What we’re about
Welcome! We're a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit based in Santa Barbara that hosts volunteer events and trips on both the Channel Islands and the adjacent mainland. If you're looking to help restore the local environment and volunteer in nature, then you're in the right place!
We host a variety of volunteer and educational activities throughout the year including native plant restoration, overnight backpacking trips, bird watching excursions, and opportunities to help educate the public about the importance of our native ecosystems.
From the Los Padres National Forest to the Channel Islands of California, explore and restore with us alongside the company of like-minded friends and our local environmental community!
Be the first to know about upcoming volunteer events when you sign up for our volunteer list at www.cirweb.org/volunteer
We hope to see you out there soon!
Channel Islands Restoration
Upcoming events
3
Elings Park Transformation Project
Elings Park, 1298 Las Positas Road, Santa Barbara, CA, USSanta Barbara Botanic Garden & Channel Islands Restoration Elings Park Transformation Project
Thursday, December 18, 2025
9:00 am - 12:00 pm or 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Channel Islands Restoration and Santa Barbara Botanic Garden are working together to transform a one-acre plot in Elings Park into a native plant habitat, and we need your help!
Details: Running for the past three years, this restoration project concentrates on California-native plants within a one-acre plot and compares the abundance, diversity, and composition of plant and animal life before and after the transformation. To achieve this work, we’re seeking volunteers to help clear invasive plant species, prepare the site for plantings, plant our projected 1,400 plants, and monitor progress along the way using a variety of scientific methods.
Working in partnership with Elings Park and Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, volunteer opportunities will evolve as the project continues.
Sign Up To Volunteer
When You Volunteer With Us, Please Remember:
- Wear long, sturdy pants for comfort and safety
- Wear a long-sleeve shirt for protection
- Bring sunscreen and a sunhat
- Wear hiking shoes or boots for safety. No flip-flops or sandals allowed
- Bring plenty of water and snacks for the day
- Make sure to sign all required waivers before arrival
Have Photos From Your Volunteer Day?
- Tag @channelislandsrestoration on Instagram.
- Or send your photos to volunteer@cirweb.org for a feature.
Directions: When you reach the entrance gate, let the attendant know you're there for the Elings Park Restoration with the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Continue straight up the driveway to the last parking lot where the Elings Park office is located. The far end of this parking lot has a trailhead that will take you to the restoration area at the top of the hill.
1 attendee
Volunteer Planting Day: ‘al-tipašumawiš Ethnobotany Garden
San Marcos Foothills Nature Preserve, 1155 Via Gaitero, Santa Barbara, CA, USSunday, December 14, 2025
9:00 am - 12:00 pm or 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Join us to help plant nearly 700 native plants at the San Marcos Foothills Preserve and bring ‘al-tipašumawiš—meaning “one at peace”—to life. Conceived by Chumash elder Ernestine Ignacio De Soto, this ethnobotanical garden will be a living tribute that teaches visitors about the plants the Chumash people have used for generations for food, medicine, and fiber.
All ages welcome; great for families, students, and service groups. No experience needed—training and leadership provided.
This collaborative effort supports our local environment, and we encourage everyone to participate. No prior experience is necessary, and all ages are welcome. We will provide all the necessary tools and equipment, but we recommend bringing water, sunscreen, and a hat.
We look forward to seeing you at the San Marcos Foothills Preserve for this exciting and meaningful event.
Encompassing 301 acres, the San Marcos Foothills Preserve offers extraordinary views of the Santa Ynez Mountains, Pacific Ocean, and the Channel Islands. The Foothills is the feeding ground for hawks, kestrels, kites, roadrunners, coyotes, bobcats, and hundreds of other animal species. It offers nesting locations for dozens of native bird species, and it provides connecting corridors for wildlife to the Los Padres National Forest and the Goleta Slough. The San Marcos Foothills Preserve offers extraordinary views of the Santa Ynez Mountains, Pacific Ocean, and the Channel Islands. The Foothills is the feeding ground for hawks, kestrels, kites, roadrunners, coyotes, bobcats, and hundreds of other animal species. It offers nesting locations for dozens of native bird species, and it provides connecting corridors for wildlife to the Los Padres National Forest and the Goleta Slough.
Register at: https://cirweb.org/calendar/ethnobotany-garden-december-32z4y
Volunteer
- When You Volunteer With Us, Please Remember:
- Wear long, sturdy pants for comfort and safety
- Wear a long-sleeve shirt for protection
- Bring sunscreen and a sunhat
- Wear hiking shoes or boots for safety. No flip-flops or sandals allowed
- Bring plenty of water and snacks for the day
- Make sure to sign all required waivers before arrival
2 attendees
Volunteer at the Channel Islands Restoration Nursery
The CIR Nursery, 1070 More Ranch Road, Santa Barbara, CA, USChannel Islands Restoration cultivates thousands of native plants for restoration projects, and we are taking a significant step by relocating to a new facility that can accommodate our expanded needs. We have rented a 21,000-square-foot greenhouse space in Goleta, and it’s a real fixer-upper! We need your help getting things ready. This will be a rewarding volunteer project. Please come out and support our new nursery space in Goleta.
Help support our nursery’s growth and contribute to the active restoration of local ecosystems on our current projects. Our greenhouse nursery is opening its doors to volunteers of all ages and skill levels, offering a unique opportunity to learn and grow with us.
Discover the art of nursery management and gain hands-on experience in:
- Learn about native plant propagation
- Clearing the nursery of weeds and old plants
- Learn about soil composition and nursery irrigation
Register at: https://cirweb.org/calendar/new-nursery-jan-3
You can donate to help fund the nursery here: https://cirweb.networkforgood.com/projects/254303-nursery-funding
- When You Volunteer With Us, Please Remember:
- Wear long, sturdy pants for comfort and safety
- Wear a long-sleeve shirt for protection
- Bring sunscreen and a sunhat
- Wear hiking shoes or boots for safety. No flip-flops or sandals allowed
- Bring plenty of water and snacks for the day
- Make sure to sign all required waivers before arrival
Have Photos From Your Volunteer Day?
- Tag @channelislandsrestoration on Instagram.
- Or send your photos to volunteer@cirweb.org for a feature.
1 attendee
Past events
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