Catalina Island Conservancy

Welcome to the Individual Volunteer page! Volunteers are the backbone to supporting the Catalina Island Conservancy's mission by being responsible stewards of the land through a balance of conservation, education and recreation. There are many ways you can contribute to this undertaking.

Thursday Mornings at the James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery ~ Volunteering at the James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery provides an excellent opportunity to gain access to the interior of Catalina Island and become more familiar with Island ecology and plant species while helping the nursery achieve its goals.

Enjoy the tranquil morning in Middle Ranch while working with plants in a casual, social environment. Volunteers receive training in the horticulture and ecology of Catalina's varied flora and tasks are tailored to all ability levels. Volunteers are welcome every Thursday year-round from 7:30am – 12:00pm. Typical projects include seed germination, seed collection, plant propagation, weeding, light construction, and nursery maintenance.

Windward Beach Clean-Up ~ Enjoy the great outdoors while combing the sand for debris! Help keep Catalina’s Windward Beaches clean and pristine. Clean-up locations rotate throughout the year to keep all four of our windward beaches beautiful. Every second Saturday of the month we leave Avalon at 8am and return by noon. All supplies, drinks & transportation provided.

For both of the above opportunities, please call 310-510-2595, Ext. 112.

VOLUNTEER ECO PACAKGES

Volunteer Vacations

The Historic Hermosa Hotel has teamed together with the Catalina Island Conservancy to create this volunteer opportunity for their guests.

Arrive on Wednesday, prepared to work! On Wednesday, you will be driven through the island’s nature preserve to one of our exclusive windward beaches for a beach clean. While traveling you will have an opportunity to see the island’s rugged coastal views, rolling hills, incredible ocean views, plant life, and a chance to see some wildlife!

On Thursday, you return to the island’s nature preserve and visit the James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery. Here you will enjoy completing a variety of tasks while working closely with the island’s native and endemic* plant life.

*Volunteer Eco Package cost starts at $249 per person and includes:

One year Catalina Island Conservancy Membership
Two days of volunteer opportunities
On site box lunches
Round trip boat transportation
Wednesday and Thursday nights’ stay at the Historic Hermosa Hotel

The program is offered every 4th Wednesday of the month.

Call the Hermosa Hotel to book you Volunteer Eco Package today! 310-510-1010.

*Price subject to change

HOTEL VILLA PORTOFINO VOLUNTEER PACKAGE

We are working hand-in-hand with the Hotel Villa Portofino! If you would like to volunteer at the James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery on a Thursday and stay at the beautiful Hotel Villa Portofino, this package is for you! After volunteering at the nursery, you will be driven to the Airport In The Sky where you will have lunch at the DC-3 Restaurant. You have the option of returning to Avalon on the 1:30pm shuttle or you can hike the Airport Loop Trail and take the 3:30pm shuttle back to town.

The package includes:

Accommodations
Boat Transportation from San Pedro, Long Beach, Newport Beach or Dana Point
Taxi Transfers
Shuttle To/From Nursery
Lunch at the DC3 Restaurant at the Airport In The Sky
Continental Breakfast

VOLUNTEER WORK ON THURSDAYS ONLY. THE CONSERVANCY SHUTTLE DEPARTS AVALON AT 7:30AM SHARP.

For more information and to make a reservation, please see www.hotelvillaportofino.com

Other Volunteer Opportunities:

Administrative Assistance ~ Word processing, filing, photocopying, and answering phones are just a few of the tasks done everyday in all our departments. If you enjoy working in an office environment and feel comfortable with a computer, photocopier and fax machine come spend the day (or longer) with us.

Mailings ~ Monthly flyers, quarterly newsletters, and notices are sent to Conservancy support groups, volunteers and island and mainland residents. These mailings often require stuffing envelopes, affixing mailing labels and running letters through the stamp machine. There is also the art of bulk mailing; a process which requires a good eye for detail to sort and bundle mailings by zip code. Project locations can be flexible, i.e. they can be worked on at home or in Avalon at the Conservancy House.

Visitor Information ~ Santa Catalina Island enjoys nearly 1 million visitors each year. Many of these visitors are here for the first time and are excited to learn more about the Catalina Island Conservancy. Assist staff at our main office (or at our entrance gate) by greeting visitors and sharing general information about Santa Catalina Island and the Conservancy, distributing literature, and issuing hiking permits. Our busiest days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Invasive Weed Removal ~ Invasive non-native plants are a major problem facing the Conservancy as we protect the natural diversity of Santa Catalina Island. More than 30% of the island's plant species are not native to the island. Once established, these non-native plants may out compete Catalina's natives for vital resources of light, nutrients, and water. Lend a hand (pulling, chopping and cutting) in protecting our unique island plant species.

Photography/Artist ~ Photograph, draw, paint or create. Capture images of Island events and history that can be of great interest and benefit to the Conservancy’s research. Your special skills and talent in this area could be featured in the Conservancy’s newsletter, brochures or other department publications. We can always find a way to use your talents!

Volunteer today!