Do you like to roll? Santa Rosa Island could use your help.

Months after a vegetation fire tore through Santa Rosa Island, volunteers are working overtime to prepare the island for the rainy months by rolling and packing long tubes, known as wattles.

The long cigar-like tubes are part of park staff’s efforts to protect the island from erosion and landslides after the fire burned through much of the island’s vegetation.

The fire began on May 15 and was fully contained on June 4. By the time fire crews put it out, the blaze had burned almost a third of the island, including 23.25 miles of roads and 25.6 miles of trails.

The fire also damaged the island’s grove of Torrey pine trees.

Torrey pines are considered critically endangered and grow naturally in two places on the planet: Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in San Diego County and on Santa Rosa Island.

However, the subspecies found on Santa Rosa only grows there.

According to a report released after the fire, up to 80% of the island’s Torrey pines could be damaged or die. Staff are hopeful some will recover, but they will not know until more time passes.

On top of destroying natural vegetation and wildlife, fires can have disastrous effects during the next few months. Hills rely on roots and other growth to hold them in place during the rainy season, and are prone to landslides after a wildfire.

To help stabilize the hills, park staff plan to lay about 10,000 feet of wattles throughout the island before the rainy season.

Even though the park could use pre-made wattles, staff decided to make their own to ensure the island’s safety.

David Mazurkiewicz, a wildlife biologist for the Channel Islands National Park, says it may be more labor-intensive to roll their own wattles, but they are better for the island in the long run.

Premade wattles could have foreign contaminants such as microplastics. They may also contain invasive plant species that could spread throughout the island and impact Santa Rosa’s native population.

“We have found through trial and error that…the things that you can purchase off the shelf, like…you see along the 101 corridor or something, that those wattles don’t persist very long,” Mazurkiewicz said.

Under optimal conditions, the commercial wattles can last 12 to 18 months, Mazurkiewicz said. The kind that the volunteers are making on Santa Rosa could last up to five years.

“This is kind of a make-your-own option that we have developed through other projects that have been ongoing for about a decade and has worked really well,” Mazurkiewicz said.

The island’s wattles are made from different types of natural fibers that are laid over each other in layers before being rolled up into long cigar-like tubes. The materials are made up of sisal, manila and jute.

The bottom layer, which covers the outside of the wattle, is a thicker lattice-like blanket. Five layers of jute are laid on top of the bottom blanket, and then a team of volunteers rolls the blanket up before tying it off.

Once the rolling is complete, park staff will lay the long tubes throughout the island’s affected areas. The wattles will stabilize the island’s hills by slowing rushing water and preventing the hills from collapsing, which allows plants to grow.

At Santa Rosa’s nursery, a team of about 10 people across three stations lay the fabric sheet by sheet.  When the three stations finish laying out the sheets, the entire group gathers at one station to begin the rolling.

The roll begins with a “1, 2, 3, wattle” before they all start rolling the 10-foot sheet. When they reach the other side, the volunteers tie it off with an old-fashioned box knot.

For the group of wattlers, the opportunity is a chance to give back to the island while also giving them a chance to visit Santa Rosa.

Jame Baumgartner grew up visiting Catalina Island and fishing off Anacapa Island, but had never visited Santa Rosa. Volunteering to help make wattles was a chance to give back while visiting the island for the first time.

Even though he did not know what wattling was when he first signed up, he said it was easier than he expected.

“You get the chance to practice your Boy Scout knots and teamwork as you’re shoulder to shoulder on your knees, working with your other volunteers,” Baumgartner said.

Some volunteers have already made multiple trips to the island to help.

David Rush was on his second trip to the island to help with the wattles. Rush said he learned about the volunteer opportunity through Instagram and reached out to offer his services.

Rush, who moved to California from Florida in 2009, said he wanted to volunteer as a way to give back and feels like it’s an honor to help his adopted home state.

“It’s actually a lot of fun,” Rush said. “The people are great. There are a couple people here that are back for second trip, and it’s cool. Form some friendships, have some good laughs, (and) get some good work done.”

If you are interested in helping roll more wattles to help the park or other volunteer opportunities on the Channel Islands, you can visit the National Park Service website or email the agency at CHIS_Volunteer@nps.gov.

Interested parties can also reach out to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at their email channel.island@noaa.gov.