Big Sur Land Trust

Guided Hike at Glen Deven Ranch
2019-09-13 08:30 - 14:00 UTC
Glen Deven Ranch covers 860 acres of preserved land 10 miles north of Big Sur with breathtaking views of the coastline. Volunteer hike leaders will lead two hikes of this magnificent property. Carpooling is encouraged. Wear layers as temperatures can vary. Pack water, sunscreen, and snacks. No pets, please. This hike is moderately strenuous.
Plan on meeting at 8:30 AM at the Starbucks parking lot in the Carmel Crossroads. Space is limited, please register today.

Carr Lake Park Site Tour
2019-09-20 09:30 - 12:00 UTC
Join us for a tour of our Carr Lake site in Salinas with Rachel Saunders, Director of Conservation, and Jennifer Vasquez, Conservation Program Assistant, who will share the vision for this new park in the heart of Salinas. We’ll be sharing the history of the property, our goals for the park, and how the community is engaged in the design process. You’ll walk through the native plant demonstration garden and see examples of our restoration plans. As we explain the benefits of restoring the floodplain, you’ll learn about the relationship between the site and the larger watershed and the connection between Carr Lake and the ocean. And you’ll have plenty of time to ask questions!

FULL - Glen Deven Ranch Native Seed Collection Volunteer Day
2019-10-05 09:00 - 13:00 UTC | Glen Deven Ranch
FULL – Thanks to an overwhelming response, we have enough volunteers for this year’s seed collection. Please check our calendar for upcoming volunteer events.
Glen Deven Ranch Native Seed Collection Day
Saturday, October 5 | 9:00am – 1:00pm
We have completed the eucalyptus removal effort at Glen Deven Ranch and are moving into the restoration phase of the project. This volunteer work day will be centered on native seed collection, enabling us to create a native seed bank to be used for Glen Deven Ranch’s restoration. We plan to restore the newly-opened understory to high quality native chaparral habitat from local sources of seed. The event will involve low strenuous activity, and some hiking will be required.
Please wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring sun protection and water. Some of the collection sites may have exposure to poison oak so please wear long-sleeved clothing. We will provide tools and instruction.
Carpooling is encouraged. Glen Deven Ranch is approximately 20 minutes south of Carmel. Directions will be provided with your confirmation email.

Guided Hike at Martin Dunes
2019-10-18 09:00 - 14:00 UTC
Friday, October 18
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Martin Dunes is a 125-acre biological wonderland filled with wind-swept sands, wildflowers, and spectacular views. You’ll want to bring binoculars to view everything this unique ancient seafloor offers including 17 different rare and threatened plants and animals. Wear layers as temperatures can vary. Pack water, sunscreen, snacks, and a blanket to sit on. No pets, please. This hike is moderately strenuous as we’ll be trekking around the coastline and sand dunes.

Click here to view more photos from this guided hike.
Want to join us next time? Check out our calendar of events for other upcoming hikes.

FULL - Guided Hike at Arroyo Seco Ranch
2019-11-09 07:30 - 15:00 UTC
FULL – This hike is currently full. Please check our events calendar for upcoming guided hikes www.bigsurlandtrust.org/events
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Arroyo Seco Ranch
7:30 am – 3:00 pm
Level of Difficulty – moderately strenuous.
This full-day hike will take you through rich riparian habitat, dense oak woodlands, steep canyons and a historical location on the ranch. Along the way, you’ll be treated to sweeping views of the Arroyo Seco Watershed. Hiking poles highly recommended for shallow river crossings, steep slopes and rocky terrain. Temperatures can be expected to exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Elevation gain – 500 ft. Distance – 4 miles.

Carr Lake Community Volunteer Planting Day in Salinas
2019-11-09 10:00 - 13:00 UTC
Our community volunteers are planting and caring for trees and perennial native plants. This thriving and ever-expanding garden is helping to sequester carbon in the soil which can help lessen the effects of climate change. Want to be part of the solution? Join us at our next community planting day on Saturday, November 9th by signing up below.

