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Volunteer trail workers level the dirt on Jesusita Trail
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Public Lands Day Event Aims to Prepare Rattlesnake Trail for Winter Season

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The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department is looking to recruit up to 100 volunteers for a morning of trail restoration on National Public Lands Day, an annual observance when volunteers across the country work together to restore and preserve public lands.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, September 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Rattlesnake Trail. Volunteers will gather at Skofield Park (1819 Las Canoas Road) for a safety orientation and instruction before heading to the trail. The event will wrap up with a barbecue for volunteers from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

Volunteers of all experience levels are invited to learn about trail restoration and assist in preparing the trail for the winter season. Most work will take place in the shady section of trail below the connector trails to Tunnel Trail and Gibraltar Road. 

“Rattlesnake Trail is one of the most popular trails in our front country trail system and the flowing creek makes trail work much more enjoyable,” said Parks Supervisor Steve Biddle, who is coordinating the volunteer day. “In addition to regular maintenance tasks, we’ll have volunteers tackle a few special projects, including blocking off user-created cut-through trails that will cause erosion in the winter months if we don’t address them now.”

No special experience is required to volunteer. Tools and instructions will be provided, and volunteers will be assigned to small work teams based on experience. Work will include the removal of dead trees and overgrown brush, maintenance and clearing of water diversion features, and trail tread erosion control.

RSVPs are required for this volunteer event. Contact Steve Biddle at SBiddle@SantaBarbaraCA.gov or (805) 564-5439 to sign up.

The Parks and Recreation Department coordinates multiple large-scale volunteer events each year across City, County, and Forest Service properties to help maintain the community’s network of trails. The upcoming event is held in partnership with Santa Barbara County Parks, the U.S. Forest Service, Montecito Trails Foundation, Los Padres Forest Association, and SAGE Trail Alliance.

Local companies interested in donating snacks, drinks, giveaways, or raffle prizes for volunteers are invited to contact Steve Biddle to coordinate. Learn more at SantaBarbaraCA.gov/TrailWork.