Sea and Service at Point Reyes National Seashore, California

The Trip

Enjoy scenic views of the Pacific Ocean while working to restore native plant species and/or burn-scar areas in Point Reyes National Seashore. A secluded maritime wilderness just 35 miles north of San Francisco, where the San Andreas fault emerges from the land into the sea, the Point Reyes Peninsula is rich with history and over 1,500 species of plants and wildlife. While driving through different areas of the park or hiking any of the 150 miles of trails, a visitor can often glimpse eagles, Tule elk, elephant seals, bobcats, sea lions, and many of the 490 species of birds found in the area.

The rugged coastal cliffs, sandy beaches, and varied woodlands and grasslands have been inhabited for over 5,000 years, beginning with the Miwok Indians and eventually European explorers, led by Sir Francis Drake in the 16th century. The maritime commerce boom of the mid-19th century led to the installation of a lighthouse and a lifesaving station; both historic landmarks are now open to the public. 

At the Bear Valley Visitor Center, interactive displays and interpretive walks guide you through this history, or you can straddle the San Andreas Fault as you explore the Earthquake Trail. Our itinerary will afford plenty of opportunities to explore the park’s 71,000 acres, and there is no shortage of activities!

A beautiful destination itself, the park is conveniently situated within a drive of even more of California’s attractions such as the Napa Valley, San Francisco, Muir Woods, and additional national parks. Local towns near the park include Tomales Bay, Point Reyes Station, and Inverness, which all offer dining and recreation opportunities before and after the project week.

Our trip will be on the ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok people. Point Reyes National Seashore contains more than 120 Coast Miwok settlement sites. You may visit a replica of the Miwok community, Kule Loklo, or “Bear Valley” which is located near the Visitor Center.  Because the sandstone cliffs here are susceptible to erosion and the rise in sea level is exposing sites and artifacts, the National Park Service is working closely with Native Americans to protect graves and other important objects or sites in the area.

The Project

Joining the influx of explorers, farmers, miners, and sailors came a variety of invasive, exotic plant species that continue to threaten this pristine coastal habitat and its ecosystems. Recent wildfires within the National Park have created large burn-scar areas that will need rehabilitation efforts to regrow and flourish. Removing invasive plants allows the native seeds that are stored in the soil to grow and thrive. On past service trips, Sierra Club participants have removed the ubiquitous ice plant, Scotch broom, cape ivy, oxeye daisy, New Zealand spinach, European beach grass, and many kinds of thistle. Led by the agency staff, our specific work will depend on the needs of the park at the time of our visit and the weather.

Meeting locations, times, maps, and agendas will be communicated to approved participants well before the trip begins. We will meet by 4:00 p.m. on the first day and depart after breakfast on the last day. While our daily itinerary is always subject to the needs of our park hosts and the weather, we will typically work four days during the week and have one or two days off during the week to enjoy the seashore, explore the hiking trails, or chill out in our beautiful surroundings. Our days will typically begin around 7:00 a.m. for making and packing our lunches and enjoying breakfast. We will leave for the work site by 8:00 a.m. On some days, we will travel by participants' vehicles up to 20-30 minutes to our work site, where we may have a moderate to fairly long walk carrying our full packs and tools to the project site. After work, participants who are not helping with meal preparation will usually have time to relax or explore. In Sierra Club tradition, we will all take turns helping the cook. This week will be time to be ‘unplugged’ from electronic and cellular devices, including Wi-Fi and television. There will be options for excursions on the non-work days or you can plan your small-group exploration.

Getting There

Travel to and from the service trip is the responsibility of each participant. Ride-sharing is highly encouraged; a list of participant contact information will be emailed to participants to facilitate making travel arrangements. The nearest airports are in San Francisco and Oakland. Participants will be asked to take turns driving fellow participants to the work site each day. Please do not make travel arrangements until the leader has confirmed you as a trip member.

Accommodations and Food

We will be camping at a barebones volunteer group campsite with details communicated to participants on approval. A list of recommended clothing and gear will be provided to trip participants. Please look forward to an "offline" week as cell coverage will be spotty at best!

