As the 25th anniversary of Save The Bay’s volunteer program continues, we are sharing more volunteer spotlights!
More than just helping our habitat restoration efforts, the volunteer programs bring together community members who are making a tangible difference in our region. Volunteers nourish the land, the organization, and themselves while stewarding habitats that support wildlife, clean air and water, and healthy people.
This By The Bay we would like you to meet dedicated volunteers Martin Cooper, Steve Haas, Anna Fryxell, and Sheldon Nelson.
Volunteer Spotlight: Martin Cooper
I grew up on the east coast of Scotland, fascinated by math puzzles and the night sky. In my first year at university, I stumbled upon computer programming, a happy accident that grew into an enduring passion. After working in software development for a while, I made the momentous decision to move to where the real action was—Silicon Valley—for perhaps a few years. Retiring here many years later wasn’t part of a plan; somehow I just never moved back.
When I retired, I began making up for lost time spent in front of a computer screen. Hiking in our magnificent Bay Area parks evolved from an occasional pastime to an almost daily practice. Over time, that spurred a desire to get involved, give back, and make a difference in this amazing place we call The Bay. And that in turn ultimately led me to my first public program with Save The Bay, around ten years ago now. I’ve never looked back.
A day in the wetlands with Save The Bay starts with alcohol. Yes, really. By spraying our boots and tools with isopropyl alcohol before we start work, we’re protecting against the introduction of dangerous plant pathogens into our restoration sites. These are delicate ecosystems. The day’s activities then depend upon the time of year. We might be clearing invasive plants, such as black mustard or Italian thistle, from around our native plantings, giving them room to flourish and more of the soil’s nutrients to absorb. Or we might be planting some of the 30 or so native species that are grown in Save The Bay’s nurseries, creating habitat for the numerous species of birds and animals that make their homes in these wetlands, and helping to fight climate change. To prepare for planting, we might be working in one of the nurseries, cleaning seeds, transplanting seedlings, and caring for them as they are readied for their life out in the wetlands. It’s important to measure all of this work, looking at what worked well and what we could improve, so we might also be out surveying our restoration sites and assessing our work over a period of years. And throughout our day, whatever we might be doing, taking a moment to look up from time to time reminds us of the wonder of the natural environment all around us.
Each day in the wetlands with Save The Bay is its own reward; I leave feeling nurtured by nature, and knowing that I am making a difference. It takes many hands to restore a wetland, though, so it’s encouraging to see the light come on when I’m able to share some of what I’ve learned over the years with another volunteer who may be joining us for the first time, and see them realise that they too can make a difference.
What is truly inspirational for me is returning to these wetlands again and again, over a period of years, and seeing the changes over time. To watch the transformation of a Save The Bay restoration site from bare dirt to lush native wetland is very, very special. Knowing that I had a part in that transformation is tremendously uplifting.
With Save The Bay leading the way in new techniques for wetland restoration, I’ve been fortunate to be involved with projects such as the horizontal levee demonstration project at Oro Loma and the introduction of small-scale farming methods into the larger restoration sites. I’m excited to see what comes next, as we find new ways to scale up in bringing the Bay Area’s wetlands back to their former glory and fighting climate change as we do that.
Martin is celebrating 10 years of volunteering with Save The Bay! We are so incredibly grateful for his time and dedication to restoring our sites with his thoughtful presence, helping hands, and commitment to the natural world. Thank you, Martin!
Bay Sustainer Spotlight: Steve Haas
For nearly two decades, Steve has been part of the Save The Bay family. As a dedicated volunteer, he spent countless hours restoring wetlands, removing invasive species, and planting native plants along the Bay’s shoreline.
“I loved the projects because they were in wonderful locations right next to the Bay, and you could see the immediate impact of your work,” Steve shared. He also cherished the connections he built with Save The Bay’s staff and a tight-knit group of fellow volunteers.
Over time, though, life brought changes. “Various age-related aches and pains mean that I don’t do much of the physical sort of volunteering anymore,” Steve explained. But his commitment to protecting and restoring the Bay never wavered. Instead, he found a new way to stay involved by becoming a Bay Sustainer through monthly giving.
“A few years ago, I realized that it would be easier for me and more helpful to the organization if I made regular, automatic donations,” Steve said. “Extremely easy to do; after originally signing up, I haven’t had to do a thing—except when I decided to increase my monthly amount, which I hope to do again.”
