Volunteer for our Bay

You can protect and restore San Francisco Bay. Discover how to dig in and make a difference.

With our partners, Save The Bay has preserved and restored thousands of acres of wetlands across our 60-year history. From transplanting native seedlings to removing harmful invasive species, volunteers are essential to the success of this work. We engage community members, schools, and businesses throughout the year to protect and restore the shoreline. Discover how you can get involved.

  • Public

    Public

    Join us along the shoreline and get hands-on experience revitalizing the Bay’s wetlands.

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All restoration volunteer programs include:

  • At least one Project Leader from the Habitat Restoration Team, certified in Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED
  • Introduction to Save The Bay and San Francisco Bay history and ecology
  • Gloves, tools, and all necessary equipment
  • Restoration project direction and tool safety instruction
  • Sunscreen and water

Frequently Asked Questions

Our restoration sites do not have street addresses, and meeting location is determined based on site needs. If you are participating in any of our volunteer programs, you will receive directions to the meeting location 1-2 weeks prior to the event. We provide specific GPS points that can be plugged into any mapping app or site to get you to the correct location. Because our sites are often not recognized by most mapping programs, we ask that you do not use any other source of directions besides the GPS points provided by Save The Bay.

Absolutely! Our restoration programs can be a great learning experience for the whole family, and we often have toddlers in our programs. All that is required is a little extra attention and guidance from the parent/guardian. Many of the activities can be modified with your supervision for an enriching day, and we encourage exploration of the shoreline by your little ones!

Be prepared to be outdoors for three hours. We recommend that you do not bring any valuables or leave valuables in your car. The following should be on your packing list:

  • Sturdy, closed-toe shoes are required
  • Dress in layers; long pants are recommended
  • Sun protection such as a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen
  • Full reusable water bottle

Unfortunately the majority of our sites are not accessible by public transportation. Out Oakland restoration site along the MLK shoreline is the can be reached with a short walk from the bus stop. We recommend you look into transportation options for each site individually. 

We will still run programs in a light rain and will provide ponchos for volunteers. High winds or thunderstorms may force us to cancel a program. During wildfire season, we cancel programs if the air quality index is over 101 AQI or deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups. If your program is canceled, you will be contacted on the phone number provided during online registration.

Yes, our volunteer programs count toward community service hours, whether school or court mandated. Each program counts for three hours, and field staff can provide and/or sign forms on the day of the event at the end of the program. There is also an option to volunteer with us virtually. Contact Education Program & Content Manager, Charlie Onorati at gonorati@savesfbay.org.

Our habitat restoration team is committed to making our work accesible to anyone that wants to help. Contact us in advance of your program at bayevents@savesfbay.org and we will work with you to ensure accessibility needs are met.