Volunteers
Volunteers are the heartbeat of the Forest Service. Stewardship of the national forests is everyone's responsibility. The national forests and grasslands are there for you to enjoy because many people have served over numerous years to preserve, protect, and improve them. Now you can give something back by volunteering. Your services are much needed, because the Forest Service, like other government agencies, has a limited budget.
Volunteering isn't just beneficial for the forest, it benefits you. Simply put, it's fun. It can give you the opportunity to pursue a special interest, such as bird watching or hiking. Spending time in the outdoors, enjoying the company of your fellow volunteers and visitors, can give you a new perspective on other facets of your life. You'll find that being immersed in the beauty of the national forests and experiencing the environment is a special way to relax.
Volunteer with the Forest Service!
This Forest – Your Forest – is an invaluable public treasure. For decades, the Forest Service has relied on dedicated volunteers and partners to care for this resource and to serve its millions of visitors.
In fiscal year 2020, the U. S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service engaged over 67,300 volunteers and service participants to “care for the land and serve people.” Although a 36% decline from 2019 outcomes, the continued engagement of the public to steward public lands during a pandemic was heartwarming and exceeded expectations. The 3 million hours they contributed represented the work of 1,718 full-time employees. The economic value of their service is $79 million. Their efforts addressed high priorities including trail maintenance and improvements, citizen science monitoring, visitor services and volunteer coordination.
Volunteers and service participants were particularly impactful to Forest Service efforts to facilitate safe access for record breaking numbers of visitors during the pandemic. Nominees included volunteers, groups and partnerships and/or other participants such as interns and resource assistants.
If you're already a volunteer, we want to thank you for all that you've done. And if you've never volunteered, but you're interested in getting involved, we invite you to take a few minutes to explore this site.
Cultural Resources Volunteer Portal
National and Community Service Volunteer Opportunities
How to volunteer with the Los Padres National Forest
- Contact Visitor Information Specialist Jennifer Gray at the Forest Headquarters in Solvang at jennifer.s.gray@usda.gov or call 805-448-6487 for more information about volunteering with the Forest Service and with other volunteer and partner organizations.
Regardless of which project you select, we will do our best to ensure that you and your organization have a volunteer experience that is safe, rewarding and challenging.
Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the Los Padres National Forest. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
There are more than 20 volunteer groups who are actively involved with the Los Padres National Forest. Please feel free to contact any of them directly about volunteering.
Volunteer Opportunities on the Ojai Ranger District
Join the team at Los Padres National Forest! The Ojai Ranger District is currently seeking motivated volunteers that want to be a part of a great team serving visitors at a beautiful and unique Forest.
Volunteers will work indoors at the Ojai Ranger Station's Visitor Center and outdoors in the Forest. This position is focused on visitor services. Volunteers will answer questions, provide brochures and information, assist with cash register sales, and support day-to-day operations in the visitor center. Training and orientation will be provided.
If you are interested in volunteering, please send an email to: sm.fs.apply_ojai@usda.gov.
Additional Volunteer Opportunities.
Adopt-A-Trail Program Los Padres National Forest - 4-Wheeling
The U.S. National Forest Service Adopt-A-Trail program is critically important to the 4-Wheeling community. It allows us to interact directly with the Forest Service, giving a "face" to the 4-Wheeling community that might otherwise go unnoticed. Maintaining our presence in the forest ensures that we can continue to have access to the wonderful trails and scenery that we all enjoy so much.
Adopt-A-Trail gives us the opportunity to give back to the environment that we enjoy so much, and allows us to help ensure that the forest is available to ALL people and all activities. It proves that we can responsibly enjoy our chosen sport without irreversibly damaging the surrounding environment
Bakersfield Trailblazers 4X4 Club
Upcoming Events: www.bakersfieldtrailblazers.org
This club has three trails adopted under the Adopt-A-Trail program. The Miller Jeep Trail near Frazier Park, CA, Freeway Ridge Trail on the Greenhorn Ranger District and The Sherman Jeep Trail on the Cannel Meadow Ranger District.
California Trail Users Coalition (CTUC)
3550 Foothill Blvd
Glendale, CA 91214
www.ctuc.info
Contact:
Ed Waldheim
President
edwaldheim@aol.com
(818) 247-8878, x 215
CTUC is a non-profit corporation designed to help all interested parties participate in a beneficial forum. Our mission is: To provide a forum for all trail users to discuss related issues, problems and alternative solutions; to assist in the planning, development, maintenance and hosting of trails; to help enforce the rules of the road; and to develop and maintain programs designed to educate users on proper use of trails and trail etiquette.
CTUC has helped form six other groups in six National Forests to provide volunteer trail crews & seek trails grant funding. These divisions of CTUC are: National Forest Association-Angeles; National Forest Association-Los Padres; Stewards of the Sequoia; Stewards of the Sierra; Friends of Foresthill; Friends of Clear Creek Management Area.
Please contact us if you have a group who needs some assistance becoming incorporated or formalizing yourselves to help keep trails open in your forest.
CTUC's interest in multiple use of public lands is supported by involvement as community volunteers to protect resources while enjoying them. CTUC supports all recreation uses of the National Forest.
Our meetings are open to everyone who wishes to participate. Volunteers have a great time working together on these types of projects. To volunteer on one of our projects, please join us by calling our Chairman, Terry Kaiser at 818-353-4682.
