Volunteer Opportunities | The Wildlands Conservancy
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Our Mission

To preserve the beauty and biodiversity of the earth and to provide programs so that children may know the wonder and joy of nature.
Enchanted Rocks Preserve

The Preserve System

Our growing preserve system safeguards forests, deserts, mountains, rivers, and coastlines through permanent land conservation and active stewardship.
Hiker overlooking rugged mountain landscape at sunrise.

Conservation Projects

Beyond our preserves, we lead and support conservation initiatives that protect connected landscapes, wildlife corridors, rivers, and public lands.
A lush green forest covering rolling hills and mountains in a scenic natural landscape.

AP Ranch Acquisition

This 14,177-acre acquisition in Siskiyou County, CA will expand Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve to more than 20,000 acres.
Beautiful landscape of Wild Cherry Canyon with rolling hills and ocean view.

Wild Cherry Canyon

More than 2,000 acres on California's central coast in San Luis Obispo County.
Beautiful landscape of Eel Rock Ranch with river and mountains under cloudy sky.

All Acquisition Projects

Explore our current land acquisition projects and learn how you can help conserve land for future generations.
Majestic elk with large antlers in a natural landscape.

Rewilding Nature

Across the West, rivers have been dammed and diverted, wildlife corridors severed, and native species pushed to the brink. Explore our work to restore wildness and ecological balance.
Map showing Wildlands Conservancy locations across California and nearby states.

Visit a Preserve

Our preserve system welcomes more than 1.5 million visitors each year to protected forests, deserts, mountains, rivers, wetlands, and coastlines across California and Utah, with preserves and programs open to the public free of charge.
Group of hikers walking along coastal cliffs with ocean view in the background.

Community Programs & Events

From guided hikes to photography workshops to summer activities for kids, The Wildlands Conservancy's free community programs & events offer something for everyone.
Children exploring a creek in nature at Wildlands Conservancy.

School Field Trips

Free field-trip programs give students hands-on outdoor learning experiences that foster curiosity, scientific discovery, and a deeper connection to the natural world.
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About The Wildlands Conservancy

Bluebird perched on a branch in Pioneertown Mountains Preserve.

About Us

Our Core Principles & Beliefs

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Meet Our Team

Two conservationists planting a tree in a grassy field with a scenic landscape.

Career Opportunities

Join the Wildlands team.
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Our Financials

The financial information provided here is derived from our audited financial statements.
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Rana Creek Preserve

With its iconic California oak woodland landscape, a journey through Rana Creek Preserve is like going back in time before highway traffic, strip malls, and power lines marred coastal California.
Entrance sign for The Wildlands Conservancy with scenic landscape background.

Wind Wolves Preserve

Wind Wolves Preserve is in an ecologically unique region where the Transverse Ranges, Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada, western Mojave Desert and San Joaquin Valley influences converge.
Desert tortoise among purple wildflowers in Mission Creek Preserve.

Mission Creek Preserve

Located in a transition zone between the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, the 4,760-acre Mission Creek Preserve has a rich species composition with flora and fauna representing both deserts.
Desert mountain landscape with rocky terrain and sparse vegetation.

Pioneertown Mountains Preserve

The 25,500-acre Pioneertown Mountains Preserve descends from the high piney 7,800-foot ridges into the Pioneertown Valley.
Two mountain goats fighting on a rocky hillside under a clear blue sky.

Whitewater Preserve

Whitewater Preserve is 2,246 acres surrounded by the Bureau of Land Management’s San Gorgonio Wilderness and includes the year-round Whitewater River.
Beautiful river winding through green hills in a scenic natural landscape.

Two Rivers Preserve

Two Rivers Preserve is an awe-inspiring landscape within an ancient volcanic caldera full of glacial moraines, river-carved canyons, mountain meadows, and grand vistas of the Sierra Nevada and Sweetwater Mountains.
River flowing through autumn landscape with colorful trees and rocky banks.

West Walker River Preserve

Situated in the Antelope Valley farming community, just off highway 395 in the Eastern Serra town of Coleville
Beautiful river flowing through lush green valley with mountains in the background.

Eel River Canyon Preserve

Given its location along the Grand Canyon of the Eel river, where the National Wild and Scenic Eel River carves its way through a deep and wild gorge
Beautiful river flowing through lush green landscape at The Wildlands Conservancy.

Emerald Waters Reserve

The 3,036-acre Emerald Waters Reserve is split between Humboldt and Trinity Counties and fronts on the Eel River for 4.5 miles.
River flowing through scenic landscape with hills and trees.

Spyrock Reserve

The 5,832-acre Spyrock Reserve has five miles of frontage on the National Wild and Scenic Eel River in Mendocino County.
Scenic view of East Fork Scott River flowing through forested landscape.

Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve

The 6,094-acre Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve in Siskiyou County protects two-and-a-half miles of the East Fork Scott River, providing habitats for Coho salmon, king salmon, and steelhead trout.
Beautiful wetlands with winding waterway and lush green marshes in a natural landscape.

Eel River Estuary Preserve & Sounding Seas Dunes Reserve

The southern estuary of the Eel River in Humboldt County contains a diverse array of habitats and a grand arena of life
Scenic coastal rocks with ocean waves crashing against them.

Seawood Cape Preserve

Seawood Cape encompasses 128 acres including almost a mile of California’s world famous rugged rocky coastline that is replete with barking sea lions and basking harbor seals.
Black bear walking through a sunlit forest trail in the wild.

