Volunteer Newsletter of the San Francisco Bay National ... ll are impera ve for running a successful...

At A G

lance

Past Events (page 2)

Shark Day (page 3)

EEC Customer Service Training (page 4)

Alviso Volunteer Opportuni es (page 5 and 6)

EEC Refuge Volunteer Social (page 7)

Li era Clean Up (page 9)

Photo Corner (page 10)

Metalmark Bu erfly Surveys (page 12)

Volunteer Newsletter of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Fall 2017 Sloughs News

Photo Courtesy of Rick Arellano

Sloughs News Fall 2017

Celebra ng 10 Years of Habitat Heroes!

This year celebrates the tenth full year of the Habitat Heroes programs at Don

Edwards SF Bay Na onal Wildlife Refuge! The program was started by USFWS

Educa on Specialist, Tia Glagolev, in 2007. It was originally developed as a volunteer

restora on educa on program but evolved and merged with our Marsh‐In Summer

Camp program. Students entering 7th – 12th grade join the program to assist with

camp ac vi es. They are assigned as a group leader or an ac vity leader. Group

leaders are in charge of a small group of campers, leading them each day through

their ac vity rota on. Ac vity leaders supervise the ac vi es for the campers! Some

Habitat Heroes lead different ac vi es throughout the day. The roles Habitat Heroes

fill are impera ve for running a successful summer camp. They get to spend quality

me with the campers, ge ng to know them and making sure they are not only

learning but also having fun! For some campers it is their first me at the refuge,

and the Habitat Heroes do a wonderful job of making them feel at home.

Habitat Heroes join the Bay Area program from as north as San Francisco and as far

south as Santa Cruz. Their dedica on to the program is humbling. Many par cipants

start out as campers and then con nue in the program for the six years between 7th

and 12th grades. They form lifelong friendships with each other and the staff, o en

receiving glowing le ers of recommenda on to use for school and job applica ons.

Whether or not they con nue in the wildlife, environmental, or educa on field, the

skills they obtain from this program can be used throughout their lives. With this

program many develop their public speaking, communica on, and organiza onal

skills.

This year we added a reflec on ac vity with a technology twist! Each day of camp

the Habitat Heroes were given a photo assignment. The first day was #SelfieDay!

They got very crea ve, using real props and photo filters! We also had

#FavoriteLoca on, and #FavoriteAc vity. This ac vity was a great way to see camp

through our Habitat Hero’s eyes. It was a fun and interac ve way to get them

thinking about the day, the Refuge, and how they make Marsh‐In Summer Camp a

special experience for everyone. Habitat Heroes also improve summer camp each

year by providing interns and staff members

helpful advice to refine ac vi es or change the

general flow of camp.

Beyond camp, many Habitat Heroes volunteer

with other events and programs at the Refuge.

They are truly heroes for the habitat and the

community.

By Hope Presley, SFBWS Interpre ve Specialist and Rachel

Caoili, SCA Summer Camp Coordinator Intern 2017

Ma hew Song leads the Salmon

Obstacle Course ac vity for campers

on Fish Day.

Cindy Zhang assists campers

with Ice Cream Making during

the overnight.

From le to right: Karan Ieong,

Edward Ioeng, Richa Desai, Johari

Metabo, and Diya Indoliya take a

selfie for #SelfieDay during the

Marine Science Ins tute (MSI)

Habitat Heroes perform a skit during

the opening for Bird Day, showcasing

“what makes a bird, a bird!”

Activity 1: 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Putting Your Best Face Forward Learn the basic customer service skills, effective ways to communicate, and the

importance of building a relationship with the visitor.


The Visitor is Your First Priority Learn about the different types of

interactions, ways to approach them, and how to be successful in doing so.

Volunteer Customer Service Training Schedule

For questions and to register please email Hope Presley at

[email protected] or call 408-262-5513 ext 104

EEC Volunteer Customer Service Training

Are you a current volunteer of the Refuge or interested in becoming a volunteer? Would you like to learn more about interacting with

visitors? Come on out to Don Edwards SF Bay NWR’s Environmental Education Center for a Customer Service Training. If interested,

please attend our training session on

October 13, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

The training will be workshop style where we will discuss different topics related to customer service such as how to talk to visitors,

dealing with upset visitors, and role playing situations. You will also receive a certification of completion!

