Volunteers clearing dry brush on a sunlit hillside, two hold a long burlap debris bag — Hands on the Land members remove downed wood from dead trees. The downed branches can create thickets where invasive and flammable weeds grow underneath, creating an environment ready to burn when wildfires come through. Removing the downed wood allows members to weed those areas in the future to promote native plant dominance. (Courtesy Brooke Wainwright)

Crowdfund: Restoration-Focused Trips Offered Through Hands on the Land Connect Students, Community and Nearby Landscapes

Student-Led Organization Seeks Support

by Department of Plant Sciences Staff
October 26, 2026

Three white buckets on sand holding small round shells, red seaweed, and dried seagrass. — Volunteers collect native seeds, which will be used to seed a recently constructed berm, or raised barrier of compacted soil. This is done to promote native wildflower habitats. (Courtesy Brooke Wainwright)

Hands on the Land connects UC Davis students to the local community and nearby landscapes with outdoor activities focused on restoration. Now, graduate student organizers are asking for support to maintain the program’s health and accessibility.

Through their activities, they aim to provide equitable access to the outdoors in a safe and inclusive atmosphere while also promoting ecologically healthy and wildfire-resilient lands.

The UC Davis-sponsored Crowdfund site is here. At the time of writing, student organizers are more than half-way to their goal of raising $5.000 by Oct. 31.

As part of their goal of connecting the Davis community to the local natural landscape, HOTL facilitates zero-cost, monthly overnight trips to UC Davis natural reserves sites for 20 to 30 students and community members. These trips include restoration initiatives at the 7,000-acre McLaughlin Natural Reserve, near Clear Lake, and the Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve, which offers views of the Inner Coast Range near Lake Berryessa.

“We are committed to keeping these trips free of cost,” HOTL director Brooke Wainwright, a Ph.D. candidate in the lab of Jennifer Funk, a professor in the Department of Plant Sciences, said.“Gifts to our campaign will provide general support for Hands on the Land, including our current priorities of paying for transportation, food, and supplies and gear for our participants, and get more hands on the land!”

Since graduate students founded the program in 2021, Hands on the Land has led nearly 30 trips to UC reserves with more than 400 participants. The group has also held events and workshops such as an annual Welcome Barbecue and a How to Apply to Graduate School workshop. They also provide hands-on science education to Lower Lake Elementary School via the Kids Into Discovering Science program, which runs every spring quarter.

“By working on landscape renewal through repairing and restoring native ecosystems, preparing the land to be resilient to fire and engaging in group activities that promote a sense of place, our work addresses large scale issues such as climate change through reimagining ecosystem functioning with small, local solutions,” Wainwright wrote. “By combining community engagement and creative land management, we hope to restore functional landscapes and sustainable mindsets together.”

Three smiling hikers kneeling on a sunny mountain ridge with a black dog and valley view. — Student volunteers form a pyramid after clearing an overgrown road, which can now be used to monitor highly sensitive habitats. Removed vegetation and rocks were repurposed to prevent erosion from runoff. (Courtesy Brooke Wainwright)

The Impact of Access

Here’s what participants had to say:

“Getting involved in restoration is much more accessible than I thought.”

“I loved just getting out and working on the land and seeing the instant changes and effects of our efforts. I also loved the sense of community and supportive environment.”

Get Involved

Learn more about HOTL's mission here. Sign up for their mailing list to receive information on upcoming trips and events here.

Media Resources

This story was edited by Adelaide Martin, student communications assistant with the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences.

Questions! Contact Trina Kleist, communications specialist with the Department of Plant Sciences. [email protected] or (530) 601-6846.