Monthly giving provides a powerful, reliable foundation for Save The Bay’s work—especially during uncertain times. It’s simple, flexible, and makes a lasting difference every day of the year.
Like Steve, you can continue to create meaningful impact for the Bay you love, whether or not you can join us in the field. Join a growing community of Bay Sustainers who are helping to shape the next 25 years of restoration and resilience for the Bay.
Volunteer Spotlight: Anna Fryxell
I was born in Seattle, grew up in the Twin Cities, went to college at the University of Puget Sound, moved back to Minnesota, and then moved to the Bay Area. Having always lived near large bodies of water, I developed an interest in water quality, clean water access, and wetland habitat restoration. My current job is environmental health and safety for a facilities management company, which is a fulfilling combination of environmental stewardship, workers’ safety, and emergency preparedness.
With Save The Bay, I have gotten the opportunity to remove invasive species, transplant native species in the nursery, plant native species straight into the ground, and pick up trash on the shoreline. It has been great learning about the progress that Save The Bay has made over the years in terms of acreage restored, community outreach, and collaboration with other restoration groups such as the South Bay Salt Ponds Restoration Project. I’ve had great conversations with some of the other volunteers about their interest in the environment, and I have gotten to see four of Save The Bay’s sites across the Bay Area.
I enjoy being outside and doing hands-on work where you can see the immediate benefits as well as track the progress over the long term. Especially with climate change and how long it can take environmental policies to go through, it has been rewarding volunteering where I can see tangible outcomes that I had a direct effect on. I also enjoy gardening but do not have a yard, so it’s been satisfying planting and getting so close to the soil.
As well as the amount of wetlands restored over the past couple decades, I am amazed by how much a team of about 30 volunteers can accomplish in just a couple hours. For example, when the ground is soft, 30 people can plant 700 plants in just two hours! Another inspiring thing is how lots of children and youth attend these volunteer events—giving young people the opportunity to learn about the environment and play a role in restoring it has an immense impact on environmental stewardship for future generations.
I am excited to revisit the restoration sites one, two, and several years from now to see the progress! I am particularly excited to see habitat restored and animals returning to the part of the Bay where the levee was breached a couple years ago.
Volunteer Spotlight: Sheldon Nelson
About a thousand years ago I grew up in not so scenic Brooklyn, but luckily we lived a relatively short walk to the ocean—technically Sheepshead Bay and Jamaica Bay, which later became a protected wildlife area. Since I spent a lot of time on the shoreline, I was pre-conditioned to see the value of coastal restoration.
I somehow found Save The Bay about 15 years ago while I was volunteering for East Bay Parks and The Watershed Project. After volunteering for a Saturday program, I immediately realized that Save The Bay was very well organized and did excellent work restoring the bay margin.
My favorite part of volunteering for Save The Bay checking out specific areas previously worked and seeing the absolutely magnificent results of transforming an unhealthy, often barren shoreline into a healthy, vibrant coastal wetland!
I was pre-conditioned for seeing the value of “natural” habitat, so when I took a graduate class in Colorado on restoring land previously mined (with lots of chemistry, to chase away all but the real science nerds), I was hooked. I’ve always felt that this type of work is extremely valuable, so I’m very fortunate to have been able to volunteer and help out with relocating prairie dogs in Colorado, restoring open Oak habitat in Walnut Creek, constructing CA Rail and Quail habitat, and of course salt marsh restoration.
The most amazing part of Save The Bay’s work is seeing the incredible progress that has been made in restoring the Bay shoreline into something approaching a natural state. Having the benefit of being at several of these sites (primarily Eden Landing) for a period of several years, I can actually see not only the re-vegetation and wetland growth, but the marked increase in the presence of wildlife, primarily marsh birds, coastal birds, and raptors—all indicative of a healthy, developing habitat. A very important and positive part of volunteering for Save The Bay is the genuine devotion and enthusiastic attitude of the staff, which makes volunteering even more rewarding.
The most exciting part of this work is that progress in restoring the Bay will continue. Each time we go out there we’re accomplishing something useful, and we can see the positive results on a time frame of months to years—something everyone can appreciate.
If you are inspired by these volunteers and their stories, join them! Sign up on our calendar to meet us on the shoreline or in a native plant nursery to connect with the land, the community, and Save The Bay.
