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Look for special events at your local national wildlife refuge to celebrate the largest network of lands devoted to wildlife and conservation. There’s at least one in every state. In the meantime, here’s some trivia about the refuges in the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

By the numbers ...

• 7 National Wildlife Refuges are in the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge System Complex.
• 2 percent of San Pablo Bay NWR lands were purchased using money generated by the sale of Federal Duck Stamps.
• 11 adult burrowing owls were surveyed at the Warm Springs Unit on the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay NWR in June 2014.
• 40 years ago the north Farallon Islands and West End Island were designated as Wilderness by US Congress.
• 40,000 cubic yards of sand dredged from the San Joaquin River as part of the Port of Stockton’s annual river maintenance program were deposited on Antioch Dunes NWR to create sand dune habitat. More is needed.
• 1992 is the year Marin Islands NWR was established.
• 14 Santa Cruz long-toed salamander larvae were discovered in newly constructed Prospect Pond at Ellicott Slough NWR.
• 4 federally-listed threatened and endangered species are known to occur on Salinas River NWR.

Come volunteer as an organizer for the Coastal Cleanup Day at the Dumbarton Fishing Pier Parking Lot, Marshlands Rd, Fremont on Saturday, September 20, 2014. Organized by the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the event is expected to draw a hundred odd participants who will remove invasive weeds or pick up trash along the parking lot and trails.

You can volunteer in any of the following ways:

• Set up the tents and tables at around 8 am on Saturday September 20.
• Hand out registration forms at the registration table and accept filled-out forms.
• Direct participants at the assignment (and safety message) table.
• Hand out gloves and trash bags to participants at the equipment table.
• Ride shuttles along the Shoreline Trail with our truck drivers to pick up trash bags, hand out water, or take people back from farther areas.
• Help participants identify and remove the targeted invasive plants in the weed removal project.
• Troubleshoot, solve problems, give out information about the refuge, and assist where needed.
• Take everything down at the end of the event around noon

To volunteer or ask a question please contact Paul Mueller, Volunteer Coordinator, San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Email paul_mueller@fws.gov or call at 510-792-0222, ext. 361.

(via The White House, Office of the Press Secretary)

NATIONAL WILDERNESS MONTH, 2014
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The Environmental Education volunteer internship is located at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Environmental Education Center in Alviso, CA. The Environmental Education Center provides free programs to schools and the public, while teaching about the local wildlife, conservation, and how to help the environment. The Living Wetlands program is designed to teach about wetlands and the properties of wetlands including watersheds and water conservation. We need a highly motivated individual who has an interest in education and visitor services and will assist in educating, planning, and developing the Living Wetlands program.