Get Involved
Show the Mountains How Much You Care
At Santa Monica Mountains Fund, we are dedicated to safeguarding the natural beauty, biodiversity, and ecosystems of the Santa Monica Mountains through various programs and initiatives designed to engage the community in conservation.
Check it out!
Volunteer Events are Now Open!
SAMO Fund is happy to invite our volunteers back, and we hope to see a lot of you soon!
Check out all the opportunities on the Outdoors Calendar
Trails Forever: 2026 Trail Challenge
SAMO Fund’s Trails Challege returns in 2026 to complete the 8 specially selected trails, showcasing the stunning beauty of the region—from easy strolls to moderately challenging treks. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or just getting started, there’s something for everyone.
Plant Nursery
Get planting and find your inner Mother Nature with volunteer opportunities at our Native Plant Nursery
Native Plant Stewards Certification Program
We collect and clean native seeds, ensuring conservation-quality seed samples of over 600 species of the plants native to the Santa Monica Mountains.
Weekly Volunteer Slots at RSV Nursery
A hands-on way to help grow native plants for restoration projects (maybe a little weeding & cleaning).
The Native Plant Nursery at Rancho Sierra Vista holds regular weekly nursery volunteer slots on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Join us for a short time and bring home some plants for yourself!
Milkweed Giveaways in the Community
Find us at the next tabled event near you! SAMO Fund Milkweed team works in partnership with other planet-loving organizations throughout Ventura and Los Angeles Counties to bring our milkweed to where you live.
Native Seed Collection at RSV Seed Farm
Join us for a fun day of collecting native seeds and learning about conservation efforts at the Rancho Sierra Vista Seed Farm!
Our long-term goal for this native plant farm is to steer our restoration program towards seeding out areas instead of outplanting. This will increase our coverage for conservation and restore areas that might have been difficult with outplanting, particularly areas prone to disturbances such as wildfire and climate change.
Coming Up
Join the Waitlist for Our Native Plant Steward Program
This unique opportunity allows you to connect with native plants while gaining hands-on experience in plant care, species identification, and best practices.
During this six-week program, you will gain the skills to grow and care for native species used in restoration projects and community giveaways. In total, the course consists of 6 hours of lecture classes and 18 hours of hands-on nursery work. These classes and hands-on experiences dive into fundamental nursery operations, seed collection and propagation methods, and key plant knowledge.
Don’t miss your chance to be selected for this enriching program. Participants who complete the program will earn a Native Plant Steward Certification from Santa Monica Mountains Fund.
Sign Up for the Waitlist to Get Notified!
Volunteer and Job Opportunities
Be a part of a thriving community of volunteers who preserve the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Santa Monica Mountains Fund
Join the SAMO Fund Ambassadors! Support the community through fundraising events that aim to spread awareness about the importance of conserving and protecting our beloved mountains.
Coming Soon
Job and Internship Openings
Live the dream! Do something you love for a living. These employment and internship opportunities are a chance to put your skill to great use, learn something new and do good for the mountains.
California State Parks
Volunteers are vital to California’s State Parks. They assist staff in countless ways, in nearly all of California’s State Parks. Please consider volunteering today and be the difference in your parks tomorrow!
National Park Service
National Park Service Volunteer Program: Supported by the SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS FUND for many years, this program provides thousands of hours of stewardship for our local national park.
Other Ways to Get Involved
There are plenty of options of how to support the Santa Monica Mountains and raise awareness and appreciation along with us
Rim of the Valley: A Vital Expansion
In 2016, the National Park Service (NPS) published the findings of a comprehensive six-year study focusing on the Rim of the Valley Corridor. The study recommended more than doubling the size of the existing Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The proposed Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act aims to expand the recreation area to include nearly all the lands identified in the NPS study.
If passed, this bill (introduced in the House and Senate) will empower the NPS to enhance land access through improved trails and roads, study wildlife, engage in conservation and recreation planning, collaborate with non-federal land management partners, provide technical assistance for protecting resources, contribute financially to programs that protect natural resources, and more. These efforts are critical for protecting the vibrant ecosystems and wildlife of the Santa Monica Mountains, one of only five Mediterranean zones on Earth.
Without the authority to manage these lands, the NPS faces challenges in maintaining and improving the area’s biodiversity, open space, and ecosystems, especially as development pressures increase.
You can help us protect this vital habitat by contacting your local representatives to express your support for the Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act. Share information about the bill with friends and family and encourage them to voice their support as well. Actively campaigning through flyers and social media can make a significant impact. Together, we can work towards passing this important legislation to safeguard our natural heritage.
www.facebook.com/RimoftheValley
Community Resources - Protect Our Oaks
SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS FUND is committed to partnering with like-minded organizations, individuals, and government offices to educate the community about environmental threats and empower action. Below are valuable public resources we’ve compiled for you:
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