FULL - Carmel River FREE Tour
2019-11-15 09:30 - 12:00 UTC | MPRPD Discovery Center Parking lot, 4860 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel, CA, 93923, United States
FULL – This hike is currently full. Please check our events calendar for upcoming tours www.bigsurlandtrust.org/events
Friday, November 15
9:30 am – 12:00 pm
BSLT’s Nikki Nedeff and Rachel Saunders will lead this informational tour of the site for the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement (Carmel River FREE) Project.
The tour is a moderate 2.5-mile walk from the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District’s (MPRPD) Discovery Center to Palo Corona’s front ranch trails. It’s a wonderful opportunity to envision the floodplain restoration of the former Odello agriculture fields as BSLT’s 128-acre property is transformed in the coming years.

Guided Trail Run at Marks Ranch
2019-11-17 08:00 - 10:00 UTC | Marks Ranch, 117th Drive, Salinas, CA, 93908, United States
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Sunday, November 17
Marks Ranch
8am-10am
Come run at Marks Ranch and get a glimpse of what the trails look like before Big Sur Land Trust’s Race for Open Space comes in the spring. Kick-off your Sunday morning with a 3.5-mile or 6-mile elevationally-challenging run. Big Sur Land Trust staff and volunteers will guide small groups at varying paces and distances.
Space is limited to those who have reserved a spot online. Please note that this rain-or-shine event is a guided run, not a hike. We recommend bringing a trail running pack with water, dressing appropriately for the weather or in packable layers, and wearing trail running shoes or shoes with good traction.

Carr Lake Community Meeting
2019-11-20 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | Sherwood Hall, 940 N. Main Street, Salinas, CA, 93906, United States
Wednesday, November 20
Sherwood Hall
940 N Main St, Salinas
6:00 – 8:00 pm
Join us at our community meeting for a presentation of new design ideas for our 73-acre site at Carr Lake! We’ll be asking you to share your views afterwards.
Childcare will be available, and food will be served at 5:30 p.m.
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FULL - Presentation: Midway Atoll Annual Albatross Nesting Census
2019-12-12 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | Big Sur Land Trust, 509 Hartnell Street, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
EVENT CLOSED
Come join long-time Big Sur Land Trust supporter and volunteer, Jan Loomis as she shares her recent experience on Midway Atoll with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Through humor, story-telling and photos she will discuss the annual albatross nesting census and give an update on other current projects at Midway Atoll. While Jan’s main job on Midway was to census nesting birds, Jan’s training as an observer and emergency responder would not allow her to ignore the slow-moving crises of climate change and plastic pollution that were impacting a large breeding colony of birds on one of the most remote islands on the planet.
A light lunch will be provided. RSVP using the form below.
About Jan Loomis
In December of 2018, Jan Loomis went to Midway Atoll to have an adventure and be surrounded by the seabirds she had recently fallen in love with (thank you Makana). As a new member of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Annual Nesting Albatross Census Team, she came to know all things Albatross. For nearly six weeks she lived and worked among the largest nesting colony of Laysan Albatross in the world. Jan loves to travel and the more remote and exotic, the better! Her formal training/background has been a thirty-five-year career in emergency medicine (RN and paramedic), but her true love has always been marine biology – in particular shore and seabirds.
She currently works in the field of travel medicine – keeping everyday travelers, marine biologists (including MBA and MBARI staff!), Peace Corps workers, members of the Department of Defense, foreign governments and Homeland Security from contracting diseases while away on foreign assignments and travel. Locally, Jan is involved with two citizen-science projects that give ample opportunities for enjoying the Monterey Bay’s amazing wildlife while contributing to local conservation efforts. She recently completed her third year with the Central Coast Black Oystercatcher Monitoring Project and as a volunteer naturalist for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (NOAA).
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Open Call for Art - Convergence: Carr Lake, Ecology and Community
2019-12-30
Open Call for Art!
Submissions Due: Monday, December 30
Exhibition Opening: Wednesday, February 12
In collaboration with California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB), we are seeking 2-dimensional images (artworks or personal images) engaging the theme of “Convergence.”
Convergences, expected and unexpected, can enrich our lives with challenges and connections.
At Carr Lake, CSUMB sees the convergence of three creeks; of urban, agricultural and wildland landscapes; of multiple communities and histories; and of an entire city. We see the park we are co-creating with the community on the 73-acres at Carr Lake as the convergence of people, place and opportunity.
For more inspiration:

