Youth Stewardship

The Volunteer Division’s Youth Services team coordinates and runs a variety of programs that offer youth and educators opportunities to connect with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department’s parks and open spaces city wide.

Youth Stewardship Program (YSP)

The Youth Stewardship Program (YSP) runs from November through May and engages youth and school groups, grades K-12, in environmental education and service-learning field trips in parks citywide. Our program mission is to foster an understanding of their important role in building healthy social and natural communities.

YSP exposes urban students to an outdoor learning environment that proves to be engaging and challenging. Each trip is 2.5 hours long and includes an environmental education and restoration component. Students are taught science, environmental education, local natural and cultural history, social responsibility, a personal connection to their communities, and fundamental life skills.

The program is free of cost. Teachers can register their classes beginning in the fall of the school year, using the button below, and the program is usually full by the end of December.

Our program is already full for the 2023-2024 school year. Click the button below to learn more about alternative opportunities with SF Rec and Park or join our mailing list. Youth Stewardship Application Button Opens in new window

Self-Guided Options

Not able to schedule a trip this year, but keen to explore our parks? Plan your own visit to the park with the help of these printable PDF guides!

Front page of activity book for "A Day in the Park!" Opens in new windowA Day in the Park!
by Karah Fisher 
An activity book for your young person to complete in any SF park

¡Un Día en el Parque!
Actividades de Exploración del Parque

(PDF)

Birds of the Golden Gate Park Lakes - A bird guide Opens in new windowBirds of the GGP Lakes
by the 2021-22 YSP Team
A bird guide for the lakes and wetlands of Golden Gate Park 
Ethnobotany card guide with yarrow on the front cover Opens in new window
Ethnobotany Card Guide
by the 2021-22 YSP Team
A guide to some of the most popular 
SF Native Plants

Birds of Herons Head Park Opens in new window
Birds of Heron's Head Park
by Eliz Ismailoglu
A guide to our feathered friends at 
Heron's Head Park


Program Links

Group Community Service Projects

To organize a service-only project for your group or class year-round, please complete a Group Park Volunteer Request Form   .


Not sure how or where you’d like to volunteer? No problem! Get in touch with staff at recparkvolunteers@sfgov.org.