Catalina Conservancy Preservation Catalina Island Tours Volunteer Programs
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Catalina Conservancy Preservation Catalina Island Tours Volunteer Programs |
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Yes, it preserve the island, but it also gives tours to tourists, issues hiking permits and has volunteer programs.
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Up Close With Catalina Conservancy
The slogan of many police agencies is "To Protect and to Serve." The Catalina Conservancy on California's Santa Catalina Island has a similar mission, but with a twist: To protect and to preserve. Pretty much everyone who has ever visited Catalina knows of the Conservancy and its mission of returning as much of the island to its original state, while at the same time keeping intact the island's rather quirky human additions.
The quirkiest of those is, of course, the buffalo, brought to the island in the 1920s for a movie that today has become the island's iconic symbol. But how, exactly, does the Conservancy go about protecting the island, and is it possible to join its staff in their seemingly never-ending quest of obtaining near originality on the island?
Well, the simple answer to the first part of the question is that they are out on the island every day pulling out invasive non-native plants (some plants are exceptionally mean and actually kill off native plants so they themselves may thrive), building fences around native plants to keep out the sudden explosive deer population and preserving rare animals such as the bald eagle (there were eight unaided hatchings in 2009, a landmark recovery achievement) and the Catalina Island fox.
And, yes, anyone can join them through the organization's volunteer program. There are beach cleanups every other Saturday, six-day "play and stay" stints and, for those who want to relax after roughing it, a "Villa Volunteer" package that involves helping out at the James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery and a night at the soothing Hotel Villa Portofino in Avalon (Thursdays only). Students from Los Angeles-area high schools and colleges earn credits for spending their spring break on the island (and its modestly quiet beaches) instead of whooping it up in Cabo San Lucas or some other beach for Spring Break.
The Conservancy also offers tours for island visitors, which is not only a good way to see the remarkable and seldom-visited interior but supports the Conservancy at the same time. Here's a look at the tours the Conservancy provides: • Jeep tours: A guided tour of the interior of the island. There are two tours, a half-day (lasting three hours) and a full day (five hours). The price is for up to 6 people, $495 for a half day and $795 for all day. Each tour includes lunch. • Hike & ride: This involves taking a Jeep tour, hiking to lunch, and then taking the Jeep back to town. The tour lasts 5 hours and costs $650 for up to 6 people. • Group two- and three-hour tours: Cost is $65 per person, three people required.
For those to want to hike or even bike around parts of the island, the Conservancy issues the required permits. These permits, which are free, are obtained by visiting the Conservancy's office in Avalon, which is located at 125 Clarissa Ave. (when walking down the main street by the harbor, turn at the Mediterranean Cafe). The office is open 8:30-4:30 daily. The Conservancy also has underwater cleanups, fund-raisers, takes donations, tree sponsorships, and all manner of other programs related to helping preserve Santa Catalina island. Catalina Island Conservancy SurfsideSam.com covers beach cities and towns around the world. © 2011. All rights reserved. |
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It also maintains hiking trails, issues hiking and biking permits and runs the 