Watch the Virtual Video Tour of Carr Lake
Read ‘Convergence: A Story of People, Place and Opportunity at Carr Lake‘

SUBMISSIONS:
It is FREE to submit! Please send an email to artscenter@csumb.edu with your:

Name
Mailing address
Email address
Cell phone number

Please provide the following information for each artwork submitted:

Title(s)
Medium of image(s)
Dimensions of image(s)
Date(s) of Completion
All artwork should be ready to install

Please email all entries and questions to artscenter@csumb.edu!

Carr Lake Community Volunteer Planting Day in Salinas
2020-02-08 10:00 - 13:00 UTC
Our community volunteers are planting and caring for trees and perennial native plants. This thriving and ever-expanding garden is helping to sequester carbon in the soil which can help lessen the effects of climate change. Want to be part of the solution? Join us at our next community planting day on Saturday, February 8th by signing up below.
Location details will be provided with your confirmation.
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Free Art Show Opening | Convergence: Carr Lake Ecology and Community
2020-02-19 18:00 - 19:30 UTC | CSUMB City Center, 1 Main St, Salinas, CA, 93901, United States
Opening: February 19
6:00 – 7:30 PM
Exhibit will be open February 19 – August
CSUMB City Center, Salinas
We are excited to collaborate with California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB)’s Salinas City Center, Arts and Culture on this exhibition! The show is free and will run through early August. Free “First Friday” events will be held in March, April, May, June and August.
Convergences: expected and unexpected can enrich our lives with challenges and connections. At Carr Lake, CSUMB sees the convergence of three creeks; of urban, agricultural and wildland landscapes; of multiple communities and histories; and of an entire city. Big Sur Land Trust sees the park we are co-creating with the community on 73-acres at Carr Lake as the convergence of “people, place and opportunity.” Learn more by taking a Virtual Video Tour of our site at Carr Lake and reading ‘Convergence.’
Presented in partnership with:
Urban Arts Collaborative
CSUMB
Sponsored by:
Arts Council for Monterey County
Rights and Opportunities Foundation
Whitson Engineers
Monterey Private Wealth
Balance Hydrologics
BFS Landscape Architects

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Volunteer Open House
2020-02-27 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | Big Sur Land Trust, 509 Hartnell Street, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
Thursday, February 27
5:30pm – 7:00pm
BSLT Office – 509 Hartnell Street
Monterey, CA 93940
We are lucky to work in a community of individuals who care deeply about the place they live.
With Big Sur Land Trust, your energy, time, curiosity and passion are put to good use to care for the lands you love throughout Monterey County.
Please join us at our Volunteer Open House to learn how you can contribute your skills, to get inspired by stories from current volunteers, and to sign up as a volunteer for one or more of the opportunities we will have throughout 2020.
If you can’t attend, you can learn more and easily sign-up online to be notified of volunteer opportunities.

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Free Art Show! Grand Opening | Convergence: Carr Lake Ecology and Community
2020-03-06 17:00 - 20:30 UTC | CSUMB City Center, 1 Main St, Salinas, CA, 93901, United States
Grand Opening: March 6
5:00 – 8:30 PM
Exhibit will be open through August
CSUMB City Center, Salinas
We are excited to collaborate with California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB)’s Salinas City Center, Arts and Culture on this exhibition! The show is free and will run through early August. Free “First Friday” events will be held in March, April, May, June and August.
Convergences: expected and unexpected can enrich our lives with challenges and connections. At Carr Lake, CSUMB sees the convergence of three creeks; of urban, agricultural and wildland landscapes; of multiple communities and histories; and of an entire city. Big Sur Land Trust sees the park we are co-creating with the community on 73-acres at Carr Lake as the convergence of “people, place and opportunity.” Learn more by taking a Virtual Video Tour of our site at Carr Lake and reading ‘Convergence.’
Presented in partnership with:
CSUMB
Urban Arts Collaborative
Sponsored by:
Arts Council for Monterey County
Balance Hydrologics
Blink Optometry
BFS Landscape Architects
Denise Duffy & Associates
Monterey Private Wealth
Monterey Signs
Natividad Foundation
Rights and Opportunities Foundation
Spoke Consulting
Whitson Engineers

