Volunteer with CIR at Earth Day Festivals 

Join CIR and hundreds of other environmentally-friendly organizations at any of the many Earth Day celebrations happening in April in Santa Barbara and Ventura County. The Earth Day celebrations are CIR’s best opportunity to reach out to members of the public who want to become involved with environmental conservation. In fact, many of our volunteers first heard about CIR at an Earth Day event. Earth Day began when Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson witnessed the ravages of the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara. The first event took place in 1970 when 20 million Americans all over the country demonstrated for the environment. It has since become a global event, held on weekends and centering on April 22nd, the anniversary of the first Earth Day. CIR has participated at the Santa Barbara Earth Day event since 2007, and our booth has evolved from a couple of simple displays into a showcase of habitat restoration work on the Channel Islands and mainland. We prominently display maps and photos of the Channel Islands and talk to hundreds of visitors throughout the two-day event. CIR Board member Cindy Kimmick provides a fascinating display of vertebrates for young people and adults alike, and many people learn about the Channel Islands for the first time at these events. The Santa Barbara event features two full days of live music, speakers, family activities and interesting exhibitors, including many environmental non-profits. CIR has become a contributing “sponsor” of this very worthy event. Since these events keep us very busy, we increasing rely on volunteer“ambassadors” to help us staff the booths. We pair less experienced volunteers with experienced ones or CIR Board members, so no one will feel overwhelmed. Being a CIR ambassador at Earth Day is a lot of fun, and it’s a great opportunity to share your experiences of the islands and environmental volunteerism with the public. We even provide soft drinks and snacks to those who help out. 

Become a CIR Earth Day Ambassador! 

Please contact us if you’d like to volunteer at these events:

April 4: Oxnard

April 18-19: Santa Barbara

April 25: Ventura 

San Nicolas Island: Planting Thorny Natives

To date, Channel Islands Restoration has installed 2600 nursery-grown native plants on San Nicolas Island with several thousand more to go! Starting in December, our first volunteer planting crew put in plants that would augment habitat for the Island Night Lizard. This species is endemic to only three of the eight Channel Islands. The lizard was recently removed from the endangered species list because of conservation efforts led by the Navy on San Nicolas and San Clemente Islands, and by the Park Service on Santa Barbara Island. Navy staff on San Nicolas have designed a project to enhance the habitat of the lizard by planting species the lizard is known to favor. This includes California box thorn and two species of native cactus. In the wild, these thorny plants grow in impenetrable thickets that protect lizards from predators. The plantings have also been designed to help control erosion. 

Volunteers wore heavy leather gloves and handled these thorny species mindfully, using hand tools such as tongs to gently position the cactus. CIR propagated these native plants from seed in the island nursery that was rebuilt by CIR staff and volunteers in 2012. Our latest round of plant propagation was performed under contract with the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and a Navy contractor. 

CIR nursery manager Sheri Mayta and our dedicated SNI field team of volunteers including: Carol Gravelle, Doreen Jones, and Dennis Kulzer have been tending the nursery and watching over the plants as they matured. Now that they are being planted in lizard habitat, our field team has expanded to include Kelle Green and Jon Huber, and will help to keep them watered and weeded as they become established. CIR staff and volunteers will be kept busy planting and caring for these precious island plants in the coming months. Watch for upcoming volunteer announcements!

Late Winter Rains Keep CIR Busy At Mainland Restoration Sites

This winter has blessed us with several well-needed rain storms that have brought a bright green hue back to our local hills and valleys. Although still in a state of drought, the rains have triggered an explosion of plant growth that is impacting CIR’s restoration sites across the mainland. Invasive plants and annual weeds are proliferating at a very fast pace, threatening the native plantings we are committed to protect. In response, mainland volunteer events are plentiful and CIR staff are enlisting a volunteer army to do battle against these weeds! Now is the time to join in the fight against invasive species. Volunteers engaged in this hands-on battle directly support CIR’s mission to restore native habitat and gain the personal satisfaction of giving back to our environment. Not only does this enhance one’s appreciation of our local natural resources, but it directly improves the habitat value for the native plants and animals that call these wild places “home.” So please grab some gloves and join us on our mainland restoration projects! We could not fulfill our mission without the help of our valued volunteers!

