The San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) Friends group, authorized by Congress to support the education, interpretation, and research activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society seeks to nurture in the public a sense of understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuges, their natural and cultural history, and to conserve, preserve, and restore bay lands as essential wildlife habitat.

Join

Become a Supporter of the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society. Your dues will include a subscription to Tide Rising and a 15% discount at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Nature Stores at the Visitor Center in Fremont, and Environmental Education in Alviso.

Volunteer

Volunteer at the Refuge and gain valuable, rewarding experience. Through nature walks, talks and slide programs, help visitors understand and appreciate the natural and cultural history of the Refuge.

Donate

Your support of our education, interpretation, and research activities is more important than ever. Any amount you’re willing to donate will be greatly appreciated! Donations may be fully tax-deductible.

Tide Rising

Tide Rising is a quarterly, digital newsletter published by the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society with information about the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex and its seven Refuges.

Spring 2021

From our blogs

15 Jul 2021

Celebrate Plastic Free July

Plastic Free July is a global movement advocates for solutions to single-use plastic consumption and helps to promote small changes we can make in our daily lives to reduce our plastic footprint. While switching to single-use plastic alternatives might seem like an inconsequential change, everyone working together to reduce their plastic usage can make a huge difference.

We know that avoiding plastic entirely is not always feasible. However, we can take care to avoid or reuse certain plastics that cannot be recycled easily. Taking a little extra time and effort to sort and clean plastic recyclables can make a huge difference in avoiding plastic contamination. Ensuring that our everyday plastics are clean, actually helps divert them from our local landfills and increases their chances of having a second life!

Plastic recycling can be very confusing, but with this quick guide, you can recycle with more confidence and help keep our watersheds, oceans, and communities healthy. You are part of the solution to plastic pollution!

For more information, visit www.calrecycle.ca.gov or email us at watershedwatchers@sfbayws.org.

Field Trips and Scout Programs

General Education Program Information

Free field trip programs are offered at two sites at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society, the City of San Jose, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offer the Living Wetlands program at the Environmental Education Center in Alviso. The Don Edwards Refuge offers Wetland Round-Up field trips at the Refuge Headquarters in Fremont, and at the Environmental Education Center in Alviso.

Upcoming Activities

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Activities This Month

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Our Programs
 

Watershed Watchers

The Watershed Watchers program is a partnership of the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program (SCVURPPP), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society.

The purpose of the Watershed Watchers program and SCVURPPP is to prevent urban runoff pollution (pollution coming from a myriad of sources, such as oils from vehicles, detergents from washing things outside, litter, and pet waste) and increase the surrounding communities’ knowledge of such pollution, and how to reduce its harmful effects through personal behavior.

This purpose is accomplished through many avenues, with the most popular being the interpretive and stewardship programs offered at the Environmental Education Center.

Living on the Edge: A Tour of Bay Habitats

Bike tour on the refuge.As you ride your bike or take a hike around the habitats at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, stop along the way to learn more about the history of the site, the plants and wildlife that live here, and the restoration work being done to ensure a resilient future for our community.

At each stop location (see map below), you will find a sign with a QR code. Scan the code with your mobile device’s camera or app. This will open a web page with information, photos, and additional links about four different topics relevant to each stop.

Seeking Donations for Blue Goose School Bus Transportation Fund

Donations for Blue Goose School Bus Transportation FundThe San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society (Society) is seeking donations to make the Blue Goose School Bus Transportation Fund permanent and sustainable. The Fund pays for buses that enable school field trips to visit the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge as a learning laboratory.

For the last two years, the Fund has enabled school groups to participate in the Wetland Round-up Field Trip (grades K-6) and Living Wetlands (grades 5 – 12) programs at the refuge. These programs actively involve teachers, adult volunteers, and students in investigating the diverse habitats and wildlife of the refuge. Hands-on, small group activities are designed to teach basic ecological concepts and to introduce endangered species, migratory birds, and wetland habitats to the students. The programs are relevant to the appropriate State of California Education Standards.

Drawbridge

Drawbridge in 2011. Photo courtesy Cecilia Craig. Copyright CC-BY-NA 3.0Drawbridge is a ghost town nestled on an island in the salt marshes of south San Francisco Bay.

In its heyday around the 1920s, as many as 600 people visited Drawbridge on weekends to enjoy its rustic atmosphere, and to go hunting, fishing, boating and swimming. Some people remember it as a quiet, peaceful town full of nature lovers, while others claim it was a rip-roaring town full of two-fisted rowdies.

Over time, residents and visitors abandoned the town. In 1979 Drawbridge saw its last resident move out. Since then, it has become a ghost town and is slowly sinking into the marshlands.

Warning: No Trespassing Allowed! Drawbridge is now part of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge and is no longer open to the public. It is illegal and unsafe to visit the town. Trespassers on federally-managed land may be penalized with large fines. Drawbridge can be briefly viewed from the Altamont Commuter Express, Capitol Corridor, and Coast Starlight trains. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducts a Drawbridge Van Excursion led by long-time volunteer Ceal Craig on a periodic basis. The tour does not visit the town itself; it only goes to the closest spot from which one can legally view Drawbridge.