Bearpaw Reserve

Bearpaw Reserve is 600 acres of steep, spectacular mountains with a seasonal 110-foot waterfall. Vegetation includes incense cedars, ponderosa and coulter pine, chaparral, and oracle oaks.
Beautiful lake surrounded by lush greenery and trees under a partly cloudy sky.

Bluff Lake Reserve

Located at 7,600 feet, Bluff Lake Reserve has towering pines, a 20-acre lake, a meadow, and majestic outcrops of quartz monzonite.
Majestic mountain range with lush greenery and clear blue sky.

Galena Peak Wilderness Reserve

In 2018, The Wildlands Conservancy separated the 1,280-acre Galena Ridge from its Oak Glen Preserve, positioning this rugged rocky landscape to be managed like the adjoining San Gorgonio Wilderness.
Visitors entering Southern California Mountaineer Public Garden at Wildlands Conservancy.

Oak Glen Preserve

Nestled in a glen, situated at 5,024 feet, in the shadow of 8,700-foot Wilshire Peak, lies The Wildlands Conservancy’s 909-acre Oak Glen Preserve.
Hikers walking along a coastal trail overlooking the ocean.

Estero Americano Coast Preserve

Acquired by The Wildlands Conservancy in 2015 through a visionary public-private partnership—including the State Coastal Conservancy, Sonoma County Ag + Open Space, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Sonoma Land Trust, and individual donors.
Beautiful coastal landscape with green hills and ocean view.

Jenner Headlands Preserve

Jenner Headlands is a spectacular 5,630-acre mosaic of redwood and Douglas-fir forests, oak woodland, chaparral and coastal prairie overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Scenic mountain landscape with lush green valleys and rugged cliffs.

Mariposa Reserve

The 800-acre Mariposa Reserve is a habitat reserve surrounded by the Cleveland National Forest. It represents the best grassland and sycamore savanna in the north end of the forest.
Serene river flowing through lush autumn landscape at The Wildlands Conservancy.

Santa Margarita River Trail Preserve

In 2018, The Wildlands Conservancy acquired five miles of the oak- and sycamore-shaded Santa Margarita River, one of the last free-flowing wild rivers in Southern California and the southernmost range of steelhead trout.
Majestic mountain landscape with rugged peaks and a partly cloudy sky.

Enchanted Rocks Preserve

Thousand-foot-high cliffs splashed with orange, white, purple, and red tower above the John Day River as it winds through iconic landscapes graced with western junipers, herds of Rocky Mountain elk, and the verdant canyons of its many tributaries.
Desert landscape with cliffs, small pond, and open sky at sunset.

Speaking Springs Preserve

Cottonwood Wash carves an ancient, 42-mile pathway from the towering Abajo Mountains to the historic San Juan River.
Map of California highlighting Wildlands Conservancy locations across the state.

Explore the Preserve System Map

Use our interactive map to plan your next preserve visit.
Group of children and a woman observing wildlife on a boat tour at Wildlands Conservancy.

Explore Free Programs

Find free programs near you. From guided hikes to workshops, we offer something for everyone.
Family hiking along a rocky riverbed in scenic mountain landscape.

Donate Online

Our mission: To preserve the beauty and biodiversity of the earth and to provide programs so that children may know the wonder and joy of nature. Together, we can protect the land, heal the wild, and keep nature free for everyone.
Scenic view of Enchanted Rocks with rolling hills and blue sky.

Donate

All the Ways to Give

Since 1995, the generosity of The Wildlands Conservancy’s supporters has enabled us to call people back to the beauty, wonder, and inspiration of the natural world through outdoor education and the stewardship of some of California’s most remarkable and important landscapes.
Group of volunteers planting trees at Wind Wolves Preserve for conservation.

Volunteer

Whether your passion is restoration or outdoor education, or you have a day to spare or a few hours a week, there’s a volunteer opportunity available for you to get involved and make a difference not just at your favorite preserve, but in your community.
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Get News & Stories

From land acquisitions to rewilding projects to a child's first time in the wild — we share the work when there's something worth sharing. Join the Mailing List to get updates.
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Scenic view of Whitewater Preserve with rugged mountains and desert landscape.

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Career Opportunities

Looking to join our team? Explore current opportunities with The Wildlands Conservancy.
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Volunteer Opportunities

Events

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Today

  • Close-up of Bakersfield Cactus Collection during Volunteer Day.

    Volunteer Day: Bakersfield Cactus Collection

    Location: Wind Wolves Preserve

    🌵 Help Protect the Endangered Bakersfield Cactus! 🌵 Join Wind Wolves Preserve staff for a hands-on restoration day! We'll be collecting cactus pads from our native populations at the preserve […]

  • Scenic waterfall flowing into a stream surrounded by trees and rocks.

    Volunteer Day: Waterfall Cleanup

    Location: Wind Wolves Preserve

    🪏Help Provide some TLC to the Preserve's Iconic Waterfall! 🪏 Join Wind Wolves Preserve Rangers for a special cleanup day! We’ll be clearing out overgrown vegetation and built-up sediment to keep our […]

  • Close-up of prickly pear cacti during planting event at Wildlands Conservancy.

    Volunteer Day: Backcountry Bakersfield Cactus Planting

    Location: Wind Wolves Preserve

    🌵 Help grow endangered Bakersfield cactus! 🌵 Join Wind Wolves Preserve staff for a hands-on restoration day in the backcountry as we plant native Bakersfield cactus pads! Found exclusively in Kern […]