Yellow Starthistle Weeding Party in Los Altos Hills at Byrne Preserve

Join our weeding party to make room for native plants to thrive! This a 3-hour weekday community workday is focused on reducing invasive yellow starthistle populations in the preserve's grasslands.

Volunteers should expect to:

• Hike on hilly, uneven terrain
• Carry and use hand tools to remove yellow starthistle
• Learn about ecological restoration techniques and grassland ecology

We will spend our time walking, kneeling, and using hand and body tools. Please prepare for heat/sun exposure and hilly terrain.

Byrne Preserve's grassland, oak woodlands, and riparian corridor are home to an abundance of wildlife, including coyotes, bobcats, California quail, red tailed hawks, and variable checkerspot butterflies. The work you do will support the health of the preserve's ecosystems!

Visit Grassroots Ecology's Byrne Preserve page to learn more about the ecosystem and accessibility considerations.

Waivers/Registration: All participants must be registered and have approved the online waiver through this Eventbrite page. Youth under 18 must have their legal guardian approve the waiver on their behalf. Volunteers age 12 and under require an accompanying adult.

Parking: 27210 Altamont Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 at the Westwind Community Barn dirt parking lot. Please park on the side of the parking lot closest to Byrne Preserve. There are horses onsite; please drive slowly and quietly as you enter and leave the parking lot. The road up to the site is steep and curvy. Download driving instructions ahead of time, as there is little to no cell reception for some service carriers at Byrne Preserve.

Alternate Transportation: The closest bus stop is at Foothill College, a 45-minute walk from Byrne Preserve. Strong bikers can lock their bikes to a rack on-site.

Meeting Space: Enter the preserve through the green gate adjacent to the driveway. We will meet by the brown tool shed at the top of the hill. There are horses onsite. Byrne Preserve has no available drinking water. Volunteers will have access to an all gender, single user bathroom located in Westwind Community Barn.

Prepare for Working Outdoors:

• Reusable water bottle (filled with water)
• Snacks, if desired
• Long pants, long sleeves, long socks 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
• Prepare for limited to no cell reception, 10+ minute walk to the barn bathroom, and limited access to drinking water.

We will provide gloves, tools, and snacks. We bring a water jug for volunteers to refill their water bottle if needed.

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 c2llbmEgfCBncmFzc3Jvb3RzZWNvbG9neSAhIG9yZw==.

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