 Santa Cruz Island is about an hour by boat from the coast of Southern California. Santa Cruz was used for ranching in the 19th and 20th centuries. Now, students are helping bring wetlands back to the island. Irene Bailey works with the students. She says people brought invasive species to the island. This changed its environment. So we're trying to get the invasives removed from here and then plant in native grasses and other native vegetation that will be good for the plant community and the birds and stuff that are coming in. The students attend the Environmental Charter High School near Los Angeles. They are taking part in a national program called LEAF, Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future. The Nature Conservancy operates the program. Kira Adams says the girls are learning about nature. Sometimes you'll drive through a path and it feels like the Amazon and then it'll feel like the desert and then it'll feel like the tropical rainforest or then it'll feel like just like a natural forest. So it's very interesting going through this island and feeling different types of environments. Glenda Sanchez says some students are considering careers in environmental work. I think our generation where we're learning more about the environment is crucial because now we learned about it and we know what are the problems so now we need to find a solution for them. Sharon Tam says the program helps the students learn to work with others. Because we're almost like people that we're normally not familiar with and then we're living together and then we have to deal with each other every day so like communication became really important. The students were able to explore the island for four weeks, an island so close yet so far from the city in which they live.