Get Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities in Your Inbox!  

We look forward to seeing you out on the shoreline.  


Join a community dedicated to protecting and restoring San Francisco Bay. Stay informed, take action, and help create a thriving Bay now, and for future generations.


Restore The Bay With Us

Small moments on the shoreline can make the biggest difference. You don‘t need any special skills, experience, or equipment to volunteer with us. Come curious and ready to get your hands in the dirt.

Year round, Bay Area residents join us on the shoreline to help restore wetland habitat and steward a healthy Bay region. Our work follows the seasons from planting natives in the winter, to transplanting seedlings and removing invasive plants in the spring. We are building community so that together, we can protect and restore the San Francisco Bay.

Browse our volunteer programs to join our community and get involved.

Volunteer With Us

What to Expect on Your Volunteer Day

  • Public

    Public

    Give your team a day filled with memories on the shoreline that builds camaraderie and strengthens collaboration while restoring habitat and learning more about San Francisco Bay. 

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  • Corporate

    Corporate

    Give your team a day filled with memories on the shoreline that builds camaraderie and strengthens collaboration while restoring habitat and learning more about San Francisco Bay.

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  • Community

    Community

    Bring your community to the shoreline for hands-on experience restoring wetlands, planting native species, and caring for the Bay.

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  • Students

    Students

    Connect students to the Bay through service-learning programs that pair hands-on shoreline work with educational activities that explore a range of environmental themes.

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What Are Affinity Programs? 

Affinity programs serve as a vital place for communities with marginalized identities to heal, celebrate, collaborate, and connect with each other.

We host our own Queer and BIPOC Affinity Programs and also collaborate with many affinity groups including Latino Outdoors, Justice Outside, Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, Environmental Professionals of Color, and more to create programs for marginalized identities to find and build community while connecting with the land.

If you identify as Queer and or as BIPOC and would like to attend an affinity event, you can find upcoming programs on our calendar. We look forward to seeing you on the shoreline!

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Your Day on the Shoreline

Ready to join us on the shoreline? We want your day to be fun, meaningful, and easy to prepare for. Here’s what we’ll bring, and what you’ll want to know before you arrive.

          What we provide: 

          • At least one Restoration Specialist from our Habitat Restoration Team, certified in Adult and Pediatric First Aid, CPR, and AED.
          • An introduction to Save The Bay and to the history and ecology of San Francisco Bay.
          • Gloves, tools, and all the equipment you’ll need.
          • Restoration project direction and tool safety instruction.
          • Water and sunscreen.

          Know before you go:

          • Check your email for program details. Our restoration sites do not have street addresses, so please pay close attention to the directions and coordinates that we provide prior to your program date so you know exactly where to meet us.
          • Feel free to bring your own
          • Water bottle, snacks, sun protection, wear close-toed shoes and long pants. Bring rain layers in winter.
          • Programs happen rain or shine and are typically 3 to 4 hours long. If we need to cancel or reschedule, we’ll email you. If you don’t see a cancellation email, plan to be there.

          Frequently Asked Questions

          • Is there an address for the meeting location?

            Our restoration sites do not have street addresses, and meeting location is determined based on site needs. If you are participating in any of our volunteer programs, you will receive directions to the meeting location 1-2 weeks prior to the event. We provide specific GPS points that can be plugged into any mapping app or site to get you to the correct location. Because our sites are often not recognized by most mapping programs, we ask that you do not use any other source of directions besides the GPS points provided by Save The Bay.

          • Are my children welcome?

            Absolutely! Our restoration programs can be a great learning experience for the whole family. All that is required is a little extra attention and guidance from the parent/guardian. Many of the activities can be modified with your supervision for an enriching day, and we encourage exploration of the shoreline by your little ones!

          • What should I bring and wear?

            Be prepared to be outdoors for three hours. We recommend that you do not bring any valuables or leave valuables in your car. The following should be on your packing list:

            • Sturdy, closed-toe shoes are required
            • Dress in layers; long pants are recommended
            • Sun protection such as a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen
            • Full reusable water bottle

          • Can I reach your sites by public transportation?

            The majority of our sites are not accessible by public transportation. Our Oakland restoration site along the MLK shoreline is the can be reached with a short walk from the bus stop. We recommend you look into transportation options for each site individually.

          • Do you cancel programs because of bad weather?

            We will still run programs in a light rain and will provide ponchos for volunteers. High winds or thunderstorms may force us to cancel a program. During wildfire season, we cancel programs if the air quality index is over 101 AQI or deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups. If your program is canceled, you will be contacted by email.

          • Can I volunteer to complete community service hours?

            Yes, our volunteer programs count toward community service hours, whether school or court mandated. Each program counts for three hours, and field staff can provide and/or sign forms on the day of the event at the end of the program.

          • Are your volunteer programs accessible?

            Save The Bay strives to include volunteers of all abilities in our programs. If you have specific access needs, please reach out to hlim@savesfbay.org to coordinate.