Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods

Programs: State park volunteer interpretive program support provide paid staff, recruitment and training of volunteers and supplies. There are approximately 300 active state park volunteers and docents in the program and about 500 people participated in education seminars in 2013. Volunteers conduct docent-led tours and provide public education for thousands of park visitors annually. Stewards also provides docent and naturalist led eco-adventures ranging from special hikes, tide pooling, seal and whale watching, and kayaking.

state park operations stewards has raised funds to keep the jenner visitor center and restroom open since 2008. Stewards is paying for visitor center utilities, providing portable restrooms for school groups that visit closed campgrounds, needed signage and has paid for equipment repairs. In 2012, stewards also stepped up to keep austin creek state recreation area open by entering into an operating agreement with state parks. Stewards staffs the entrance station, manages the campground and handles trail maintenance and repairs. Stewards received technical support and a grant in the amount of $40,000 from the california state parks foundation in support of operations for 2013/2014.

environmental restoration and monitoring stewards has been supporting the restoration of the willow creek watershed for close to ten years. In 2013, project effectiveness monitoring continued for the bridge project. Stewards continued monitoring pinnipeds at the mouth of the russian river in partnership and under contract with the sonoma county water agency in response to the water agencys marine mammal protection act permit requirement. A new seabird monitoring program was started in partnership with the blm and the seabird protection network with monitoring at 3 locations on sonoma coast. In addition a large-scale earth day restoration and clean-up projects were undertaken by stewards.