From maintaining hiking trails and protecting native habitat to preserving the scenic landscapes enjoyed by boaters, campers and outdoor enthusiasts, conservation work on Catalina Island is a year-round effort that depends heavily on volunteers.
Recently, more than a dozen students from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas joined the Catalina Island Conservancy at White’s Landing to help remove invasive ice plant, a fast-growing species that threatens native coastal ecosystems throughout the island.
The students were joined by five volunteers from the Hun School of Princeton, New Jersey, who traveled across the country to participate in hands-on conservation projects. Together, the groups spent four days working alongside Conservancy staff on a variety of restoration efforts across the island.
The volunteer project focused in part on removing ice plant (Carpobrotus edulis), an invasive succulent native to South Africa that has spread throughout California’s coast. The plant grows rapidly and can overtake native coastal scrub, grasslands, chaparral, dunes and beach habitats.
Volunteer Carley said the work highlighted the challenges invasive species create for native plants.
“Ice plant takes a community to remove, and what’s worse is that it’s not native,” Carley said. “The native plants are in cages to be protected and this ice plant took over everything around the beach.”
In addition to pulling ice plant at White’s Landing, volunteers collected seeds from native common yarrow plants between Ben Weston Beach and Cottonwood Beach, assisted with erosion-control projects and removed weeds at the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden. The groups also worked alongside Conservancy Trails Manager Kevin Ryan to clear vegetation encroaching on hiking trails.
The volunteer effort is part of the Conservancy’s ongoing stewardship of approximately 42,000 acres of Catalina Island land. Maintaining trails, restoring habitat and protecting native species are critical responsibilities that help preserve the island’s natural beauty for visitors arriving by boat, ferry and on foot.
The Conservancy’s volunteer and education departments coordinate projects throughout the year, creating opportunities for participants to contribute to meaningful conservation work while learning about Catalina’s unique environment.
Director of Volunteers and Workforce Development Chris Young helped keep spirits high during the project, jokingly singing to volunteers, “I’ll meet you in the middle if there’s no ice plant,” as crews worked along the coastline.
Education Program Coordinator Barbara Burke emphasized the importance of volunteer support to the Conservancy’s mission.
“We couldn’t do it without you volunteers,” Burke said. “It’s extremely beneficial.”
For those interested in giving back to Catalina, volunteer opportunities are available throughout the year. Programs include recurring projects at the Ackerman Native Plant Nursery as well as the Conservancy’s recently launched All-Inclusive Catalina Service Retreat, which combines conservation work with camping and prepared meals.
As thousands of boaters and visitors enjoy Catalina Island each year, volunteer efforts like these help ensure the island’s trails, beaches and natural landscapes remain healthy and accessible for future generations.
