Let’s celebrate MLK Jr. Day of Service together by working to improve habitat and increase biodiversity in our local public open spaces!

It’s planting season! Help us install our new California native plants into our restoration areas. We will also work to remove invasive plant species.

Restoration activities may include digging with tools, carrying buckets of water, mulching and raking. They will involve lifting, carrying, bending, and walking on flat and uneven terrain.

Pearson-Arastradero Preserve has expansive oak woodlands and grasslands with beautiful trees and wildflowers and is home to an abundance of wildlife, including deer, bobcats, coyotes, and many species of birds and insects. The work you do will support the health of the preserve’s ecosystems!

Visit Grassroots Ecology’s Pearson-Arastradero Preserve webpage to learn more about the ecosystem and accessibility considerations.

Parking: 1530 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto. Please arrive early and carpool if possible. There will be some parking spaces reserved for the event at the back of the lot. There is no street parking available along Arastradero Road or Page Mill Road.

Alternate Transportation: Bike racks are available near the parking lot. The 280/Page Mill Rd Park and Ride lot is a 10-minute walk from the preserve.

Meeting Space: We will meet by the buildings in the Gateway Garden down the path from the parking lot. Water and restrooms will be accessible at the beginning and at the end of the event.

Prepare for Working Outdoors:

• Reusable water bottle (filled with water)
• Face mask for COVID-safety (optional)
• Snacks, if desired
• Long pants, long sleeves recommended
• Sturdy closed-toed shoes that can get dirty
• Hat/sunscreen or rain gear/boots
• Epi-Pen or allergy medicine, if applicable
• Plan for potential exposure to sun, poison oak, ticks, prickly plants

We will provide gloves and tools.

Event Cancellations

We are committed to the safety of our staff and volunteers. In the event that we must cancel a workday due to extreme weather conditions or poor air quality, a Grassroots Ecology staff person will reach out via email no later than 5:00 PM the day prior to this event.

Join Us!

Grassroots Ecology encourages people from all identities and backgrounds to participate in our programs. Many of our programs are outdoors and involve moving and working in a variety of landscapes. If you have accessibility concerns (e.g. allergies, limited mobility, learning differences), our projects are flexible and we are happy to work with you. Please reach out to the workday facilitator so we can prepare for your participation.

Accessibility concerns? Questions? Cancellations?

Email claireg@grassrootsecology.org