National Volunteer Week honors the individuals who dedicate themselves to taking action and solving problems in their communities. For 2018, National Volunteer Week will be observed from Sunday, April 15 through Saturday, April 21.
National Park Week is an annual week for celebration and recognition of your National Parks. National Park Week usually coincides with Earth Day (April 22). For 2018, National Park Week will be observed from Saturday, April 21 through Sunday, April 29.
Earth Day began when a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, called for an environmental teach-in in 1969, which was inspired by the teach-ins dealing with the Vietnam War. The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, and drew an estimated 20 million participants. Tens of thousands of people filled New York's Fifth Avenue, Congress adjourned so members could speak across the nation, and at least 2,000 colleges marked the occasion. American Heritage Magazine called the first Earth Day "one of the most remarkable happenings in the history of democracy." Today, Earth Day is celebrated in 174 countries by over a half billion people, making it the most celebrated secular holiday in the world, a day on which people get outdoors, plant trees, clean up trash and lobby for the environment.
Your National Parks are living examples of the best this nation has to offer—our magnificent natural landscapes and our varied yet interrelated heritage. Parks can provide recreational experiences, opportunities to learn and grow, and places of quiet refuge.
This year, take a moment, an hour, a day to visit the national parks near you.
While entrance to Point Reyes National Seashore is always free, the opening day of National Park Week—April 21, 2018—entrance to all National Park Service sites is free. The National Park Service also offers a number of other fee-free days throughout the year.
Yoga and Dune Restoration at Point Reyes Date: Saturday, April 14 Time: 9:30 am to 2:30 pm Location: Meet at the "Antenna Farm" Wayside (Map) Description: Come spend a day at the beautiful and scenic Abbotts Lagoon in Point Reyes, where many of the dune plants are in bloom. Help the dune restoration team remove European searocket, an invasive plant that is threatening a thriving patch of Tidestrom's lupine (a federally endangered species). Afterwards, have lunch watching the crashing waves and spend about 30–45 minutes doing yoga on the beach with a certified yoga instructor. Come prepared to work hard, have fun and feel really good by the end of the day! Bring your own packed lunch and lots of water! Work gloves and tools will be provided. To sign up, please contact Cody Ender by email. more... Contact: Cody Ender, 415-464-5227, email
Kule Loklo Open House & Workday Date: Saturday, April 14 Time: 10 am to ~4 pm Location: Kule Loklo. Description: Visit a replica Coast Miwok village that offers a glimpse of life in pre-European California. Park staff or volunteers will be present from 10 am to about 11:30 am to talk about Coast Miwok history and culture, walk around the village with the public, and may be able to share or demonstrate activities representative of Coast Miwok life. Visitors to the open house are not required to participate in volunteer workday activities. All are welcome. Contact: Carlo Arreglo, 415-464-5146, email
Ranger's Choice Programs Date: Saturday, April 14; Sunday, April 15; Saturday, April 21; Sunday, April 22; Saturday, April 28; and Sunday, April 29 Time: 1:30 pm Location: Meet at the Bear Valley Visitor Center. Description: Visitors are invited to join a Park Ranger to learn more about Point Reyes National Seashore's natural and cultural history. Topics may cover earthquakes and plate tectonics, the Coast Miwok, Sir Francis Drake, the U.S. Lifesaving Service, or area flora and fauna. Some presentations may use the park's Science On a Sphere® to help explain complex environmental processes in a way that is simultaneously intuitive and captivating. Check the program schedule on our Schedule of Events: Weekends Ranger Programs page, or stop by or call the Bear Valley Visitor Center for information about the scheduled programs's topics. Contact: Bear Valley Visitor Center, 415-464-5100 x2 x5, email
A Winter Wildlife Docent discusses baleen with a visitor.
Experience Gray Whales Date: Saturday, April 14; Sunday, April 15; Saturday, April 21; Sunday, April 22; Saturday, April 28; and Sunday, April 29 Time: 11 am to 4:30 pm Location: Point Reyes Lighthouse Observation Deck Description:Volunteer docents will be stationed at the Lighthouse Observation Deck to answer questions about gray whales. Visitors will be able to view gray whales through park-provided binoculars and scopes. Contact: Point Reyes Lighthouse Visitor Center, 415-669-1534, email
Journey of the Whales Date: Saturday, April 14; Sunday, April 15; Saturday, April 21; Sunday, April 22; Saturday, April 28; and Sunday, April 29 Time: 1:30 pm Location: Point Reyes Lighthouse Visitor Center Description: Visitors are invited to join a Ranger to learn about gray whales as they migrate past Point Reyes. Learn about their habits and adaptations, and hope for a whale sighting from the Observation Deck. Program lasts 30 minutes. This program is given out-of-doors. Come prepared for windy, cold and damp weather. Contact: Point Reyes Lighthouse Visitor Center, 415-669-1534, email
Third Thursday Weeders Volunteering Date: Thursday, April 19 Time: 9:30 am to 1:30 pm Location: Please email Carolyn Longstreth in advance to get directions to the meeting place. Description: The public is invited to join the Third Thursday Weeders on Thursday, April 19, 2018, to help remove invasive plants. Volunteers will work from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, with a lunch break during this time. Volunteers are encouraged to bring warm and wind-stopping layers, rain gear if the forecast warrants it, water, snacks, clothes that can get dirty, and food for lunch and snacks. Tools and gloves will be provided. Contact: Carolyn Longstreth, email
Electronic Waste (e-waste) Recycling Collection Date: Thursday, April 26, 2018 Time: 10 am to 1 pm Location: Bear Valley Visitor Center parking lot Description: On Thursday, April 26, at the Bear Valley Visitor Center, from 10 am to 1 pm, Point Reyes National Seashore will host an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling collection, joining thousands of local organizers holding recycling and other events across the country to celebrate National Park Week, Earth Week, and Earth Day, the only nationally and globally recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating planet Earth and the protection of its resources.
Please note the following items will be accepted:
All computers and related accessories and peripherals
Televisions/CRT Monitors
Audio/video equipment
Small printers, scanners, and faxes
Wires, cables, and power cords
Printer toner and inkjet cartridges
Cell phones, PDAs, and telephones
Small kitchen appliances
VHS, cassette, 8-Track tapes
The following items will NOT be accepted:
Dry cell batteries (AA, AAA, D, etc.)
Light bulbs of any kind
Large household appliances such as refrigerators and stoves
Furniture
Commercial copy machines
HAZARDOUS WASTE
All e-waste will be taken to Renew Computers in San Rafael, California, for recycling.
415-464-5100
This number will initially be answered by an automated attendant, from which one can opt to access a name directory, listen to recorded information about the park (e.g., directions to the park; visitor center hours of operation; fire danger information; wildlife updates; ranger-led programs; seasonal events; etc.), or speak with a ranger. Please note that if you are calling between 4:30 pm and 10 am, park staff may not be available to answer your call.
