Trails & Stewardship Programs
Learn about Trails and Stewardship Programs at Midpen!
Take Action, Assist, and Inform…
Volunteers in trails, stewardship, and other special programs assist in resource management and trail stewardship, engage with visitors, and help assist in other areas that support the work at Midpen.
Below you will find short summaries about these programs and a link to the program page where you can learn more and submit your interest for any that require advance training.
Land Stewards and Community Group Stewards
Individuals register in advance and volunteer as Land Stewards to restore and maintain Midpen trails and preserves at single-day, hands-on projects in the preserves. Project durations vary from 2-5 hours and support the strategic resource management plans and other conservation, restoration, and improvement efforts at Midpen.
Community Group Stewards are community-led associations, student, scout, or culturally specific groups, and businesses or nonprofit organizations who volunteer as a team on a group project. Projects for groups are similar to those identified for Land Stewards, but are not open for general registration.
Responsibilities
- Invasive plant removal and restoration planting
- Trail brushing and maintenance, and other projects as identified
Training
- No advanced training or experience necessary
- No ongoing commitment required! Attend one project or as many as you like.
- Midpen staff provides all tools and on-site training and instructions
Visit the Land Steward Program page for details and information about volunteering in this capacity as an individual
Visit the Community Group Steward Program page for details and information about volunteering in this capacity with your group or team
Advanced Resource Management Stewards
Advanced Resource Management Steward (ARMS) volunteers are individuals who have some level of experience in and knowledge about Midpen's volunteer resource management efforts through prior participation in our Land Steward or Community Group Steward Program projects. These advanced individuals 'adopt-a-site' within a preserve and work independently on a wide range of specific resource and data management tasks that assist in the complex restoration efforts of open space preservation.
Responsibilities
- Perform ongoing invasive, non-native vegetation management and field site monitoring
- Collect and report detailed data as an individual member of the Midpen volunteer group in Calflora
- Regularly communicate with program staff to ensure efficient execution of site plans
- Attend any required trainings, meetings, and group workdays
Prerequisites
- Attend at least 3 volunteer projects under the Land Steward or Community Group Steward Program
- Previous experience in restoration, botany, or land management is helpful, but not required
- Computer literacy and the ability to navigate an online database is essential
Training
- In addition to what you learn by attending stewardship projects as noted above, an interview plus several (virtual and in-person) training sessions and site visits are required
- You'll learn common invasive and native plant identification, tool selection and use, and Calflora site navigation
- A minimum commitment of one year is required with site work frequency determined by seasonal site and plant needs
Visit the Advanced Resource Management Steward Program page for additional details
Volunteer Trail Patrol
Be a frontline ambassador for Midpen as you hike or ride along preserve trails. Provide helpful preserve use and information to visitors and complete an online report from home to notify field staff of any trail conditions or other areas of concern from your time on the trails.
Responsibilities
- Provide visitor information about trail safety and etiquette, directions, and ideas for enjoyment
- Respond to and assist patrol staff with directed outreach, trail surveys, and information dissemination
- Monitor and report trail conditions and hazards that require staff attention
Training
- A mandatory training program, consisting of an interview and 2-3 scheduled training sessions.
- During informative training sessions, you will learn how to handle emergencies and identify potential trail hazards
- We ask for a commitment of at least one patrol a month for one year
Visit the Volunteer Trail Patrol Program page for details and to learn how to submit your interest for the next training!
Additional Ways to Get Involved
In addition to what's above, we offer additional opportunities for involvement as identified by staff. Please see the Special Project, Community Outreach, and Office Volunteer program pages for more information.
Check out what some of our partners are up to and consider volunteering at the preserves through their directed efforts.
A Deeper Understanding
Keep reading to learn our holistic approach to volunteerism and the elements of volunteer stewardship at Midpen where community awareness and contribution to science, and restoration and preservation, support the ultimate goal of a healthier planet for all. 
