To Preserve and Protect

"....to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

The Organic Act of 1916

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For over one hundred years, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the mission of preserving and protecting America’s most beautiful places for the enjoyment of this and future generations. From the awe-inspiring geysers of Yellowstone to the giant kelp forests of the California Channel Islands, the charge of preserving these natural wonders, especially in the face of global environmental threats, is no small task. 

Though these protected sites are visited by millions a year, there are but a few dedicated people who stand watch on the front lines of maintaining and restoring our National Parks for the benefit of all.

These are their stories and their ongoing legacy. 

Known by its original Chumash caretakers as Limuw, Santa Cruz Island is the largest and most biologically diverse of the eight California Channel Islands. At one time, a rich menagerie of flora and fauna found protection from predators and human disturbance on the island’s isolated coasts. Hillsides of healthy coastal sage scrub, grasslands, and oak woodlands provided vital habitat and refuge for an array of nesting seabirds and shorebirds including ashy storm-petrels, western gulls, California brown pelicans, Cassin’s auklets, pigeon guillemots, and black oystercatchers. For over a millenia, the ecosystem thrived intact, until 1855 when the first sheep was brought to shore.

Santa Cruz Island has witnessed an array of interests since European contact – maritime hunting and trade, bootlegging and smuggling, an impromptu Mexican prison camp, and a military outpost. Yet none of these endeavors had quite the profound and lasting impact as the introduction of ranching. Over the roughly 130 year period from 1855 to 1984, sheep and cattle redefined the landscape. At one point it is estimated that over 24,000 sheep grazed across Santa Cruz Island resulting in almost irrecoverable devastation for the native species that called the island home.

When the National Park Service (NPS), in partnership with the Nature Conservancy, obtained stewardship of the island in the 1980s, livestock had removed nearly all native vegetation. Non-native grasses and shrubs were all that remained. The once prolific seabird colonies were devastated from the synergistic effects of habitat loss, invasive species, and contaminants. The road to restoration of this once flourishing island ecosystem would be a long one, but the National Park Service – true to its mission to preserve and protect – was ready for the challenge. Starting first at Scorpion Rock.

Historically Scorpion Rock, a small outcropping on the leeward side of the island, was covered in Giant Coreopsis (Leptosyne gigantea). The large, Dr. Suess-like, woody perennials with vibrant green leaves and bright daisy-yellow flowers provided protection for nesting seabirds. In their absence, seabirds were not observed to utilize the non-native species that had replaced them. Thus, the NPS set out with two primary objectives: to eliminate the invasive plants that threatened the rare and endemic plant species, while also providing temporary habitat for the birds until the plants had a chance to recover. Due to the vast size of the island and magnitude of the problem, Scorpion Rock was a test site for restoration. If recovery could happen here, maybe it could be accomplished elsewhere. 

Natural resource ranger Dave Mazurkiewicz, from Channel Islands National Park, has worked diligently for years in partnership with the  California Institute for Environmental Studies  (CIES) to oversee the Scorpion Rock restoration. Alongside meticulous removal of all of the invasive plant species in this area, the team also installed artificial housing units for the birds. The units, large boxes with PVC pipe entry ways, provide both bird habitat and time for newly planted native vegetation to take hold. As this assortment of restoration methodologies were implemented and the native landscape recovered – the seabirds began to build their nests once more.

The area continues to rebound. Today, the seabird population has returned from its post ranching deficit. Lessons learned at Scorpion Rock are being implemented in other test sites across the island to similarly successful outcomes. Though the restoration of Santa Cruz Island will take many years, there is hope. Through the dedication of the National Park Service and the Nature Conservancy and all the individuals who have worked tirelessly in these restoration efforts, there is a future where the island and its inhabitants will thrive again.

Traveling due south of Channel Islands National Park lies another island-like expanse, not all that different in ecological composition than Santa Cruz Island. In 1913, the small sliver of coast at the tip of the Point Loma Peninsula was set aside and designated as Cabrillo National Monument. While visitors to the park are often more familiar with its historical significance – the 160 acres within the park's boundary protect one of the most rare and biodiverse marine and coastal plant habitats in the world. Uniquely adapted stretches of Mediterranean coastal sage scrub and chaparral cover the bluffs and provide critical refuge to birds, reptiles, mammals, and more.

Surrounded on three sides by water and the fourth by one of the largest cities in the United States – the ecosystem at Cabrillo is isolated and fragile. Decades of military presence on the peninsula coupled with urbanization and beautification projects have threatened this pristine habitat. Large swaths of invasive plant species had established over the years. Ice plant and other non-native shrubs dominated the landscape. To preserve and protect this key hotspot of biodiversity, intervention was required.

By the 1980s, the National Park Service began to eliminate the use of non-native plants for landscaping purposes and extensive restoration efforts arose across many parks – including Cabrillo National Monument. Roughly 20 years later, the “ornamental” and more pervasive species, such as ice plant, were removed. However, the more resilient invasive species still had a strong foothold throughout the park. To meet this ongoing and formidable threat, the park assembled a specialized task force of knowledgeable staff and volunteers – the Weed Warriors were born.

