National Park Service Hosting Three Events on National Trails Day, June 2, 2018

Every year on the first Saturday of June, thousands of people gather across the country to work on protecting and maintaining public trails. The annual event is called National Trails Day, and this year on June 2, the National Park Service will be hosting two opportunities in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and one at the Audubon Center at Debs Park in Los Angeles.

"The 500 miles of trails in the recreation area are the main attraction for most of our visitors," said Ryan Stead, a park ranger for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. "We're looking forward to working together with the public to improve our trail system on National Trails Day."

All events begin at 9 a.m. Volunteers should dress in layers, bring a reusable water bottle and wear protective footwear, pants and sun protection. Long sleeves suggested. Tools, gloves and refreshments will be provided. Participants must be at least eight years old and minors must be accompanied by an adult.

● Calabasas: Rangers will lead volunteer crews in maintaining the roads and trails at Malibu Creek State Park. Activities will include installing water diversions, removing vegetation, and bridge repair. This event is supported by California State Parks, the Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council, and the Santa Monica Mountains Task Force of the Sierra Club. Meet at the main parking lot. This event will end at 1 p.m.

Address: Malibu Creek State Park, Las Virgenes Rd and Mulholland Hwy, Calabasas, CA, 91302 (map)

● Malibu: Controlling weeds keeps trails clear and beautiful. One of the most threatening weeds in the Santa Monica Mountains is carnation spurge (Euphorbia terracina), which not only pushes out native plants, but are toxic to animals and humans. Rangers are currently attacking the problem at Zuma Canyon. June 2 is also the first day of California Invasive Species Awareness Week. Meet at the Bonsall Drive parking lot. This event will end at 12 p.m.

Address: Zuma Canyon, end of Bonsall Drive, Malibu, CA 90265 (map)

Los Angeles: At Ernest E. Debs Park, we'll learn about the rich biodiversity that lives within the park and

how we help care for it. Volunteers will weed, water and mulch recently planted native plants and help create a thriving bird friendly community. Please park along Griffin Ave. (not the upper parking lot) and walk up to the visitor center. This event will end at 12 p.m.

Address: Audubon Center at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park Park, 4700 Griffin Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90031

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is the largest urban national park in the country, encompassing more than 150,000 acres of mountains and coastline in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. A unit of the National Park Service, it comprises a seamless network of local, state and federal parks interwoven with private lands and communities. As one of only five Mediterranean ecosystems in the world, SMMNRA preserves the rich biological diversity of more than 450 animal species and 26 distinct plant communities. For more information, visit http://www.nps.gov/samo.