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An Evening with Best-Selling Author, Richard Louv
2020-03-06 19:30 - 21:00 UTC | Hidden Valley, 104 West Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley, CA, 93924, United States
Friday, March 6
Doors will open at 7:00PM
7:30 – 9:00PM
Hidden Valley
104 West Carmel Valley Road
Carmel Valley, CA 93924

Join Big Sur Land Trust for an inspirational evening with Richard Louv, author of Our Wild Calling: How Connecting With Animals Can Transform Our Lives — and Save Theirs and Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.
Doors will open at 7:00PM, event will run from 7:30 – 9:00PM.

Presented in partnership with:
Pilgrim’s Way Bookstore
Ventana Wildlife Society
Sponsored by:
Balance Hydrologics
BFS Landscape Architects
Blink Optometry
Denise Duffy & Associates
Monterey Peninsula Volunteer Services Thrift Shop
Monterey Private Wealth
Monterey Signs
Natividad Foundation
Spoke Consulting
Whitson Engineers
Reviews and Articles on Our Wild Calling

“How Humans Can Coexist With Other Animals” New York Times

“‘Our Wild Calling’ argues for emotional connection with animals” The Christian Science Monitor

“Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health” Yale Environment 360
“Our Wild Calling by Richard Louv Is a Game Changer” Psychology Today

Tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

Cancelled – Guided Hike at Marks Ranch
2020-03-14 08:45 - 14:00 UTC | Marks Ranch, 117th Drive, Salinas, CA, 93908, United States
Cancelled – Guided Hike at Marks Ranch March 14, 2020 8:45 AM – 2:00 PM

After considering several of the current public health messages we are receiving, we have decided to postpone this guided hike at Marks Ranch.However, Big Sur Land Trust believes it is more important than ever to connect people to open spaces so that they may experience the proven mental and physical health benefits of time spent in nature. We encourage you to visit http://bigsurlandtrust.org/hike-request/ and sign up for a self-guided hike on one of our spectacular conserved properties.Home of Benjamin and Nisene Marks, who settled there in 1890, the ranch was once a major egg production enterprise. Since acquiring the ranch in 2007, Big Sur Land Trust has cared for its rolling hills, woodlands, meadows, grazing lands and 90 species of wildflowers. Critical wildlife corridors remain protected as well.The hike is a moderately strenuous loop, about 5 miles with 600 feet elevation gain at a leisurely pace. Dress appropriately for the weather, wear layers and comfy hiking shoes for uneven terrain. Bring your favorite trail snack, picnic lunch, sun protection and ample water. No pets please.

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Big Sur Land Trust’s Virtual Book Club - The Overstory
2020-05-14 19:00 - 20:30 UTC
Join Big Sur Land Trust’s virtual book club.
For our first book, we’ve chosen The Overstory, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Richard Powers. Many staff members have been raving about it.
We’re partnering with Pilgrim’s Way, an independent community bookstore in Carmel. Simply call them at 831-624-4955 and they will have the book drop-shipped to you.
RSVP below to join our Zoom meeting on May 14th to discuss this fantastic story:

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Big Sur Land Trust’s Virtual Book Club - The Honey Bus
2020-07-23 16:00 - 18:00 UTC
Join Big Sur Land Trust’s virtual book club!

