‘Greenthumbs’ Seek Volunteers to Help Restore Native Plants on the Forest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Miller (909) 382-2788
‘Greenthumbs’ Seek Volunteers to Help Restore Native Plants on the Forest

2010 Greenthumbs Volunteer Program Schedule

San Bernardino, Calif., January 14, 2010 – The U.S. Forest Service is seeking volunteers of all ages who enjoy working outdoors and have an interest in working in the greenhouse and out on the Forest in our native plant restoration program.

Since the early 1990s, the Greenthumbs Volunteer Program on the San Bernardino National Forest has actively help restore disturbed lands across hundreds of acres of the Mountaintop Ranger District. Volunteers manage the Native Plant Nursery at the Big Bear Ranger Station, which, through private grant funds, has grown and out-planted thousands of native plants to benefit habitat for wildlife and federally listed plants and animals, and to improve watershed conditions on the National Forest. The nursery has a commercial-size greenhouse, a lathe house and a seed storage facility.

Volunteers in the program learn a variety of nursery activities such as seed collection, germination, plant propagation, site preparation, weed removal and out-planting of potted materials. Activities vary from month to month as the seasons and weather change. Volunteer days are on the second to last Saturday each month with additional days including March 20, April 17, May 15, June 19, July 17, August 21, September 18, and October 16. On those days, volunteers should meet in front of the Big Bear Ranger Station, at the flagpole, at 9:00 a.m. Volunteers should plan to stay until 3 p.m. and bring a sack lunch, water, sunscreen, hat, jacket and work gloves. The Big Bear Ranger Station is located in Fawnskin, 3 miles east of the town, on North Shore Drive/Hwy 38.

If you or your organization are interested in volunteering for these dates, or any additional dates or times, please contact Linda Stamer at (909) 382-2824 or email Linda at lstamer@fs.fed.us

Visit our Greenthumbs website for more information on the program at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino/volunteering/greenthumbs.shtml