Who We Are
The San Mateo Coast Natural History Association (SMCNHA) was created in December 1990 to further the education and interpretation initiatives of the California State Parks along the San Mateo Coast. SMCNHA (smack-n-ha) was founded by volunteers in San Mateo County as a 501(c)3 non-profit Cooperating Association to provide support directly to these coastal State Parks. We work closely with the local State Park staff to align our activities with their local needs.
Mission
Statement
The mission of the San Mateo Coast Natural History
Association is to enhance the experience of visitors to California
State Parks on the San Mateo coast by:
- Promoting educational volunteer and park staff programs
- Maintaining and enhancing state park Visitor Centers
- Supporting programs that preserve biological diversity and
historical/cultural integrity
SMCNHA-Supported Programs
In 2009, SMCNHA raised over $100,000 and helped pay for a wide variety of needs at our local parks, for example:
- Bean Hollow trail improvements
- the Junior Lifeguard program
- interpretive panels for Año Nuevo
- outreach program at Año Nuevo
- repair of electric vehicles used by rangers
- docent training supplies
Board Members
Click on the name for more information.
This position is currently open.
John has been a member of SMCNHA since 2006. He has been a docent
at Año Nuevo since 1995, a mentor to new docents at Año Nuevo since
1997, and a Filoli Nature Education docent from 2000-2003.
Avis has been a State Parks volunteer since 2001. As a volunteer, she
helps protect the Western Snowy Plovers that nest on local beaches, works
in the Visitor Center at Half Moon Bay State Beach, and helps with native
plant restoration in parks along the San Mateo Coast. She joined the
SMCNHA Board in 2008.
Bob has been a member of SMCNA since 2004. He has served as
Treasurer since 2006, and has been a docent at Año Nuevo State Reserve
since 2002.
Chris started as a docent at Año Nuevo in the Fall of 1994. Since
1996 she has been a volunteer animal care provider at The Marine Mammal
Center in Sausalito, California.
Chris joined SMCNHA in 2008.
Earle has over 3,000 hours serving as a docent at Año Nuevo since
1999. He has mentored about a dozen Ano trainees. He worked
as an engineer at Stanford Research Institute, retiring in 1994.
He enjoys hiking, fishing, computers, and marine mammals. He
joined SMCNHA in 2008.
Joyce joined SMCNHA in 2008. She has a long record of supporting
environmental/wildlife causes and groups. Since retiring from the
semiconductor industry in 2007, she has had more time to pursue interests in horticulture, hiking, travel, history, and music.
Volunteer work enhances her pursuit of those interests.
Michael has been
a docent at Año Nuevo State Reserve
since 1997. He joined the board in
2008.
Nancy has been a docent at the Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve and Pigeon Point Light Station State Historical Park since 2005 and started on the native plant restoration project at Pigeon Point in 2007. She joined SMCNHA in early 2008.
Rita Jennings - Member at Large
Rita has been a State Parks volunteer with the Half Moon Bay Plover Watch program since 2002. Her volunteer efforts also include being a docent at Pescadero Marsh, working in the Half Moon Bay visitor center, and assisting with special events such as Earth Day and Coastal Cleanup Day. She joined SMCNHA in 2009.
Rob
has been a docent at Pigeon Point Light
Station State Historic Park since 1998 and is in training for the
Pescadero
Marsh Natural Reserve. He joined SMCNHA in 2008.
Interested in Joining the Board?
We welcome people interested in joining the SMCNHA board of directors. Please see the links below for information on what it means to be on the board, including the responsibilities and expectations, as well as for an application form (MS-Word or pdf format).
Information on becoming a board member
SMCNHA Board application (.pdf)
SMCNHA Board application (.doc)
