Anonymous gifts to the Point Reyes National Seashore Association will give a much-needed boost to the park’s conservation team, adding two new positions to the staff. One of the donations is large enough to fund a five-year post. The other is sufficient to cover a full-time staffer for one year, but the association is optimistic that it might be extended. “We are grateful for our donors’ investment and their deep love of the park,” said Donna Faure, the seashore association’s executive director. A wildlife technician will join the staff on Monday, in time to help with the northern elephant seal monitoring program. The first bulls have already arrived at the seashore, and the cows are expected to arrive any day now for mating season, which runs through March. The wildlife tech will also help conduct the park’s annual count of the tule elk herds at Tomales Point, Drakes Beach and the Limantour wilderness area. Last year’s count of the Limantour herd was not completed due to a staffing vacancy. The vegetation technician will support programs that monitor rare plants and invasive species that are being removed from various areas of the park. “A lot of that work is occurring within our restored dune habitat in the Abbotts Lagoon area,” said Dave Press, who manages the park’s natural resources programs. “Another high-priority area is the 2020 Woodward fire burn zone.” Park staff is watching to see how much of the old vegetation returns in the aftermath of the fire or to what extent it is replaced by new species that could be highly flammable. The two new hires will bring the park’s conservation team to 16 members, Mr. Press said. “Both of these positions are supporting ongoing programs that we have here at the park for which we need additional assistance,” he said. “The park basically does not have the funds to hire for those positions on our own.”