Special project volunteering
If you are interested in getting your hands dirty and seeing an immediate impact, sign up to be a special projects volunteer. Projects happen two to four times each year and include things like trail work, invasive plant removal, data collection, and special event help. Sign up to receive notices of upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Become a docent
Volunteer docents enhance the Point Lobos experience of our visitors by helping them:
- See more, and understand what they see
- Decide which trails to walk
- Gain a greater appreciation for nature
They do this by:
- Answering visitors' questions at the Information Station, Whalers Cabin, at our mobile interpretive ("MINT") van, during an Easy Access Adventure, or as a greeter at the Reserve entrance
- Showing visitors close-ups of marine mammals and birds through spotting scopes
- Bringing alive the history of Point Lobos at the Whalers Cabin and Whaling Station Museums
- Leading guided walks for the public and for private groups
- Helping students understand and appreciate the beauty and treasures of nature on guided school walks
- Answering questions on the trails
Docents find these activities, and the friendships they form in the docent group, both enjoyable and rewarding. There are over 200 Point Lobos docents, many of whom have been in the program for over 10 years. They volunteer their time because they want to help visitors enjoy Point Lobos even more. In 2015, docents volunteered more than 26,515 hours at Point Lobos.
Docents serve as volunteers to California State Parks. Funding for virtually all docent services, including ongoing training, meeting spaces, library, audio-visual equipment, binoculars loaned to visitors, telescopes used to show close-up views of animals, and more is provided by the Point Lobos Foundation.
Solicitations for docent candidates usually occur in the fall of the year, with selections made by the end of the calendar year. Docents admitted into the program are required to participate in a training program between January and May. The training offers a unique opportunity to learn about the natural and cultural history of this magic place. Once docents have graduated, they are required to meet certain service standards. These include attending training sessions on the first Saturday of each month to keep and expand their knowledge.
If you have a passion for Point Lobos and are interested in becoming a docent, please contact Melissa Gobell, Docent Program Coordinator for California State Parks at (831) 625-1470 or email Melissa at melissa.gobell@parks.ca.gov.
