California State Parks

Natural Resource Volunteering

Natural resource volunteers play a pivotal role in habitat restoration and monitoring, wildlife surveys, and invasive species eradication in our parks. Typical tasks include:

• Pulling weeds;
• Planting native species;
• Monitoring vulnerable species populations, and;
• Cleaning up beaches and trails in parks.

Group Service Projects

Additionally, we welcome group organizations like scout groups, high schools, college classes, or other interest groups looking to come out to the island for volunteer service project days to help with natural resource management. Such groups often, but are not required to, camp overnight on island, in which case it is your responsibility to reserve a campsite. If you wish to inquire further and schedule a service project day, please reach out to volunteer.angelisland@parks.ca.gov or 415 435 9380.

The Auburn State Recreation Area Canyon Keepers is a volunteer group that promotes healthy recreation by providing assistance and information for visitors to the state park. They organize hikes, conduct trail maintenance, provide guided history walks, maintain a native garden, remove litter, perform roving trail education, and assist the professional ranger staff through volunteer work.

The Mounted Assistance Unit performs volunteer patrol duties at the Auburn State Recreation Area, augmenting official regular patrols by Park Rangers.

Auburn SRA volunteers assist park staff by protecting the natural and cultural resources of the park, performing needed trails and facilities maintenance, promoting safe and responsible recreation practices to park visitors, providing public education and interpretation to inspire stewardship.

Members provide information and assistance to park visitors concerning trail conditions, directions, park use fees, and park rules and regulations.

MAU participates in trail improvement and maintenance projects, and in education and interpretation that complements MAU’s mission in the park (i.e., trail etiquette or member recruitment).

The interpretive team engages with the public to tell the Railtown story.  Positions include Greeter, Tour Guide, Roundhouse Host, Car Host, Narrator, Station Agent, Ticket Agent, and more.

Railtown photo club take photographs and video of activities throughout the park for use in volunteer recognition, social media marketing, etc.