Audubon California and chapters meet to talk about nature education

Audubon California and local chapters in California have long felt that nature education is conservation. What this means is that if we want to protect the state’s magnificent natural treasures into the future, we need to ensure that the next generation of Californians appreciates the great outdoors as much as we do. In an effort to improve all of our programs, representatives of Audubon California and northern California chapters gathered last Saturday at the Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary for a Chapter Education Summit. The goals were to talk about our mutual goals, share programmatic ideas, and learn about each other’s curricula. But most of all, this was just a forum to find ways to share ideas and help each other succeed.


Participating chapters included representatives from Plumas Audubon, Yolo Audubon, Sacramento Audubon, Sierra Foothills Audubon, Central Sierra Audubon, Santa Clara Valley Audubon, Peregrine Audubon, Sequoia, Mendocino Audubon, Napa/Solano Audubon, and Golden Gate Audubon.

Peregrine Audubon kicked off the summit with a presentation of their multiple-visit bird focused education program, Flight School. This program includes a classroom visits and then a field trip where kids really become scientists. This is a great program and incorporates all the components Audubon strives for in an environmental education program.

Another summit was held on August 28 at Audubon Center at Debs Park with Los Angeles Audubon, San Bernardino Valley Audubon, San Fernando Valley Audubon, Sea & Sage Audubon, Ventura Audubon, Conejo Valley Audubon, Kerncrest Audubon and San Diego Audubon attending.

Sea & Sage Audubon's Queen of the Marsh Trude Hurd gave a presentation on the chapter's programs at San Jacinto Marsh in Irvine.

Results of the Summits will be posted on line at the Chapter Network Site www.ca.audubon.org/chapters.php

Important wetlands protected in So. California

The State Wildlife Conservation board approved the purchase of the Hellman Ranch wetlands, adding its 100 acres to about 62 other acres already set aside for restoration. The wetlands are part of Los Cerritos Wetlands, a corridor of important bird habitat along the Long Beach-Orange County shoreline.

El Dorado Audubon in Long Beach has worked to protect, help acquire, and monitor this site for years under the direction of Conservation Chair Mary Parsell.

Way to go Mary!

Calfornia Chapters win Together Green grants!

San Bernardino Valley Audubon, Monterey Audubon and Los Angeles Audubon will receive $ 48,000 in Audubon Toyota Together Green Innovation grants to restore habitat and educate youth in Southern California.

San Bernardino Valley Audubon recieves $18,000 for an education program for underserved youth at a Cahuilla Wetlands restoration site at the Salton Sea, Monterey Audubon will receive $20,000 for a restoration project on Carmel River at the Hilton Bialek habitat that includes an education program for youth, and Los Angeles Audubon receives $10,000 for continuation of the Baldwin Hills Greenhouse Intern program and Restoration Leaders program in partnership with Newfields in the new Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook State Park.

Congratulations to these California chapters!