For our second book, we’ve chosen The Honey Bus, by Meredith May. Set in Monterey County, the story takes place during a pivotal time in May’s childhood when she suddenly found herself in the care of her grandfather, an eccentric beekeeper who made honey in a rusty old military bus in his yard. Throughout the years, she learned to take care of herself, forged an unbreakable bond with her grandfather and opened up to the wonder and wisdom of nature.
We are honored that Meredith May, author of The Honey Bus, will be joining us for our upcoming virtual book club event on July 23 from 4:00 – 6:00pm (PT)!

We’re partnering with Pilgrim’s Way, an independent community bookstore in Carmel. Simply call them at 831-624-4955 and they will have the book drop-shipped to you.

RSVP below to join our virtual meeting (by either calling-in or via Zoom) on July 23rd from 4:00 – 6:00pm (PT) to discuss this fantastic story:

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Big Sur Land Trust’s Virtual Book Club - Braiding Sweetgrass
2020-11-12 16:30 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join Big Sur Land Trust’s virtual book club!

For our next book, we’ve chosen Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a New York Times and Washington Post bestseller and named “Best Essay Collection of the Decade” by Literary Hub. Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings―asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass―offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices. In reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return. Join our upcoming virtual book club event on November 12 from 4:30 – 6:00pm (PT)!
As we explore Braiding Sweetgrass, we’ll be joined by featured contributor, Linda Yamane and special guest speaker, Carla Marie Munoz, Tribal Councilwoman of the Costanoan Rumsen Carmel Tribe. Linda is an Ohlone artist, basketweaver, singer and scholar who traces her ancestry to the Rumsien Ohlone, the native people of the Monterey area. Carla Marie has served as a tribal liaison for her people for the past nine years, while creating relationships between state parks, government agencies and other tribal communities.
We’re partnering with two independent community bookstores in the area. Drop by or call Pilgrim’s Way in Carmel or Downtown Book and Sound in Salinas to get your book.

RSVP below to join our virtual meeting (by either calling-in or via Zoom) on November 12th from 4:30 – 6:00pm (PT) to discuss this inspiring story and hear representatives from local tribes give their perspectives:

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Kiss the Ground | Big Sur Land Trust's Virtual Movie Club
2020-12-09 16:30 - 17:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
December 9 | 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Our book club events have been so successful, we’re adding films into the mix! Now available on Netflix and on Vimeo for $1, the documentary Kiss the Ground unpacks the ways the earth’s soil may be the key to combating climate change. Big Sur Land Trust is starting our own healthy soils program as part of the fire recovery efforts at Marks Ranch!
Hear from Agricultural Water Quality Coordinator from NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Pam Krone and regenerative rancher and author Doniga Markegard – whose family ranch is featured in Kiss the Ground. Watch the film on your own and then meet up with us for our first virtual movie club event.
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FREE Funding Resources for Fire Preparedness Practices and Restoration
2021-03-19 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
FREE Webinar: Funding Resources for Fire Preparedness Practices and Restoration on Rangelands
Friday, March 19
6:00 – 7:30 PM PT
Join experts on post-fire restoration, representatives from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and BSLT’s director of stewardship, Patrick Riparetti for a free webinar! You’ll learn about best practices and funding resources for rangeland fire preparedness and restoration. You’ll also hear about BSLT’s implementation of the Healthy Soils restoration program at Marks Ranch.
Learn more by viewing a flyer here.
Register for free by clicking here.

2021 Race for Open Space
2021-04-04 - 2021-04-25
Trail Run/Walk
April 4 – 25, 2021
Thanks to all Race for Open Space participants, supporters, sponsors, and partners!
Everyone who participated, supported, and volunteered at this year’s Race for Open Space (ROS) was a force for nature! 450 people ran, walked, and hiked safely and socially distanced at Glen Deven Ranch, Mitteldorf Preserve, in their own neighborhoods, or on our special Adventure Courses! Many supporters donated as well. All of these stellar humans found their wonder and raised $25,000 for the lands they love! Plus, our generous sponsors contributed $21,000.
But wait! There’s more…Thanks to the thirsty folks who purchased some yummy Hoppy Hiker Hazy IPA, Alvarado Street Brewery raised an additional $10,000 for healthy lands, healthy people, and healthy communities. This makes everyone a winner!
And we know you really want to hear who the winners in each of our Race for Open Space categories are:
SPEEDY RUNNER AWARDS
2.4-miles at Glen Deven Ranch:

