Trail Work Series presented by Runners for Public Lands and The Get it Done Crew, Ojai, CA

Runners for Public Lands is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds inclusive running communities dedicated to protecting the environment. To bring our mission to life, we create pathways in local communities that connect runners with opportunities to learn about the lands and the people they are running with. We develop programs, resources, and events in partnership with cultural and environmental experts, established land stewarding organizations, indigenous leaders, and other non-profits. RPL’s mission doesn’t stop at awareness and education. Our ultimate goal is to inspire and spark action so that more runners want to get involved and actively care for the people in their community and the places where they run.

RPL is excited to partner with The Get it Done Crew and the United States Forest Service (USFS) to present the 2023 Trail Work Series in the Los Padres National Forest. 

This project brings our local community of runners together to learn about and care for the living landscapes we run with. Through repetitive, hands-on service events with an educational component, we can share ecological values and create strong connections that inspire runners to care for the people and places they love. 

This Trail Work Series will include 3 independent trail work events, each with its own unique educational component. Based on the location of each trail work we have identified a relevant topic to learn about. The educational topics may include wildlife specific to the endangered California condor, geological significance, and native vs. invasive flora. We are working with the nonprofit Rising Heart to acknowledge the lands we are running with as the ancestral homelands of the Chumash Tribes. Participants are not required to attend all three events but are encouraged to, and can earn prizes/incentives for attending multiple events. 

Each event will be approved, permitted, and insured by the USFS and led by The Get It Done Crew volunteer trail work leaders and Runners for Public Lands Staff and volunteers.  All volunteers will be required to sign a USFS waiver before volunteering. One waiver will cover participating in all three events.