Adopt-A-Trail Santa Lucia Ranger District
Central Coast M/C Assoc. (CCMA)
CCMA performs trail maintenance on OHV trails throughout Santa Lucia Ranger District
General Area of Membership: San Luis Obispo California: pozoriders.com
Adopt-A-Trail Mt. Pinos Ranger District
Frazier Park 4X4 Club
corva.org/clubs
General Area of Membership: Frazier Park, CA area
Type of Off-roading: All aspects of off road activity
Habitat Works
In the summer of 2018, Habitat Works celebrated 15 years of volunteer service, which started on the Mt. Pinos District back in 2003. Our volunteers have participated in over 350 weekend projects and spent over 38K on-the-ground hours in southern California's wildlands, most of which have been on the Los Padres. We are both humbled and proud to be part of the amazing work being conducted by many dedicated individuals and organizing groups on the Los Padres.
Habitat Works' mission is to improve wildlife habitat in southern California through Volunteer Stewardship Adventure projects. Do you want to forge wild streams ferreting out invasive plants and animals, open wildlife corridors, collect native seeds and help revegetate habitat after fire, help protect recovering California Condors, backpack, camp out and enjoy track and sign of wildlife everywhere? Come out with us! We offer ongoing projects throughout southern California’s wildlands including the amazing Los Padres National Forest. Sign up to receive our project announcements. We look forward to meeting and working with you soon!
Contact:
Kim Clark and Tom Persons
Office: 818-353-4653
wildlife@habitatwork.org
HabitatWork.org
Los Padres Forest Association
Contact:
Bryan Conant at bryan@lpforest.org
Jasonn Beckstrand at jasonnb@lpforest.org
You can help out on the southern and northern Los Padres (including the Santa Lucia, Santa Barbara, Ojai, Mt. Pinos and Monterey Ranger Districts) by volunteering with the Los Padres Forest Association (LPFA). Since 1981, the LPFA has worked in close cooperation with the Los Padres National Forest to support its mission. Through the development of web resources, support for forest care, trail maintenance and interpretive programs and protection of heritage resources, the LPFA seeks to enrich visitor experiences while helping to protect forest resources.
Point Mugu 4X4 Club
Point Mugu 4x4 Club
Contact: pointmugu4wd@gmail.com
Or see us on Facebook
The Point Mugu 4x4 Club is a family oriented club comprised of off-road enthusiasts, campers and advocates of all ages, with a strong emphasis on OHV land use and trail conservation. The club is based out of Ventura County, but travel to many other areas throughout the year looking for varied and enjoyable, yet sustainable off-road experiences.
The club often works hand-in-hand with many of the volunteer groups listed in this site to help maintain our forests and wilderness. Under the Adopt-A-Trail program, we sponsor Lockwood Trail 20W06 (MVOG #127), which links an area east of Lockwood Valley on the Mt Pinos Ranger District of the Los Padres National Forest to the Miller Jeep Trail on Alamo Mountain.
If you are interested in having fun off-road, or just want to check out what we do, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
United Trail Maintainers of California
Contact:
Beth Pfeiler at bglidergirl@aol.com
UTMC facebook page www.facebook.com/UnitedTrailMaintainersofCalifornia
UTMC volunteers protect and preserve access to public lands by maintaining public trails. We strive to foster cooperation and understanding among all user groups by involving a diverse population of trail users in volunteering. Main service areas include the Mt. Pinos District of the Los Padres National Forest as well as Sequoia, Inyo, Six Rivers and Klamath National Forests with pack support provided to other forests and organizations throughout region 5. UTMC organizes a variety of training classes for volunteers in trail maintenance. We provide specialized services that include working with chainsaws, crosscut saws, basic rigging and packing in of work crews with horses and mules. We also provide agencies with feed lease service of pack and riding stock and have a red carded packer available.
Ventana Wilderness Alliance www.ventanawild.org
Contact: 831-423-3191
You can help out on the northern Los Padres (Monterey Ranger District) by volunteering with the Ventana Wilderness Alliance (VWA). Since 1998, the VWA has worked to protect wilderness qualities and biodiversity on public lands in the northern part of the forest by educating the public on fire safety and Leave No Trace principles, removing trash from the backcountry, launching an archaeological site steward program and organizing an all-volunteer trail crew and wilderness ranger program to keep camps and trails clean and accessible.
Ventura County Axle Snappers 4WDC
Contact info is Dan Eger daneger@hotmail.com
The Ventura County Axle Snappers 4WDC is a diverse group of people that have joined together for the purpose of enjoying the outdoors in our four wheel drive vehicles. Membership is open to all types of vehicles.
The Snappers are dedicated to keeping Public Lands open to the public.
We believe in responsible, sensible use of our environment. We follow the Tread Lightly! guidelines.
We often help the BLM and the USFS, as well as other local 4WD clubs to maintain our trails. On Los Padres National Forest, we participate in the Adopt-A-Trail Program on the Mt. Pinos Ranger District.
The Axle Snappers are members of the California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs and The Blue Ribbon Coalition.
Ventura County Motorcycle Club
Events include racing, organized Dual Sport rides, trail rides, volunteering, trail maintenance.
Contact Phil Pulley at http://vcmc.info/
Wilderness Corps
Contact: Todd Brockman 831-406-1820 or tbrockman@wildernesscorps.com
www.meetup.com/wilderness-corps
Wilderness Corps is based in Monterey, CA and serves the National Forests in California. Our mission is to protect and to preserve Wilderness areas and other wild lands and waters by building a National Group of Leaders through Wilderness Stewardship. Our programs are for young adults, Veterans, and Senior Citizens from the United States to learn the best practices in Wilderness Stewardship. We work with Volunteers to keep access open to the public on public lands. Contact us today to join our Wilderness Crew.America's Natural and