The Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS SCV) is an all-volunteer organization - the organization and all our activities depend on volunteers. We hope that all members will join the volunteer team or a committee or activity they enjoy. There are many opportunities to work at home or volunteer in person, with a group. Some positions are weekly, some are monthly, and some are one-time. There really is something for everyone. If you are not currently helping out, here is a list of possible ways you could join the fun. For more information on these or to ask about other volunteer opportunities, contact the listed coordinator or Radhika Thekkath, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Current Needs
Hospitality Team Members
We are looking for people to join our Hospitality Team. The team handles the yearly hospitality tasks at different Chapter events. They mainly oversee food and beverage arrangements. Chapter events include the three larger events which are the Wildflower Show in April, the Fall Plant Sale in October and the potluck in November and some smaller events at other times. If you are interested in learning more about joining this team effort, please email Janet Hoffmann (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
On-going Opportunities
Volunteer at an event:
We hold one large fall plant sale, a spring Wildflower Show, a spring native plant garden tour, an annual members’ potluck in late fall, and other events throughout the year. We need lots of volunteers for each event. We hold Zoom training (as needed) for large events. Most of our larger events are listed on the Chapter homepage and you can find a link to sign up on that page. The following are the two big events that are coming up in April.
(1) Fifty-First Annual Wildflower Show: This family-friendly event features hundreds of native wildflowers and plants on display as well as a variety of activities for all ages. The show is a major annual event and we need lots of volunteers to help make it successful. Detailed descriptions about the various volunteer positions will be available at the Chapter website very soon.
(2) Growing Natives Garden Tour: This is our annual, self-guided, and free tour of private and public gardens within the CNPS-SCV chapter area, where we promote biodiversity and emphasize the benefits of native plants for water and energy conservation. team to help make our annual garden tour a success. We are especially seeking assistance with publicity, both print and social media. Come to a committee meeting to get acquainted with all we do to find where you would like to contribute. For more information, please go to the GNGT website, or contact the committee chair, Madeline Morrow at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Public Garden work:
This is a great way to learn more about native plants that thrive in our area. While volunteering to plant and maintain native plants in parks, you work with the garden leads. These leads have a wealth of information about the plants growing in the garden and other plants that grow in the area. Every season, you learn about the activities needed to keep a garden thriving. Help with planting, weeding, watering, and mulching, and see the results. Sign up to help at the Chapter's Meetup page, where our activities are listed. We currently have three projects in San Jose: Lake Cunningham, Kirk, and Cataldi Parks.
Help with field trips:
We host field trips for a variety of reasons, such as introducing newcomers to wildflowers, exploring interesting habitats, or visiting unusual plants. You can help out by volunteering to act as a field trip leader or sweep. The sweep is the last person on the trail in the walk or hike. They assist the trip leader, ensuring that participants enjoy the trip, helping with any issues that arise, and signing out early departures. No prior experience is needed to be a sweep. Contact Field Trip Chair, Nabeel Al-Shamma at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
Find Speakers for talks:
We hold talks on Zoom and in-person on various topics. We need help looking for speakers who are experts in the fields of native plant gardening, plant science, restoration, conservation issues, climate change, biodiversity... you get the gist. Perhaps you know someone who is knowledgeable in one of these areas? Or you know of a topic that may be of interest to our members? Join our quarterly meetings on Zoom where we plan for talks for the upcoming months. For more information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Library Talk Greeters:
We hold talks at libraries in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Several volunteers are needed for each talk to help with setup and check-ins. The greeters' responsibilities are to staff the welcome table and answer basic questions about CNPS if attendees have any. No native plant experience is necessary, but some knowledge about the Chapter will be helpful. Worry not if you are new to this! You will have an experienced volunteer with you to assist you. Questions? Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also sign up here to help with an upcoming talk.
Conservation/advocacy of native plants:
Attend a Conservation Committee meeting to learn where help is needed in our ongoing efforts to protect native plants and habitats. Committee meetings cover rare plants, conservation, legislation, invasive plants, and restoration. If you’re interested in issues in your area, or would just like to learn more, please join us. For more information, please contact the committee chair, Carolyn Dorsch at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Join the Wildflower Ambassadors Program:
Encourage others to grow native plants in their gardens as a member of our chapter's outreach arm. Members of this group give away packets of free native seeds and resource handouts at events and library talks. The program is an easy entry point for those who are new to native gardening as you learn through participation and from more experienced team members. Sign up here.
We welcome your help to fill these important volunteer roles.
You can find information about many activities on our website cnps-scv.org. For more information on these or other volunteer opportunities, contact Radhika Thekkath, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
