urban and wildlands spaces throughout Southern California. Its mountain forestry teams host regular volunteer events in the Angeles National Forest to restore oak woodlands and fire-scarred chaparral ecosystems. Its urban forestry teams work in communities from Inglewood to Riverside to San Fernando, using volunteers to help plant shade trees in green-deprived urban neighborhoods.
Education is another focus, with periodic workshops and online information about conservation and helping the environment. For instance, check out its concise “8 Principles to Rainwater Harvesting” on Instagram and its new downloadable starter guide, “Southern California Native Plants.” You can also visit its headquarters at the 45-acre Coldwater Canyon Park for hiking, picnicking or guided tours.
Education is another focus, with periodic workshops and online information about conservation and helping the environment. For instance, check out its concise “8 Principles to Rainwater Harvesting” on Instagram and its new downloadable starter guide, “Southern California Native Plants.” You can also visit its headquarters at the 45-acre Coldwater Canyon Park for hiking, picnicking or guided tours.
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Matthew Teutimez hosts a plant medicine workshop with Wild Yards.
(Wild Yards Project)
Wild Yards Project
Eagle Rock Community Group
The Wild Yards Project began in 2016 when David Newsom wanted to be able to show his daughter, who was then a year old, nature through plants, birds and bees. His family lived in Northeast L.A. surrounded by concrete and he didn’t know how to garden. But he started to learn, planting a small garden to attract wildlife. He photographed his project along the way. Today the Wild Yards Project helps create habitat gardens and outdoor classrooms, often at schools. The Los Angeles Unified School District is the city’s biggest landowner, but many of its sites have minimal landscaping, and nothing in the way of the kind of habitat gardens that can help to enhance student education in the natural sciences. Newsom’s primary mission now is helping to change this.
Most recently he worked with volunteers to create a garden at Toland Way School in Glassell Park, where participants, including 35 volunteers, cleared an 1,800-square-foot lot, covered it with mulch and planted 200 native plants. Newsom’s projects happen from month to month; you can stay tuned by following him on Instagram.
Most recently he worked with volunteers to create a garden at Toland Way School in Glassell Park, where participants, including 35 volunteers, cleared an 1,800-square-foot lot, covered it with mulch and planted 200 native plants. Newsom’s projects happen from month to month; you can stay tuned by following him on Instagram.
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