Dinner social will follow the training.

*Recommended for desk and interp volunteers, but all may join!


Calming the Storm Learn how to deal with difficult visitors and tense situations. All visitors should

come and leave happy!


Role Play Practice your new skills by putting them into action. The best way to learn is to

experience it first-hand!

Alviso Volunteer Opportunities: Restoration Project Volunteers:

Volunteers are needed to work on the EEC's ecotone habitat restoration project. In the fall and winter volunteers plant natives and in the spring and summer volunteers pull

various invasive species to ensure that the native plants have a chance to thrive! Training: Volunteer orientation and on the job training is provided. Questions: Please contact Hope Presley at 408‐262‐5513 ext. 104 or hope.presley@s ws.com Additional Requirements: All ages are welcome, but remember it is physical work, primarily outdoors. Hours: Work is done Tuesdays from 9:30 am ‐ 2:00 pm. Weekend Information Desk Volunteers:

Volunteers are needed to tell our story to visitors, field questions, answer phones, and check out our discovery packs and binoculars to visitors. Training: Volunteer Orientation and a one hour information desk training is required. Questions: Please contact Hope Presley at 408‐262‐5513 ext. 104 or

hope.presley@s ws.com. Additional Requirements: Volunteers commit to two half days per month for a six month period. Hours: Shifts are from 9:45 am ‐ 1:30 pm and 1:30 pm ‐ 4:45 pm on Saturdays. Citizen Scientists Plant Monitoring Program:

Help us monitor plants, birds, monarchs, reptiles, and/or the weather! Dates and hours are flexible. Training: Volunteer Orientation, one hour instructional and in the field training with biologists and experienced volunteers is provided. Questions: Please contact Hope Presley at 408‐262‐5513 ext. 104 or

hope.presley@s ws.com Additional Requirements: Volunteers must be ages 15 and up and monitor one field per month.

Volunteer Requirements:

You must a end a volunteer orienta on.

You must a end the scheduled trainings.

You must meet the age requirements for the program.

Volunteer Applica ons provided at Orienta on.

Alviso

Volunteer Opportunities Continued:

Butterfly Garden Volunteers:

Volunteers needed to keep the education center’s native plant demonstration garden thriving. This position will require restoration work in the garden that includes weeding, mulching, and planting.

History: Volunteers established this garden to provide critical habitat for songbirds and butterflies, and to demonstrate how to garden for wildlife using beautiful California native plants without the use of herbicides. It

contains mature specimens of Ceanothus, fuchsia‐flowered gooseberry, pink flowering currant, buckwheat, toyon, and black sage in a naturalistic setting

To Apply: Please contact Hope Presley at 408‐262‐5513 ext. 104 or hope.presley@s ws.com

Additional Requirements: One day a week for a three month commitment is required.

Hours: Hours are flexible.

Outreach Volunteers:

Help us get out into the community and spread the word about one of the bay area’s best kept secrets – the Refuge!

Training: Volunteer Orientation, outreach training and Refuge 101 training are provided.

Questions: Please contact Hope Presley at 408‐262‐5513 ext. 104 or hope.presley@s ws.com

Additional Requirements: One event per quarter (four total) is required for a one year commitment.

Hours: Hours can vary depending on the event.

Volunteer Enrichments at the EEC:


Refuge Volunteer Social, Mallard Slough Hike and Lunch

Saturday, September 9, 10:00 am ‐ 2:00 pm*

Join Refuge and Society staff and other Refuge and Society volunteers for a beautiful hike around the Mallard

Slough Loop Trail. This 5 mile walk is a great way to see pond A17's progress as it turns from mudflats to salt

marsh, take a glimpse of Drawbridge and enjoy the last of the summer birds before the fall migrants show up.

