Palo Alto's Pearson-Arastradero Preserve is a 622-acre open space preserve in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The expansive oak woodlands and grasslands house an abundance of wildlife, including deer, bobcats, coyotes, various species of birds, and increasingly more native plants.
Since 1998, Acterra has collaborated with the City of Palo Alto to act as stewards of the land. Thousands of dedicated volunteers, together with Acterra staff, restore the habitat, install native plants, remove invasive species, and work together to increase biodiversity on the preserve.
Workday Information
Who: Volunteers of all ages are welcome; minors under 18 require a 
signed waiver 
and children 12 require an accompanying adult unless prior approval is obtained from the workday supervisor. Groups can contact Joan Dudney at joand*acterra.org for their own special program dates/hours.
What: Volunteers help with habitat restoration work such as removal of invasive plants, installing native plants, and building habitat structures.
When: Regular workdays are held the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm unless otherwise noted.
Where: Arastradero Preserve located at 1530 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto. [MAP] 
We will meet at the buildings next to the parking lot. Carpool, bike, or walk if possible.
Please bring: A reusable water bottle and dress for outdoor work (sturdy shoes and long pants recommended). We provide gloves and tools. Minors under 18 must bring a waiver form signed by a parent. [DOWNLOAD WAIVER FORM]
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| Winter planting season: We have planted over 3,000 native plants this winter to improve the biodiversity of our ecosystem! Volunteers above left plant 85 California Oaks and above right, Manzanita. |
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| Habitat Creation: We built brush piles, berms and corridors to attract our local fauna. Above is poop proof that birds, such as a Cooper's hawk in the left photo, are perching on the brush piles. |
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| Sheet mulching: Hundreds of volunteer hours helped transport wood chips (mulch) and spread them over cardboard to reduce weeds and decrease space and nutrient competition for our native plants! |
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| Thanks to Acterra staff, the City of Palo Alto Rangers and volunteers, we finally installed the native plant demonstration garden at the Gateway Facility. Stop by to see how you can transform your yard by using eco-friendly landscaping. |
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| Invasive Species Removal: Due to the degraded state of the habitat and proximity to urbanization, Arastradero consistently battles a variety of weedy, invasive plants that threaten our native populations. |