What is the Site Stewardship Program ?

Under the Site Stewardship Program, teams of volunteers take on the ecological restoration and long-term guardianship of sensitive natural areas within the GGNRA.

Many areas of the park have been impacted by the historical agriculture and military uses of the land, invasion by non-native plant species, suppression of natural fires, soil erosion, and high visitation rates ( approximately 20 million in 1992 ).

In 1993, the Site Stewardship Program was created to assist the park with restoration efforts in high priority sites. By providing guardianship of an area, stewards ensure that the unique natural and cultural resources of the park are protected for generations to come.

What do Site Stewards do?

In addition to ecological restoration, stewards engage in public outreach, interpretation and education. They explore the land and its problems, develop management plans, and put these plans into action.

Activities include, but are not limited to:

• baseline data collection
• population monitoring
• vegetative mapping
• invasive plant removal
• native seed collection
• re-vegetation
• erosion control
• development of outreach materials

Stewards get involved in many different ways. The program has room for all levels of commitment and interest.

What resources are available to Stewardship Volunteers?

The GGNRA provides a wide variety of resources for stewards. In addition to support from National Park staff, there is a natural resource library and office available for volunteers. Tools and instructions as to their safe use and maintenance are provided. An ongoing series of training seminars on topics such as re-vegetation, population monitoring, volunteer management, and computer use allow stewards to expand their skills and experience.

How do I get involved ?

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is 114 square miles of Bay Area Open Space. Designated a National Park in 1972, it is part of the U. S. National Park Service. The GGNRA includes such local attractions as Alcatraz Island, Muir Woods, the Marin Headlands, and Ocean Beach.

The Golden Gate National Park Association is a non-profit organization that works in cooperation with the National Park Service to help enhance and protect the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.