After lunch we will enjoy a catered lunch, provided by the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society in the Pavilion

at the Environmental Education Center.

*We will meet at 10:00 am for the hike and 12:30 pm for lunch. If you plan to hike bring / wear sturdy shoes,

hat, sunglasses, and water. If you can't join us for the hike you are still welcome to join for lunch. Please bring

family and friends! To sign up register on this private Eventbrite page:

https://mallardsloughhikelunch.eventbrite.com. Use this password to get in: Mallard OR email Hope Presley

at hope.presley@s ws.com or Genie Moore at [email protected]

Special Event: Day on the Bay

Alviso Marina County Park

Sunday, October 8th 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

This year’s Day on the Bay will be held Sunday, October 8th from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm at the Alviso Marina.

Supervisor Dave Cortese’s office, and the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department are teaming

up once again for the eight annual Day on the Bay Multicultural Festival. Close to 12,000 people attend Day

on the Bay to enjoy activities rich in diversity and talent, and rich in ethnic expression. Don Edwards SF Bay

National Wildlife Refuge will have a booth again this year. Volunteers are needed all day for set up, running

the event, and tear down. For more information and if you are interested in volunteering please visit:

https://dayonthebayvol.eventbrite.com OR email Hope Presley at hope.presley@s ws.com.

Remember our Volunteers of San Francisco Bay NWR Complex Facebook Page!

We created a Facebook Group for our volunteers to communicate with one another and for staff to communicate with you. Feel

free to post questions about the Refuge Complex, photos of yourselves volunteering, or things you've been working on. This group

is private and only members can see your posts. But, the public can see who are members of this group. Membership is by

invitation and/or requests only. Join the group now! Find us at Volunteers of SF Bay NWR Complex.

Fall 2017

EEC Volunteer Orientation

Volunteer orientations meet in the auditorium of the

Environmental Education Center in Alviso from

11:00 am – 12:00 pm.

Saturdays: September 2 and November 4

Tuesday: September 12

Volunteer Orienta on dates

Sloughs News

— Volunteer Orientation —

Increase your quality of life with a resolution to volunteer for a good cause. Come to this presentation to see

if volunteering at the Don Edwards SF Bay NWR is right for you!

Saturday, September 23, 10:00 am ‐ 11:00 am

— Native Plants Nursery* —

Work with our nursery doing weeding, pruning, and planting. Help make the refuge more beautiful!

— Trail Maintenance* —

We do not want to be sitting ducks! Become an important part of our team by looking for faults and fixing

them, removing invasive species, taking care of graffiti and more!

— Citizen Science* —

Make a difference by becoming a citizen science member of our volunteer team!

Potential Volunteer Opportunities!

*A ending Fremont Volunteer Orienta on is highly recommended

Ques ons? Please contact Paul Mueller at 510‐792‐0222 X 361 or [email protected]

If you have an interest in wildlife and their conservation, enjoy working with people, and are enthusiastic and

dependable, the Environmental Education Center’s Volunteer Program is for you! As a volunteer, you will receive

on‐the‐job training from staff and other volunteers in the project area you choose.

Fall 2017 Sloughs News

Join us in the Litterati Clean Up

San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society is finishing work on our Trash Clean‐up and Pollution

Prevention Education effort funded by the Santa Clara Valley Water District's Safe Clean

Water Program. To see the comprehensive Safe Clean Water Program please visit: http://

www.valleywater.org/SafeCleanWater.aspx; this project falls within Priority B, to reduce

toxins, hazards and contaminants in our waterways. Our activities will continue with

volunteer groups and as a citizen science project. We will use the LitteratiTM app to

photograph and record trash data, and outreach efforts into the community. Please visit

litterati.org for some amazing pictures, to download the app, and let us know if you would

like to arrange training for groups that may be interested in participating. The goal is a

litter free world.

Watch for future event announcements on the San Francisco Bay

NWR Complex Facebook page, as well as the new SFBWS Facebook

page, and join us in cleaning up whenever you visit. Uploaded

photos are tracked by location and time, showing the patterns of

where litter was found, and showing the types of litter as recorded by users. Just download

the app, tuck a bag into your pocket on your way out for a walk, and

track the progress along with us.