Mission Canyon: Eradicating a Nasty Weed

In January of this year, CIR became involved in a new mainland restoration project to help eradicate a growing population of an extremely invasive plant, Carnation Spurge (Euphorbia terracina).This plant was recently discovered spreading through a residential area of Santa Barbara’s Mission Canyon, adjacent to the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens, and its proliferation has exploded with the late winter rains. CIR has teamed up in partnership with the County of Santa Barbara, the Los Padres National Forest, and others to eradicate this noxious weed that has been making its way throughout Southern California, and to stop it before it spreads even further. Staff and volunteers have been working hard to control this non-native plant, and most of the work is being done by basic hand removal, pulling out seedlings that are shooting up fast. There will be additional volunteer opportunities to help stop this invasive plant before it’s too late, and after volunteering, participants will receive free admission to the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden!

Refugio Creek Mouth: First Year for Native Plantings

The Refugio Creek Mouth habitat restoration project is located at the mouth of the creek at Refugio State Beach. In partnership with South Coast Habitat Restoration and California State Parks, CIR has joined forces on this project to increase the habitat and ecological value of the estuary. After the removal of non-native flora from the creek banks, a variety of native riparian and wet-land species were planted. Starting in January 2014, hundreds of native plants were installed with the help of a multitude of volunteers. Today, these “yearling” plants are doing remarkably well, and the native habitat along the Refugio Creek banks is blossoming with beauty and diversity. The native plants provide improved forage and nesting habitats for birds, as well as shade and cover for aquatic animal species in the creek. As the native plants strive to become established, the annual weeds are threatening, but CIR and partners along with enthusiastic crews of volunteers continue to stay on top of the invaders. The Refugio Creek Mouth Restoration project is made possible with funding from the Earth Island Institute and support from the California Coastal Conservancy, the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project, and Southern California Edison. 

San Marcos Foothills Preserve: Keep it Wild!

Hover Fly on an Encelia californica flower at the San

 Marcos Foothills Preserve. Channel Islands 

Restoration is leading habitat restoration

 projects on the Preserve, a County of Santa 

Barbara open space.

At the San Marcos Foothills Preserve in Santa Barbara, CIR maintains two prominent restoration sites: one at Cieneguitas Creek and one at Atascadero Creek. Both of these sites are currently abuzz with new plant growth and unfortunately, a lot of what’s flourishing are fast-growing non-native species. These must be removed to allow native plants to thrive. Tall-reaching stalks of invasive radishes and mustard species can grow up to 7 or 8 feet, blocking out sunlight and sucking water and nutrients from the soil, effectively stealing them from natives trying to survive in their shadow. The native plants at these project sites, such as the local endemic Santa Barbara Honeysuckle, have exhibited a high survival rate and much of this success is due to the restorative efforts of CIR. To compete against aggressive non-native species and do well, native plants must be nurtured and supported on an ongoing basis. Through CIR’s diligent monitoring and the work of dedicated volunteers, native plants in the San Marcos Foothills Preserve are showing a tremendous resurgence. The benefits to native birds and other wildlife are observable, as recently CIR has helped coordinate a Winter Bird Walk near the Cieneguitas Creek site where coyotes and bobcats have also made an appearance! 

Santa Barbara Zoo: Restoring Bird Refuge Habitat

Volunteers helping Channel Islands Restoration plant
natives along the Andree Clark Bird Refuge at the Santa
Barbara Zoo. To date we have installed 1,200 native plants
including oak trees, willows, sage brush, giant rye grass
and many more marsh and wetland plants.

CIR and the Santa Barbara Zoo joined forces in 2010 on a restoration project at the beautiful 42 acre Andree Clark Bird Refuge that is home to 228 bird species. Staff and volunteers successfully removed many invasive plants and replaced them with native flora. Since the beginning of Phase II of the project in November 2014, volunteers helped install 1200 native plants, and 600 more are to be planted by the end of March 2015. While CIR staff eradicated the non-native mature Myoporum trees in the area during the first and second phases of the project, countless amounts of Myoporum seedlings are sprouting and now threatening to smother the native plants that were recently planted. Watch for email announcements regarding volunteer opportunities at the Andree Clark Bird Refuge. CIR relies on the tremendous help from volunteers to assist in this restoration project. At the end of the work day, participating volunteers can visit the Zoo free of admission.

Next Phase of Restoration at the SB Zoo

CIR and the Santa Barbara Zoo have just begun the second phase of habitat restoration along the bird refuge at the Zoo, and volunteers will have plenty of opportunities to participate, starting this month!

A CIR crew removes invasive Myoporum
trees at the Santa Barbara Zoo

The 42 acre Andree Clark Bird Refuge is one of Santa Barbara's most beautiful natural areas and provides habitat to 228 bird species, 43 of which nest there. It adjoins the 30 acre Santa Barbara Zoo, an organization that, like CIR, is dedicated to restoration and enhancement of native habitat.

