From our blogs

Work to save San Francisco Bay only just begun

La Riviere Marsh at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Photo courtesy Oleg Alexandrov via Wikipedia.

La Riviere Marsh at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Photo courtesy Oleg Alexandrov via Wikipedia.

According to the San Francisco Estuary Institute, the San Francisco Bay baylands have been disappearing since the 1800s. In 1999, the Bay Area community set out to ensure that the bay had 100,000 acres of tidal marsh. This year the bay has 58,000 acres, some of them newly restored and evolving into marshlands.

An editorial in the San Francisco Chronicle urges Bay Area residents to "help spread the vision of a restored bay and persuade officials in the 101 Bay Area governments to share in it."

New Viewing Scope at EEC, Alviso

Viewing scope at EEC, Alviso. Photo courtesy US FWS.

Viewing scope at EEC, Alviso. Photo courtesy US FWS.

Just in time for the busy holiday birding season, a new viewing scope has been installed at the Environmental Education Center, Alviso with funds provided by the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society (SFBWS).

A commemorative plaque on the viewing scope honors Jed Somit who volunteered on the Board of Director of SFBWS for many years. An attorney based in Oakland, Jed Somit volunteered his time to draw up the Society's initial charter documents and provided the guidance that got the not-for-profit organization started in 1987.

Decades-long Bair Island Restoration Project comes to fruition

by Ceal Craig

Yesterday morning, the last levee on Inner Bair Island was breached. The salty waters of the San Francisco Bay gurgled into its sloughs and began reclaiming the land that had been diked off decades ago. And so came to fruition a 33-year long project to restore all parts of Bair Island to marshland.

Final levee break at Bair Island on Dec 10, 2015. Photo courtesy Ceal Craig. Copyright CC-BY-SA 3.0

Final levee break at Bair Island on Dec 10, 2015. Photo courtesy Ceal Craig. Copyright CC-BY-SA 3.0

Volunteer Opportunities: Winter 2015

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Opportunities: Winter 2015 at the Environmental Education Center (Alviso, California).

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’ll receive on-the- job training from staff and other volunteers in the project area you choose.

Prior to volunteering at the Environmental Education Center, you must attend a Volunteer Orientation. You can also attend the orientation just to see what opportunities there are, and if it is the right fit for you.

Upcoming Volunteer Orientations

Volunteer orientations will meet in the auditorium of the Environmental Education Center in Alviso from 11 a.m. to noon:

  • Tuesday, January 5
  • Tuesday, February 9
  • Sunday, January 24
  • Saturday, February 27

Give the Gift of Membership

This winter give the gift of membership in the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society to your family and friends.

Your donations will support the environmental education and public outreach programs at the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

Remember your friends and loved ones through a donation in their name. Send a donation by December 7, 2015 and we’ll send you a gift card by December 21, 2015.

Short Answers to Hard Questions About Climate Change

As the United nations conference on climate change gets underway in Paris, the New York Times has provided quick answers to frequently asked questions on this complicated issue.

Short Answers to Hard Questions About Climate Change
By Justin Gillis
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/11/28/science/what-is-climate-ch...

Have more questions? Submit them here.

Climate change is real and important

In response to a recent article by David Siegel denying climate change, a group of authors have produced a summary of the causes and impact of climate change, and tactics used to deny climate science. The article is a good introduction to the problem of climate change, presented in a non-technical manner.

Climate Change is Real, and Important
By Josh Halpern, Greg Laden, Collin Maessen, Miriam O’Brien, Ken Rice and Michael Tobis
https://medium.com/@miriamob/climate-change-is-real-and-important-646b66...

A time for reflection

As the year ends, a time for reflection occurs. One question we could ask is: Where have we contributed to help others? Whether you were a volunteer who donated your time this year or a donor providing money for a cause you value, helping others can be satisfying. If you are enjoying the Tideline, we hope you will consider helping out the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex with its seven refuges.

Giving Opportunities

Give the gift of membership in the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society! Join at http://sfbws.com/join. Your gift goes into the general San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society funds to support the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex programs.

Donate to the Yellow School Bus Transportation Fund that provides equitable access to our Environmental Education programs for students from low-income neighborhoods. http://sfbws.com/donate

Help us make a connection at your company: Email mary [dot] deschene [at] sfbws [dot] com about your company’s programs for community involvement and charitable giving and we’ll take it from there.

How birdy is your Halloween costume?

Audubon California Halloween birdy costume winner 2014, June James

Audubon California Halloween birdy costume winner 2014, June James. Photo courtesy June James via Audubon California.

Join Audubon California's search for the best bird-themed Halloween costumes!

Show Audubon your inner bird and win a prize for your bird-tacular creation in one of the following categories:

  • Best kid/pet bird costume
  • Best adult bird costume
  • Scariest bird costume
  • Best group/pair bird costume

Post your photos on Audubon California's Facebook page, tweet them, Instagram them with the hashtag #bestbirdcostume (or you can email them at auduboncalifornia [at] audubon [dot] org).

S.F. Baylands Report Urges Working With Nature

- via a press release from the California State Coastal Conservancy.

In a recently released report, over 200 scientists and government officials propose a new approach to manage the challenge of sea level rise in San Francisco Bay: Work with nature, rather than against it, to protect homes, businesses, and shoreline communities from sea level rise, extreme storms, and flooding.

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