Please come with the attitude that food is part of the adventure. Meals prepared by our trip cook and kitchen helpers (all participants will take turns as kitchen helpers) will be vegetarian-friendly and will include some meat alternatives appropriate to the group. The protein-rich, nutritious, and imaginative meals and snacks will be suited to the work project and participants' nutritional intake within our trip budget. Our cook strives to choose food options that are wholesome and nutritious and produce the minimum amount of waste. Before applying for the trip, if you have food allergies or strong nutritional preferences, please contact the cook to see if reasonable accommodations can be made and to ensure that the trip can accommodate your needs.

Trip Difficulty

Good physical condition will allow you to fully enjoy this trip!  Every participant will be encouraged to work at his/her own pace and we will aim for a variety of work projects.  Note that some projects may be moderate in difficulty and require a hike of three to four miles over the day--please reach out to the leader if you have questions about this aspect of our trip.   All work projects will be under the guidance of the leader and the agency staff.

The weather at Point Reyes can change quickly, and you should plan for fog, rain, sun, and varying temperatures (and blustery winds on the windward side) throughout the week. Several layers of clothing, waterproof shoes, an extra pair of sneakers, and waterproof rain gear are essential for staying dry and comfortable in this region.

Equipment and Clothing

The agency will provide the equipment necessary for our project, but you will need sturdy boots and water-resistant outerwear to ward off wind, fog, mist, rain, and damp ground. Heavy work gloves (two pairs in case one gets wet) are a must. Bring a small backpack or day pack suitable for carrying your lunch, water bottles, extra clothing layers, camera, and other personal items.  The leaders will have a first-aid kit for emergencies, but participants will be asked to also bring a kit to cover their own needs. A complete list of equipment and clothing will be sent to registered participants but questions to the leader are always welcome.

References

Books:

• Bossard, C.C., J.M. Randall, and M. C. Hoshovsky (Eds.), Invasive Plants of California Wildlands.
• Lage, J., Point Reyes: The Complete Guide to the National Seashore & Surrounding Area.
• Griffin, L.M., Saving the Marin-Sonoma Coast.

Websites:

• Point Reyes National Seashore: http://www.nps.gov/pore
• Point Reyes Lighthouse History: http://www.nps.gov/pore/historyculture/people_maritime_lighthouse.htm
• Point Reyes Station: http://www.pointreyes.org/pointreyes_marin_county.html

Maps:

• The Bear Valley Visitors Center at Point Reyes has trail maps, books, and souvenirs. You can also get a topo map from Tom Harrison Maps, 2 Falmouth Cove, San Rafael, CA 94901-4465; (800) 265-9090; http://www.tomharrisonmaps.com

Conservation

The Sierra Club is an environmentally focused entity. We are concerned about the conservation and sustainability of resources, locally, nationally, and globally. Our work is accomplished by volunteers who are supported by a small salaried office staff and encourage grassroots involvement. At Point Reyes National Seashore, our work, discussions, and informative talks will all pertain to conserving this area so that future wildlife and human generations may continue to enjoy the maritime habitat.

The Sierra Club has been engaged at Point Reyes National Seashore since 2001. You will learn about the continuing efforts of many groups to relieve some of the damage that recent wildfires and invasive exotic species have caused within the Park. Mitigating invasive plant and animal species continues to be an economic problem at the local, state, and national levels, and we will contribute to those efforts on this trip.

Since its founding in 1892, The Sierra Club has worked to preserve and restore the natural environment we all share on this planet. Thousands of grassroots-level volunteers spearhead our efforts to conserve and sustain resources, both in our backyards and on a global scale. Through direct experience in the outdoors, Sierra Club outings enable participants to better understand, advocate, and participate in the environmental conservation goals of the Club.

Service outings, in particular, stand out as one of the Sierra Club’s most important “boots on the ground” conservation efforts. The work done by service trip participants in our nation’s public lands is a way of practicing conservation in the most direct way possible, whether it’s improving access while preserving wilderness values, restoring wildlife habitat, or repairing human-caused damage to a natural area. Service trips are a great way to pitch in and do something tangible to make the world a better place; they’re a way to go beyond just talking about conservation; a way to get out there and experience conservation with your whole being.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.