Volcan Mountain Foundation

Treat yourself to a native plant and wildflower walk with naturalists Larry Hendrickson and Sally Snipes. You'll explore the spring bloom at VMF's Volcan Mountain Nature Center.

Our day will begin with a gentle .5-mile walk along VMF's Watershed Trail where we will learn about riparian plants. Then we'll drive to VMF's Sky Island Trailhead where we will stroll through a field in search of wildflowers.

Afterward, we will enjoy an al fresco lunch courtesy of Carol Pike

Date: Sunday, May 21

Sunday, April 30 -  Join botanist Larry Hendrickson and Engagement Coordinator Suzie Meyer for a morning removing invasive plants from VMF's Volcan Mountain Nature Center! We'll be focusing on mustard along Volcan Road and bull thistle growing in the forest. Being vigilant in removing invasive plants helps prevent their spread and maintain a healthy ecosystem.

Date:  Sunday, April 30

Time:  8:30 am - 12:00 pm

Saturday, May 13 -  Join land conservationist and VMF board member Jonathan Appelbaum for a fun morning planting trees at VMF's Volcan Mountain Nature Center! Afterward, we'll go on a gentle .5 mile walk on VMF's Coomb's Watershed Trail.  All ages welcome.

Date:  Saturday, May 13

Time:  9:00 am - 1:00 pm

What to Bring and Wear:  Snacks and/or lunch and water. Dress in layers and wear sturdy shoes. Bring your work/gardening gloves and shovels, if you have them. We have extras as well.

Sunday, June 4 -  Join Eric Jones for a stewardship day on Volcan Mountain. We'll be clearing the 1.7-mile Cedar Loop Trail that begins at Volcan's ridgeline. We'll trim trail side branches and remove downed trees using power equipment, including chainsaws.

If trail clearing is not for you, not to worry. You'll have an opportunity to remove invasive mustard and Medusahead grass instead. Removing these two species is critical in creating healthy ecosystems and preventing them from spreading.  

Saturday, April 22: The Volcan Mountain Foundation is partnering with I Love a Clean San Diego to clean up VMF's newly acquired Copper Spur Ranch. The focus will be to remove small trash items in a forested area near the headwaters of the San Dieguito River. By participating in this clean-up, you will be restoring the forest to a healthy ecosystem. 

The Volcan Mountain Foundation greatly appreciates the time and energy volunteers take to restore the beautiful ecosystems of the Volcan Mountains in Julian, CA.

Join Alex Tardy for an incredible presentation on climate change. Topics that focus on California will include wildfires, extreme weather events, and changing precipitation patterns, to name a few. After the presentation, we will go on a 1 1/2 mile walk on VMF's Sky Island Trail. Those who don't want to hike can relax and explore the beautiful area at the beginning of the trail.

This year's Silent Auction is bigger and better than ever!

Welcome to our auction. Help us raise much needed funds to help preserve our mountain range for all generations.

Join the Julian Young Birders Club!

Join VMF on January 11 for a stewardship day on Volcan Mountain. As a wildfire prevention measure, we will be creating piles of wood collected from the forest and burning them throughout the day. 

Date: Sunday, January 29

Time:  8:30 am - 4:00 pm (Volunteers are free to leave at any time).

Bring: Work gloves (VMF has its own supply as well), water, snacks, lunch.

Wear: Sturdy shoes and dress warmly and in layers.

Join past president of the San Diego Mycological Society, Les Braund, as you learn about the life of mushrooms. We'll start with a presentation at VMF's Webb Education Center. Afterward, we'll collect mushrooms at VMF's Volcan Mountain Nature Center and discuss each one found. 

Date: Sunday, April 2

Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Due to the gated entry for VMF's Volcan Mountain Nature Center, please plan to arrive by 9:45 am.