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