Golden Gate Audubon Society

Golden Gate Audubon has received funding from a program called TogetherGreen for the past two years. Below, you will read more about the programs itself and also how we are involved in it.

TogetherGreen funds and promotes conservation leadership training and volunteer programs designed to equip and engage diverse groups and individuals to take action today to shape a healthier tomorrow. For more information, click here.

Volunteer Days provide opportunities for hands-on, local conservation efforts throughout the year at locations around the country.

Harding Park:  With help from the community, we conduct restoration activities at San Francisco’s Harding Park near Lake Merced. Once abundant, the city’s California quail population has plummeted from more than 1,500 quail to roughly 15 birds. Habitat is currently being restored to support the re-introduction of quail (the official state and city bird) within the next couple years. We aim to remove invasive plants, plant several native plant species and to engage at least 150 volunteers in the restoration, stewardship, and protection of habitat for quail and other native species.

Groups and individuals joining us at Harding Park so far: San Francisco State students, Park Merced residents, Vertical Response employees, and Drew School students.

Innovation Grants support creative projects that contribute to significant gains in habitat, water and energy conservation. Every year, 40 organizations in Audubon’s network – and their outside partners – will receive funding for innovative approaches to inspire, equip and engage people to tackle local environmental problems.

With its TogetherGreen Innovation Grant, the Golden Gate Audubon Society will be able to continue the Wetlands and Wildlands Project for another year, expanding restoration activities along the shorelines of North Richmond. This shoreline is among the most endangered—and most important—wildlife habitats in the densely developed Central San Francisco Bay.

This site provides much-needed habitat for the shorebird and wildlife community of the Bay Area—making its preservation an important priority. They also provide critical nesting and resting habitat for many of the thousands of migrating birds along the Pacific Flyway each year.  These important sites are also being threatened by development.

The Wetlands and Wildlands project aims to change that by turning local residents into the primary advocates for the shoreline’s protection. Residents will be trained to educate their neighbors about the importance of protecting local bird species. They will also be encouraged to participate in bird census events, as well as creek clean-ups and bird and plant monitoring.

Through volunteerism, this project hopes to create a sense of ownership and belonging in communities that translates into long-term stewardship and protection of local wildlife and habitat.  The preservation of these local natural treasures will not only be important for wildlife and environmental health, but for the health of the community members who live there.

2009 Programs:

Birding the Bay Trail Docent Program

Ten new Golden Gate Audubon docents have been trained on the natural history of the Bay Trail in Richmond. They will set up birding stations in key areas to show trail and park users the birds and explain the areas significance.  While the docents may be on the move, you can catch them on the section of trail from the Albany Mudflats to the Richmond Marina. To see when our knowledgeable docents will be on the trail, check our online calendar.

The Great Backyard Bird Count

Over the weekend of February 12-15, Bay Area nature lovers came out for the Great Backyard Bird Count. We had a total of 5 walks with 46 participants. About 170 species of birds were seen by these participants throughout parks and backyards near the shores of  Richmond. Our highlight was the one time count of 1900 cormorants flocking to the rock pile jetty from the Brickyard Cove Marina.

Richmond Spring Census – stay tuned. . . .