If you are interested in becoming a Citizen Science Volunteer for the

Litterati Project at the Environmental Education Center in Alviso,

please contact Hope Presley at hope.presley@s ws.com

San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society is now on Facebook!

SFBWS has officially joined Facebook, thanks to our Interpretive Specialist,

Hope Presley! “Like” us to find out about upcoming events happening at the

Environmental Education Center and Refuge Complex work that SFBWS is a

part of! You can find us at: San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society Facebook


REFUGE HIGHLIGHTS:

PHOTO CORNER

Interns in Action

Pier Fishing Event June 3, 2017

The Amazing Refuge Race August 19, 2017

Day 1: TBA

Activity 1: 10:00 am‐ 11:30 am

Walk along the Tidelands Trail and learn about the

history of the refuge. We will discuss how Don

Edwards NWR became established, the history of the

salt ponds, and the general rules of the refuge.

Activity 2: 11:30 am‐ 12:00 pm

We will walk the LaRiviere Marsh Trail and learn

about the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse, Ridgeway’s Rail

and other local species on the refuge. We will also

discuss the ongoing restoration projects currently

underway at our San Francisco Bay NWR Complex.

Lunch: 30 minutes

Activity 3: 12:30 pm‐ 1:00 pm

We will visit the Fishing Pier and learn about the

trails that visitors can access here.


We will tour the Visitor Center and learn what it has

to offer! We will also discuss the general duties we

expect our volunteers to perform.

Day 2: TBA


Learn the opening/closing procedures and daily

operations of the Visitor Center.


Visitor Center Practical

We’ll role‐play to help you practice your customer

service skills and to prepare for common questions

asked.

Would you like to volunteer at a National Wildlife Refuge? Come on out to Don Edwards

SF Bay NWR and help staff the Visitor Center Help Desk! If interested, please attend our

training session on

TBA

As part of the two day training workshop, we will walk the trails, discuss the history of

refuge, and learn about endangered species that live here! We will also cover the daily

operations of the Visitor Center.

Volunteer Help Desk Training

Don Edwards SF Bay NWR

Volunteer Help Desk Training

Volunteer Help Desk Schedule

For questions or concerns please call 510-792-0222 ext. 362

Sloughs News

Fall 2017

Lange’s Metalmark Butterfly Surveys

It is time once again for the Lange's Metalmark Butterfly counts at Antioch Dunes

National Wildlife Refuge! We will be counting butterflies for several weeks in

August and September and we can use your help.

We will be conducting counts until ZERO butterflies are seen, whenever that may

be in September. You will be briefed on what to do and what to look for on each

day of the count, so first timers are welcome as well as veteran counters!

As you might guess, Antioch in summer is challenging. Temperatures can be very warm to hot, often with a nice breeze,

and the terrain can be uneven and sometimes steep. There are many plants to step over, under and around, as well as

prickly plant parts that will want to go home with you.

However, if you are of the hardy variety, the payoff is fabulous and worth it! Lange's Metalmark Butterflies are found

nowhere else in the world, except at the Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge!! Do not miss this opportunity to see

this gorgeous endangered species!!!

Dates

Thursday, August 31

Thursday, September 7



Times are to be determined later

Interested? Contact Susan Euing at 510-521-9717 or [email protected]

Credit: Susan Euing

San Francisco Bay NWR Complex

1 Marshlands Rd.

Fremont, CA 94555

Help us save paper! Sign up for the full color email version: contact [email protected]

Sloughs News is edited by Paul Mueller, Jackie Warren, and Laura Mello. Contributions came from Genie Moore, Hope Presley, Rachel Caoili, Mary Deschene, Susan Euing, and Carmen Minch. Cover photo by Rick Arellano. Page 10 Amazing Race photos by Chris Barr, Pier Fishing photos by Ellen Tong, Intern photos by Rachel Tertes. Any questions or comments? Call Jackie Warren at 510‐792‐0222, ext362.

Sloughs News

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