In 2010, CIR was given a grant in partnership with the SB Zoo to restore the 2.1 acre margin between the Refuge and the Zoo that was, until recently, covered by a mix of ever-encroaching invasive plants and a few remaining natives. The Wetland Margin Enhancement Project was designed into two phases to remediate this situation, and both phases involved removal of Myoporum trees and many other invasive plants.  In 2011 and 2012, Phase I of this restoration project exceeded its goals and successfully treated approximately one-third of the shoreline along the Zoo, replacing invasives with native flora.

Phase I started in 2010, funded by a grant from the Southern California Wetland Recovery Project (SCWRP). The City of Santa Barbara removed invasive Arundo along the Zoo property during Phase I. CIR and Zoo staff and volunteers restored a total of 0.74 acres; 44 invasive trees were removed and 930 native plants (114 of those being trees) were installed. Over a span of 12 volunteer events, we had 365 volunteers help with this project, contributing a total of 1,460 volunteer hours. More than 100 volunteers showed up at the first volunteer day!  In addition to volunteers from CIR and the Zoo, volunteers from Citrix Online, the United Way Day of Caring, and Ojai Valley School participated.

A section of the wetland margin after restoration

This year, Phase II of the project started with a second grant from SCWRP and one from the County of Santa Barbara's Coastal Resource Enhancement Fund (CREF).  The CREF grant is paid for from funds that mitigate the impacts from the Point Arguello, Point Pedernales, and Santa Ynez Unit offshore oil and gas projects. In Phase II, CIR is focusing on treating the remaining acres of the site, which contained dense stands of Myoporum trees, a number of Eucalyptus and small palms, plus smaller amounts of other invasive plants. A CIR crew spent three days felling 220 trees from within the project area in September. With help from Zoo staff we spent two additional days hauling and chipping the trees. The piled chips will be used for mulching during the upcoming plant installation scheduled to take place during the next few months.

CIR and the Zoo are contributing time and manpower to the project, but most of the work is done by community volunteers.  We will plant 1,300 native plants starting in November. At the end of each work day, participating volunteers can then visit the Zoo free of admission. Watch for e-mail announcements regarding planting days, as CIR will soon be offering a series of volunteer opportunities at the Zoo!

CIR to Plant 8,000 Natives on San Nicolas Island

Native plants growing at the San Nicolas Island
nursery include needle grass, box thorn,

and island sage brush 

Channel Islands Restoration will plant 8,000 natives on San Nicolas Island starting in December.  CIR grew the plants in the island nursery that was rebuilt by CIR staff and volunteers in 2012.  This latest round of plant propagation was done under contract with the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and a Navy contractor.  CIR nursery manager Sheri Mayta has been tending plants in the nursery since spring, and they are almost ready to be planted.

Half of the plants will augment habitat for the Island Night Lizard, which is endemic to just three of the Channel Islands.  The lizard was recently removed from the endangered species list because of conservation efforts led by the Navy on San Nicolas and San Clemente Islands and by the Park Service on Santa Barbara Island.  Navy staff on San Nicolas have designed a project to enhance the habitat of the lizard by planting species the lizard is known to favor.  This includes California box thorn and two species of native cactus.  In the wild, these plants grow in impenetrable thickets that protect the lizards from predators.   CIR staff and volunteers will be planting these thorny plants in lizard habitat.  The plantings have also been designed to help control erosion.

Two species of cactus (prickly pear and Cholla)
growing in the San Nicolas Island nursery

The remainder of the plants will be installed where several wind generators are being constructed.  The generators will provide a renewable energy source for a portion of the islands electricity needs, and the native plants will help control erosion where the towers are installed.  CIR staff and volunteers will be kept very busy planting and caring for these precious island plants in the coming months. Watch for upcoming volunteer announcements!

CIR Receives Grants for Youth Program

CIR is organizing several service learning trips for young people to the Channel Islands in 2015, starting as early as May.  The CIR youth program provides kids from low-income school districts with trips to Channel Islands National Park, during which they learn about conservation and island ecology, and participate in a habitat restoration stewardship project. 

4th Graders from Ventura on Anacapa Island with CIR

For many kids, these trips provide their first opportunity to travel on a boat or to visit a National Park.  They also visit the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and experience the rich marine environment right in their own backyards!  CIR raises the funding needed to transport the kids by bus to the harbor in Ventura or Oxnard, to cover the cost of the group’s island boat trip, and to cover the expenses of CIR staff needed to organize and lead the trips. 

