A healthy ecosystem is necessary to sustain life on planet Earth. I can’t imagine any mission more important than helping to maintain the health of this ecosystem. Supporting biodiversity, limiting urbanization, preserving open space are just a couple of objectives I seek to accomplish.
Below I list my experiences in supporting nature conservation efforts.
Saam Shams
2020 - Present
Invasive Species Removal
I regularly volunteer to help remove Algerian Sea Lavender (ASL) from the Newport Back Bay. This plant is originally from the Mediteranean and has a habit of outcompeting native plants that are vital for local birds and other creatures.
Restoration
The Big Canyon Restoration Project began in 2017 with Phase 1. I have been volunteering in Phase 2A of the project, which encompasses roughly 11 acres of land that was recently removed of invasive Brazilian peppertrees, which created a "dead-zone" forest with very little biomass density. I have primarily helped in removing invasive weeds as the native seeds are beginning to grow and establish themselves.
2022 - Present
Invasive Species Removal
My volunteer work with Orange County Parks is very similar to that of the Newport Bay Conservancy, it is just located on a part of the bay which is under jurisdiction of O.C. Parks.
2021
Urban Tree Planting
The Park People works with local communities in the Denver area to plant trees in local parks and in disadvantaged neighborhoods. I volunteered to help with distributing tees in the Denver Digs Trees event in the spring of 2021.
2019
Avalanche Avoidance Training
I participated in an advanced-level avalanche avoidance course in January of 2019. This is the level 2 course under the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE). The course involved long periods of backcountry sking, identifying different snow pack characteristics, trench digging and testing, visual identification of hazardous terrain, & risk determination. The class took place over several days near the Holy Cross Wilderness in Colorado.
2008 - 2010
Trail Maintenance
I volunteered to maintain certain trail systems of the San Bernardino National. I was part of an offroading club and we regularly interacted with forest rangers and created barriers to stop illegal trail usage.
2009 - 2010
Trail Reporting
During my college years at UCI I was president of the UCI Hiking Club and regularly hiked in the Cleveland National Forest. I joined the volunteer group and made a habit of writing hike reports to CNF staff.
