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Volunteer at Foothills Nature Preserve

  • Foothills Nature Preserve Interpretive Center 3300 Page Mill Road Palo Alto, CA, 94304 United States (map)

Join us in restoring an essential waterway and wildlife corridor at beautiful Foothills Nature Preserve! Help restore wildlife habitat to this waterway by removing invasive plants. Volunteers should expect to walk over hilly, grassland terrain that has extended sunlight exposure to remove a small but destructive weed species (yellow starthistle) at their smooth base. Volunteers can also expect to learn all about California native plants.

Waivers/Registration: All volunteers attending the workday must be registered individually and have approved the online waiver through this Eventbrite page. Youth under 18 must have their legal guardian approve the waiver on their behalf. Volunteers age 12 and under require an accompanying adult.

Parking: Please park at the Foothills Nature Preserve Interpretive Center at 3300 Page Mill Rd, Palo Alto 94304. Please carpool if possible. The road up to the site is very steep and curvy. Download driving instructions ahead of time, as there is limited cell reception up on Page Mill Rd. There will be a city employee at the park entrance, and volunteers will receive entry details in their confirmation email. Additional parking is available at the Oak Grove Picnic Area and at Orchard Glen.

Alternate Transportation: Foothills Nature Preserve is mainly accessible by car. Strong bikers can lock their bikes to a rack on-site.

Meeting Space: We will be meeting in front of the Interpretive Center. While there is limited cell service, there is public WiFi from the City of Palo Alto. There are several bathrooms and water fountains within a 10 minute walk.

Prepare for Working Outdoors:

  • Face mask for COVID-19 safety (optional)

  • Reusable water bottle (filled with water)

  • Snacks, if desired

  • Long pants, long sleeves recommended

  • Sturdy closed-toed shoes that can get dirty

  • Hat/sunscreen

  • Epi-Pen or allergy medicine, if applicable

  • Plan for potential exposure to sun, poison oak, ticks, prickly plants

  • Prepare for limited to no cell reception

We will provide gloves and tools.

COVID-19 Safety:
Our staff will carefully adhere to safety protocols we have developed in compliance with public health guidelines. View our COVID-19 safety protocols here. As of March 1, 2022, masks are optional for all staff and volunteers.

Event Cancellations:
We are committed to the safety of our staff and volunteers. In the event that we must cancel a workday due to extreme weather conditions or poor air quality, a Grassroots Ecology staff person will reach out via email no later than 5:00 PM the day prior to this event.

Join Us!
Grassroots Ecology encourages people from all identities and backgrounds to participate in our programs. Many of our programs are outdoors and involve moving and working in a variety of landscapes. If you have accessibility concerns (e.g. allergies, limited mobility, learning differences), our projects are flexible and we are happy to work with you. Please reach out to the workday facilitator so we can prepare for your participation.

Accessibility concerns? Questions? Cancellations?
Email Tyler@grassrootsecology.org