Armed with their bright orange buckets and trusty gardening trowels, the Weed Warriors set off on their invasive removal mission. Often easily spotted throughout the park wearing their vibrant blue volunteer uniforms, these teams of committed individuals systematically surveyed and extracted thousands of non-native plants. Given the relatively small size of the park, the Weed Warriors can treat nearly every acre of land where these unwanted plants are found. Partners and youth crews from the  Great Basin Institute , the  California Conservation Corps , and the  Urban Youth Corps  have joined the effort through the years, dedicating thousands of volunteer hours to the cause. Since all plants must be removed individually, by hand – the undertaking is truly remarkable.

The removal of non-native species is merely the first step in the process. In order to fully restore the habitat, a native plant must often fill the space left behind. To meet this need, the Weed Warriors don’t just remove plants, but they also cultivate them. The team at Cabrillo has raised and propagated thousands of native plants across a number of species in their small, but mighty, greenhouse. Rearing plants in this manner comes with significant challenges – each species requires a specialized protocol and treatment to reach a size threshold acceptable to be successfully placed in the park.

The Weed Warriors have made exceptional progress in restoring the native vegetation of Cabrillo National Monument. Healthy foundational habitat supports the basis of a robust and resilient ecosystem; hence why this work is so important. The level of care, expertise, and dedication of these volunteers is reflected in the healthy stands of coastal sage scrub and chaparral throughout the park’s interior. Though they may never fully eradicate invasive species from the seedbank, the efforts of the Weed Warriors will have rippling impacts for generations to come.

Fire represents a natural ecological force in Southern California plant communities. So much so that a multitude of species have adapted to germinate and flourish under post fire conditions. However, human disturbance to the environment, combined with the ever compounding impacts of global climate change, has led to larger, more intense, and more frequent fires across the region and beyond. Such events can lead to detrimental consequences – harming plant communities, reducing wildlife habitat, threatening human life, and increasing future fire risks.

In the Fall of 2018, the Woolsey Fire ignited and burned 21,000 of the 23,595 acres of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA). Embedded intricately within the Los Angeles metropolis, the fire left a path of destruction of which the park had never witnessed. The Woolsey Fire was the park's largest fire event in recorded history. When the flames were finally extinguished and the smoke cleared, significant and lasting damage to the SMMNRA’s historical, cultural, and natural resources remained.

Yet out of the ash, hope took root. Over 1,000 plant species are protected within the park boundaries of the Santa Monica Mountains. These habitats support over 400 bird species, 35 types of reptiles and amphibians, small mammals and more charismatic ones such as coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, and humans. Park resource managers knew that in order to begin rebuilding the ecosystem – they were going to have to start from the ground up. And with approximately 88% of the park impacted – they were going to need some significant help. This horrific event spurred the largest and most ambitious restoration project ever attempted in the park’s history.

Fortunately, the SMMRA did not have to start from nothing. With fire and other stressors looming as ever present threats to the landscape – resource rangers were prepared. Throughout the years, thousands of native plant seeds have been diligently collected and preserved for such a moment as this. The seeds are labeled and carefully stored in varying conditions depending on the species needs. Some are kept in yellow manila envelopes placed in the refrigerator and other seeds are held in small, dry collection jars. All lying in wait to be deployed in case of emergency.

From the seed bank, the seeds are transitioned to several large-scale greenhouses. Planting the seeds in the greenhouse first, rather than directly into the ground, gives the fragile seedlings a chance to grow larger, stronger, and hopefully have a better shot of success when out planted. For the Woolsey Fire restoration, a staggering 100,000 plants were cultivated for strategic placement in 4 critical areas through the park.

A restoration of this magnitude is no small feat. Not only do the plants have to be individually placed in the ground, but they must also be cared for – watered, protected from weeds and would-be predators – until they are big enough to make it on their own. The NPS could not do it alone. Thus they called on the help of the community. Hundreds of youth volunteers and community members answered the call and have planted and cared for over 50,000 plants so far. The restoration of the Santa Monica Mountains continues – with a community of supporters ensuring its success.

In our rapidly changing world, the National Park Service faces challenges unlike ever before. These tests threaten the very fabric of what the parks were built to protect for current and future generations. Natural environments and ecosystems. Historical experiences, cultural contexts, and values. Our most important stories and the legacy we leave to our children. 

As appointed guardians of these places, the parks and their stewards have worked relentlessly to preserve and protect these natural landscapes for the enjoyment of all. There are those on the front lines of this fight – innovative scientists, passionate volunteers, and the next generation of stewards – and they are making headway. But it is up to all of us to play our part.

Our choices today – shape our legacy tomorrow. Though there are larger systemic changes that we must all work towards – every action, every choice – makes a difference. If you are interested in supporting these efforts, we invite you to learn about volunteer opportunities at: 

 https://www.nps.gov/getinvolved/volunteer.htm 

The National Park Service offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups as part of the Volunteers-In-Parks program. Work behind the scenes or on the front line in positions ranging from a one-time service project to a longer term position, serving alongside park employees or with one of our many partner organizations. Opportunities are available at park locations throughout the United States, including the territories in the Pacific and the Caribbean.

We look forward to working alongside you as we work to preserve and protect our shared legacy.