David Loutzenheiser (18:59) and Linda Sereno (20:41)
Youth: David Oliver and Juliet Oliver (1:30:00)

4-miles at Mitteldorf Preserve:

William Tovar (38:06) and Franca Rossi (42:52)
Youth: David Oliver and Juliet Oliver (1:30:00)

8.5-miles at Mitteldorf Preserve:

Linda Sereno (1:25:14) and David Loutzenheiser (1:31:49)
Youth: Luca Gurdgiev (1:34:37)

9-miles, Palo Corona to San Jose Creek Trail:

Anthony Davi (1:23:25) and Emily Cole (1:37:15)
Youth: Isabella Davi (1:39:33)

21-miles, Palo Corona to Mitteldorf Preserve:

Jenny Jacox (3:22:34) and Mike Jacox (3:22:37)
Special recognition to Robert Beverly (3:24:48), just a hair behind in pace!

MOST MILES AWARDS

Top Male: Mark Beering (293.09 miles recorded)
Top Female: Emily Motz (198.18 miles recorded)
Top team:

In 3rd place: York School, Monterey with 121 miles recorded!
In 2nd place: The Monterey Bay Moves team with 125 miles recorded!
In 1st place: The Trailblazers for the Lands We Love team with 133.5 miles recorded!

Want to know who won our photo contest? Check it out below and take a look at all the submissions here!
As we begin planning next year’s Race for Open Space, we are sending all our gratitude from our hearts to yours.

ADVENTURE COURSE PARTNERS

SPONSORS
We are grateful for the contributions from runners, partners, and sponsors including:
Summit Circle

KAZU

KAZU

KRML

KRML

Monterey County Weekly

Monterey County Weekly

Radio Bilingüe

Radio Bilingüe

Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce

Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce

President’s Circle

Steward

Trailblazer

Conservator

In-Kind

Race for Open Space Virtual After-Party
2021-05-06 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
We want to celebrate everyone who participated in this year’s virtual Race for Open Space! Come join us for our virtual after-party as we unveil all the results. There will be prize drawings and more fun to share. We hope to see you there!
WHEN:
Thursday, May 6
5:00-6:00

WHERE:
Zoom Meeting
RSVP:
Complete the registration form below to RSVP.
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FULL - Maintenance Monday | June 7
2021-06-07 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Marks Ranch, 117th Drive, Salinas, CA, 93908, United States
EVENT CLOSED
This volunteer event is now full. Stay tuned for more opportunities!
Maintenance Monday at Marks Ranch
Big Sur Land Trust is kicking off this summer season with our first ever Maintenance Monday! We’ll be out at Marks Ranch cutting back some of the growth from this past year and preparing the trails for reopening!
As part of the event we will be passing out tickets for a raffle next month and providing a free beer from our friends at Alvarado Street Brewing. So come join in and grab a beer as we work together on the lands you love.
Date: Monday, June 7, 2021
Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
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An evening with Dr. Matthew Savoca | June 17
2021-06-17 17:30 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Thursday, June 17
5:30 – 6:30pm
We all know that plastic poses a threat to our environment and to animals. Join us for a virtual presentation from Dr. Matthew Savoca, as he shares his findings on why marine animals mistake plastic for food. We’ll even learn about some cool new research that hasn’t yet been published!
Dr. Matthew Savoca is a postdoctoral researcher at the Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University. Matthew completed his PhD in Ecology at the University of California, Davis, where his research focused on why marine animals mistake plastic debris for prey items. This work received international media attention from NPR, The BBC, The New York Times, and National Geographic, among other outlets. He earned a Science and SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists in 2018 for an essay describing his doctoral work. He currently studies the foraging behavior of baleen whales and their possible interactions with microplastics. Matthew is also passionate about science communication and maintains an active science blog and writes for The Conversation. Several of these popular science articles have been republished by venues including the San Francisco Chronicle, Scientific American, and the Washington Post. For more information, visit his website at: MatthewSavocaEcology.weebly.com
Sign up to join us below.

