At the heart of International Bird Rescue’s Cordelia Slough Youth Education Program, our incredible volunteers bring a simple yet powerful mission to life: connect students with the beauty around them in greater Solano County. Through their efforts, they inspire the next generation to appreciate and protect local wildlife.
Land Maintenance, Citizen Science, and Docent Programs in Action
The Cordelia Slough and surrounding Suisun Marsh is a part of the Pacific Flyway, a superhighway for migratory birds. The Pacific Flyway Fund awarded Bird Rescue 55 acres of stunning riparian and marsh habitat to bring wildlife and environmental literacy to the next generation of advocates for nature.
Our volunteer program has three interconnected parts: land maintenance, citizen science, and our docent program:
- Land Maintenance: Volunteers work to keep pathways clear and address safety concerns, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for visitors.
- Citizen Science: We conduct a bi-monthly Bird Census, tracking numerous bird species, including the Suisin Song Sparrow. This ongoing data collection helps us understand the health of our local ecosystems.
- Docent Program: We offer enriching field trips in the Suisun Marsh, where students of all ages are introduced to the diverse wildlife in their own backyard.
Discover more about the Docent Program by reading about the exciting experience kids had from last February’s Backyard Bird Count in this blog post. To request a field trip for your school group, please fill out this request form.
These three components work in harmony to keep everyone informed and the program evolving. Land maintenance alerts citizen scientists to changes in the habitat, while census data from the bird count guides our educational programs on seasonal species, creating a collaborative cycle of care, observation, and learning.
Building a Strong Foundation
Our volunteer program has grown steadily and sustainably, developing into a self-sufficient model that thrives on collaboration and feedback. A dedicated team worked closely with staff to develop a comprehensive training program, creating all necessary materials for the three volunteer components. Each new participant undergoes an orientation followed by site-specific onboarding, with additional tailored training for docents based on their roles.
To ensure ongoing improvement and community engagement, each event is meticulously planned and followed by debriefing sessions where volunteers can share insights to enhance future programs. This structured approach fosters accountability and ownership, empowering every volunteer to make meaningful contributions to our mission.
We’re constantly exploring ways to expand our curriculum and engage more experts in our programs. Upcoming initiatives include enhanced land maintenance focusing on habitat improvement, such as removing invasive species and planting native plants to attract birds of the Pacific Flyway. Additionally, we are also seeking to host more family-friendly events such as CBC4Kids, Backyard Bird Count, and Wetlands Appreciation Days.
Who Can Get Involved?
Our program is perfect for:
- Birders looking to enhance data collection using their skills
- Retired educators eager to continue their teaching journey in new ways
- Individuals passionate about habitat improvement and conservation
- Those who enjoy manual labor, seeking meaningful ways to give back to their community
If you’re interested in being a volunteer, click here to sign up. If volunteering isn’t feasible for you, consider supporting our program in other ways:
- Donations for transportation, like funds for buses
- Items from our Amazon wish list
- Binocular donations for our educational programs
For any questions, please email us at education@birdrescue.org
Together, we can foster a community that values wildlife conservation and education. Join us as we continue to grow, adapt, and inspire the next generation. Stay tuned for more updates on our progress and future events!