Elkhorn Slough Reserve

Come join the team at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve -- a 1700 acre piece protected coastal salt marsh in the middle of the beautiful Monterey Bay!

We are one of 29 National Estuarine Research Reserve,which provides scientists to study the unique environment of the wetlands. Administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), we seek to conserve and study the unique habitats of the Elkhorn Slough. 

The Reserve is a hub for biodiversity, and a special haven for migratory birds. We have an awarding winning visitor center, which offers weekend tours, and there are more than 5 miles of walking trails to explore. Our outreach team hosts events, lectures, and community days throughout the year, which you can access on our webpage. 

Our volunteer program started in 1983, with a small group of dedicated environmental enthusiasts who led tours around the developing Reserve. Today, our volunteers participate in all aspects of life at the Reserve, from research and stewardship work behind the scenes, to leading tours and engaging school groups. Our volunteers even help us build new exhibits, trail sections, and decorations! Check out our website for new opportunities, orientations, and trainings.

Research volunteers help our NOAA scientists survey amphibians and bird nestboxes in the spring, as well as help with long term monitoring projects on otters and water quality.

Stewardship volunteers help with habitat restoration on the Reserve and occasionally with our partner, the Elkhorn Slough Foundation. Depending on the season, they do plantings, greenhouse work, seed collecting, weeding, or propagation.

Interpretive docents lead our tours for the public on weekends, sharing natural history stories and connecting folks to ways they can help protect their coastal wetlands. 

School and Youth Programs volunteers lead and assist with our K-12 school field trips, from August-May each year. They engage students in field activities, investigations in the microscope lab, and of course, on nature walks.