santa monica mountains fund

Official Partner to the National Park service

🥗 Eat to make a difference This week! 🥗

From Today until 4/26/24 indulge in Goop Kitchen’s greenest green salad and 100% of the profits will be donated to SAMO Fund!

Order now!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR RUN THE RANCH 2024!

MAKE SURE TO RegistER FOR THIS POPULAR EVENT… ENTRIES OPEN May 1ST

news

SAMO Fund is proud to announce that the California Naturalist Zoom Classes (ONLY) will be available for anyone who wants to audit the course. Unfortunately, field trips are not open to the public.

Details on how to sign up will be posted to our social media accounts. Be sure to follow us so you don’t miss out!

Now Opening to the Public!

* Please note that we are offering access to these classes for education purposes only. AUDITING these classes will NOT result in a certification via University of California. Only previously registered and accepted students of this program will be awarded the certification

WHY DONATE TO OUR PARKS?

National Parks are one of America’s “Best Ideas”, but unfortunately decreases in Federal Funding have left the National Park Service chronically underfunded for the past decade or so, despite their increase in visitor numbers. Almost $12 billion are needed for infrastructure repairs, maintenance and protection of our parks and their iconic and unique vistas, outdoor spaces and natural and historic wonders. (NPCA)

While the Biden administration is investing in modernizing National Parks and responding to conservation needs and climate change programs, there is a need for further investment (NPS). Consequently, many of the large, iconic national parks across the country have entered into partnerships with Non-Profit Organizations, such as SAMO Fund to help towards their annual funding goals.

The Santa Monica Mountains Fund works to encourage appreciation and understanding of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area by supporting its National Park Service programs

The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) encompasses homelands of indigenous people commonly referred to as the Chumash people (in the Western SMMNRA) and the Tongva people (in the Eastern end of the SMMNRA). 

PARAMOUNT PROJECT

Paramount Ranch is a historic movie backlot situated within the boundaries of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

In 2018, the Woolsey fire destroyed most of the ranch. SAMO Fund is working with the National Park Service to restore this unique, historic ranch.

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mountain lions

The small population of mountain lions in and around the Santa Monica Mountains are under threat. Nearly all our mountain lions tested are shown to be contaminated with anti-coagulant rodenticide and they face problems as they move around our area.

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native plant nursery

In 2019, Metabolic Studio awarded SAMO Fund a grant to support the revitalization of the NPS Native Plant Nursery at Rancho Sierra Vista.

 SAMO fund on instagram

View fullsize There are currently 25 species of reptiles that inhabit the Santa Monica Mountains! Among those, is the Western Fence Lizard! They are a common species found in the western US that inhabit a variety of habitats including chaparral, coastal sage scrub
View fullsize This is the lovely Saddle Peak Trail in Malibu Creek State Park in the @santamonicamountainsnps. The trail is only 3.3 miles and starts at the Backbone Trail sign off of Stunt Road. The gorgeous chaparral plant community is predominant along the Back
View fullsize Known for theirbeautiful bright orange color and extraordinary annual migration, monarch butterflies are now classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a global scientific authority on the status of species
View fullsize SAMO Youth Crew’s summer work may have ended, but we’ll continue to highlight our amazing staff who have helped restore and beautify the @santamonicamountainsnps! This summer, they have dedicated many hours of trail and restoration work s
View fullsize Dorothy Arzner (1st woman to join the Directors Guild of America & direct a sound film); Anna May Wong (1st Chinese American film star in Hollywood); Lupe Velez (One of the 1st Mexican actresses to become a Hollywood success)! What do these two
View fullsize The National Park Service has been researching bobcats for many years in the Santa Monica Mountains. Scientists have found that 90% of bobcats tested after their death were contaminated with anti-coagulant rodenticide, a poison that overtime causes i
View fullsize Today is another #TrailsTuesday ! This is the Musch Trail to Eagle Rock located at Topanga State Park in the @santamonicamountainsnps. The trail is a 4.4-mile loop in which you will see many beautiful wildflowers as you hike up to the fantastic Eagle
View fullsize The Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act was passed by the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee last week which adds more than 119,000 acres of the Rim of the Valley Corridor to the @santamonicamountainsnps. This proposed expansion
View fullsize SAMO Youth Crew spotlight continues! This series will highlight our wonderful staff who have contributed hours of trail and restoration work, interpretive programming, and more to help restore and beautify the @santamonicamountainsnps ! @samoyouth T
View fullsize Do you ever look up at the night sky and wonder what’s above us? Join SAMO Fund for Part 3 of the Park After Dark series! This is the Night Festival, which will take place Saturday July 30 from 7pm-10pm @ Paramount Ranch! You can discover and l
View fullsize Love taking photos of nature? Enter the 2022 Outdoors Photo Contest! All photos must be taken within the boundaries of the @santamonicamountainsnps during 2022. The cost to enter is $10 per photo or $45 for five photos. Selected photos will be exhibi
View fullsize Join @theopenheartsfoundation and @samofund for a fun Native Restoration event at Paramount Ranch on Sat July 30 from 9am-12pm. Volunteers of all ages are welcome to help remove weeds and water native grasses and trees. In addition, volunteers will a
View fullsize Looking for an easy relaxing hike with an ocean breeze? This is the Point Dume Cove Trail at Point Dume State Beach in the SMMNRA! This trail is 1.4 miles and is a fairly easy trail with beautiful views of Malibu and the ocean. You can even walk stra
View fullsize Celebrating 20 years of mountain lion research (2002-2022)! It has been almost 20 years of dedication and thorough research of scientists to learn about the amazing mountain lions in the @santamonicamountainsnps! Since 2002, NPS scientists have been
View fullsize Meet a few more of our 2022 SAMO Youth Crew! This series will highlight our wonderful staff who have contributed hours of trail and restoration work, interpretive programming, and more to help restore and beautify the @santamonicamountainsnps ! This
View fullsize In recognition of #LatinoConservationWeek, there will be a screening of The Girl from Mexico (1939) starring Lupe Velez at Paramount Ranch on July 23 8pm-9:30pm. Lupe Velz was a famous Mexican actress, singer, and dancer known as the “Mexican S
View fullsize This is the Narrow-leaved Milkweed which is one of the four species of Milkweed found in the Santa Monica Mountains! It grows in grassland habitats and blooms from late May into the first days of Fall. Monarch butterflies keep our flowers blooming an
View fullsize Today is #TrailsTuesday !! It has been hot and sunny recently and you may be curious what trails have shade or a cool breeze. The Rock Pool and Century Lake Trails at Malibu Creek State Park in the SMMNRA are perfect options! This loop trail is 4.4 m
View fullsize Ballard Mountain is a historic 2,031 ft peak in the @santamonicamountainsnps nestled between Thousand Oaks and Agoura Hills. It was named after the first African American man who settled in the Santa Monica Mountains in the 1880s. John Ballard was of
View fullsize Proudly announcing that we have been mentioned in the VC Star for our Monarch & Milkweed project! Last month, Ventura County has prohibited the sale of tropical milkweed, which is detrimental to the species of monarch butterflies! Our native plan