CityofSantaBarbara
Work efforts will focus on improving trail conditions and clearing overgrown brush after an exceptionally wet winter
The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department is looking to recruit up to 75 volunteers for the first large-scale trail volunteer day of 2024. Volunteers of all experience levels are invited to attend the event to learn about trail restoration and maintenance while helping improve trail conditions and addressing heavy vegetation growth after an exceptionally wet winter.
The volunteer day is scheduled for Saturday, April 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Jesusita Trail. Volunteers will gather at the Cater Water Treatment Plant trailhead (1150 San Roque Rd.) for a safety orientation and instruction before taking to the trail. The event will wrap up with a group lunch for volunteers from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
No special experience is required to volunteer. Tools and instructions will be provided, and volunteers will be assigned to small work teams based on experience. Work will include repairing and regrading trails and clearing overgrown brush, annual grasses, and tree branches to ensure trails are safe for all users to navigate.
“Assembling a dedicated and skilled volunteer pool is instrumental in offsetting the wear, tear, and love our trails receive,” said Parks Supervisor Steve Biddle, who coordinates the trail volunteer days. “Jesusita Trail is a great trail for first-time volunteers because it’s well-defined and less rocky and steep than some of our previous worksites. I’d encourage anyone who uses our trails and is interested in learning what it takes to keep them in good condition to join us.”
RSVPs are required for this volunteer event. To sign up, contact Steve Biddle at SBiddle@SantaBarbaraCA.gov or (805) 564-5439.
The Department coordinates multiple large-scale volunteer events each year across City, County, and Forest Service properties to help maintain the community’s network of trails. The upcoming event is held in partnership with Santa Barbara County Parks, the U.S. Forest Service, Montecito Trails Foundation, Los Padres Forest Association, and SAGE Trail Alliance.
Future large-scale trail volunteer days are scheduled for Saturday, June 8, and Saturday, September 28.
Learn more at SantaBarbaraCA.gov/TrailWork