PRESENTING SPONSOR:

LEGACY SPONSOR:

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Maintenance Monday | July 26
2021-07-26 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Marks Ranch, 117th Drive, Salinas, CA, 93908, United States
Monday, July 26
5:00 – 8:00pm
We enjoyed seeing familiar faces and meeting new volunteers last month during our first Maintenance Monday! If you were unable to attend that event, you can sign up for this one!
Maintenance Mondays is a series of volunteer events to make the land more resilient, enjoyable and safe for wildlife and people alike. We invite you to join us for the next event on Monday, July 26th at Marks Ranch to continue our work as we prepare the trails for reopening!
As part of the event we will be passing out tickets for a raffle that will take place that same evening. Free beer from our friends at Alvarado Street Brewing will be provided. So come join in and grab a beer as we work together on the Lands You Love.
Only 15 spots are available so sign-up today!
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Maintenance Monday | August 23
2021-08-23 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Marks Ranch, 117th Drive, Salinas, CA, 93908, United States
Monday, August 23
5:00 – 8:00pm
What a group of excellent volunteers we have had the pleasure of working with the past couple of Maintenance Mondays! If you were unable to attend those events, you can sign up for this one!
Maintenance Mondays is a series of volunteer events to make the land more resilient, enjoyable and safe for wildlife and people alike. We invite you to join us for the next event on Monday, August 23rd at Marks Ranch to continue to nurture the space.
As part of the event we will be passing out tickets for a raffle that will take place next month. Refreshments and snacks will be provided. So come join in and have fun with us as we work together on the Lands You Love.
Only 15 spots are available so sign-up today!
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Oak Tree Restoration for Rangelands
2021-08-25 15:00 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Oak Tree Restoration for Rangelands
August 25, 2021 from 3:00pm – 4:30pm on Zoom
Oak woodlands perform numerous important ecosystem services including scenic beauty, erosion prevention, improving water quality and infiltration, regulating water flow in watersheds, providing habitat for bird and animal species, increasing biodiversity, and GHG sequestration as well as improving soil health. Oaks are healthy for rangelands for many of these same reasons, plus they provide shade for grazing animals and increase soil water storage for a longer “green” period. The decrease in oaks has been attributed to many factors including overgrazing, fire suppression, excessive ground squirrel and gopher activity, invasive species, poor management practices and human development. The California Oak Foundation projects that over 1 million acres of woodland will be lost to development in the upcoming 30 years. Rangeland represents the best opportunity for oak restoration and together we can help regenerate vital oak woodlands, but it’s not easy – so take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn from experts now!
Join us in a virtual tour of an oak tree restoration project in Monterey County. Learn what factors to consider when implementing an oak tree restoration project and how to determine if your location is appropriate for restoration. We will review lessons learned from two long term Oak Tree Restoration Projects in California. Learn how the the Healthy Soils Program can help fund your oak tree restoration project.
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Share and download the flyer with those who may also be interested here.
This event is supported by the ‘California Climate Investments’ program.

Maintenance Monday | September 20
2021-09-20 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Marks Ranch, 117th Drive, Salinas, CA, 93908, United States
Monday September 20th
5:00PM – 8:00PM
Maintenance Mondays is a series of volunteer events to make the land more resilient, enjoyable and safe for wildlife and people alike. We invite you to join us for the next event on Monday, September 20th at Marks Ranch to continue to nurture the lands we love and share.
During this event, we will continue to nurture the area inside and around the historic Hacienda. Various groups will work on collecting small to medium size fire fuels, clearing the interior of the barn, continue removing pieces of plaster that separated from the burnt hacienda wall, among other tasks.
As part of the event, we will be passing out tickets for a raffle that will take place the same day. Refreshments and snacks will be provided. So come join in and have fun with us as we work together on the Lands You Love.
We’re looking forward to seeing you on Monday, September 20th from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Only 15 spots are available so sign up today!
This event has passed. Please stay tuned for more events like this one.