Most public schools cannot afford field trips of this type, which is why CIR has been raising funds to lead school trips since 2004.   Since the commencement of our school program, we have taken 2,216 young people to the islands, accompanied by 369 teachers and parent-chaperones.

4th graders watch common dolphins while en route to Anacapa Island

CIR is funding the 2015 school trips with grants recently received from the Minnesota-based Bentson Foundation, from the Men's Garden Club of Santa Barbara, and from many donations made by CIR members.  In May, we plan to work with two 6th grade classes from Cleveland School in Santa Barbara on island trips.  CIR Board member Cindy Kimmick will be volunteering much of her time toward organizing these trips.

CIR works with schools and youth groups on mainland projects as well.  We have worked with classes from San Marcos High School, the Open Alternative School in Goleta, Girls Incorporated, the Rein Teen Tours, and more.   These groups and others have also volunteered with CIR at Lake Los Carneros, Carpinteria State Beach, the Santa Barbara Zoo, and at the San Marcos Foothills Preserve.

CIR staff demonstrate planting techniques to
youth at the San Marcos Foothills

CIR has also worked extensively with the Santa Barbara County Probation Department on an alternative sentencing program for teen offenders.  Young people in this program were convicted of non-violent crimes and are sentenced to spend their weekends performing community service.  Rather than serving their sentences doing such things as picking up trash or cleaning floors, the Probation Department approached CIR in 2008 with the idea of us working with these young people on habitat restoration projects.  CIR staff spends quality time with the participants, educating them about conservation and restoration, and ensuring that they have a positive experience.

CIR has worked with nearly 90 schools and youth groups at various locations on the Channel Islands and mainland.  Our youth program has touched many lives with conservation values.  These kids not only visit wonderful natural areas, but they also have the opportunity to make a difference by restoring the beautiful places they visit.  Our program is designed to instill conservation values in young people, particularly those from low-income, urban families.

CIR would like to thank all of those who contribute to help make this program an ongoing success.   We are glad to have support from foundations and other groups, but a major amount of the funding for our school and youth program comes from the support of CIR members—and we thank you!

Youth plants a native along Refugio Creek
on the Gaviota Coast.

Who Helps CIR When We Donate Our Time?

Who helps fund the un-fundable restoration projects, the orphan projects and the important environmental and education work even when limited and short-term grant funding runs out?  There is rarely enough funding to keep the mustard from sprouting, to hold back the cape ivy, to protect rare plants and animals or to take kids to the islands.  Channel Islands Restoration relies on our friends, supporters and members to fund these important needs when grants are unavailable or run out.

CIR volunteers and staff remove invasive Sahara mustard
 on San Nicolas Island.  CIR donated staff time for many years 

to remove the mustard, long before the Navy
had funding for the project.

Even when restoration funding is available for a project, it is often designed to last only a year.  Habitat restoration is seldom completed on that kind of time scale, so CIR often donates the time of our restoration staff, our Volunteer Coordinator, and our Executive Director when initial funding runs out.  Throughout our history, CIR has also helped kick-off worthy environmental restoration and educational projects by volunteering our services, even when funding was unavailable to cover our costs.  

Long before there was funding to pull the invasive Sahara Mustard on San Nicolas Island, CIR staff organized trips there to remove the mustard where it was threatening rare plants.  On San Clemente Island, CIR has donated considerable staff time to remove iceplant from sensitive dune habitat, when funding for restoration projects on the island was used mostly for other priorities.   CIR continues to donate time to organize restoration work on Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz islands and at various locations on the mainland. 

CIR’s school program for next year is supported 

chiefly by individual donors, members and 

small-sized service groups.  

Donating time and services is what being a non-profit organization is all about, and it sets us apart from the for-profit corporate world.  Contributions from individual donors and members make pro bono work possible, and we rely on the public to help support this kind of work.  As an example, our school program for next year is supported chiefly by individual donors, members and small-sized service groups.  

CIR staff and our volunteer Board of Directors are highly committed to our mission, but our work would not happen without the support of our members.  When you consider giving to a cause or charity as we approach the end of the year, please remember how much CIR relies on you.  Your contributions make it possible for us to do the important work of restoring precious habitat and instilling the values of environmental conservation in young people and others.  We can only be successful with the help of people like you!

CIR volunteers and staff remove iceplant on San Clemente Island.
 CIR donated staff time for many years to remove the iceplant.