|
Conservation
The SDAS Conservation Committee is a group of people dedicated to protecting wildlife habitat in San Diego County. These volunteers monitor city and county hearings, comment on Environmental Impact Reports, and participate in committees active in environmental protection. The Committee networks with other Audubon chapters and environmental groups to establish the strongest voice for protection of natural resources.
Field Trips
With nearly 500 species of birds recorded in San Diego County, field trips are popular with our members. Approximately 50 field trips are scheduled each year at over 40 locations around the county. Several are especially planned for the beginning birder. Each is lead by an experienced guide. All trips are open to SDAS members and the public and designed for all levels of experience. Whether at easy morning walks or weekend outings, thousands have enjoyed SDAS-lead birdwatching.
Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary
One of SDAS' proudest accomplishments is the development of the Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary. This 750 acre chaparral preserve, located in the foothills northeast of San Diego, is owned by SDAS. Eighty five acres of the property were donated to SDAS in 1966. Surrounding land parcels have been subsequently acquired. The primary purpose of Silverwood is to preserve a block of diverse foothill habitat as near to its original state as possible. This unique wildlife sanctuary is open to members and visitors who can hike and observe its wide variety of flora and fauna.
Education
To develop the next generation of environmentally aware citizens, the SDAS education committee presents slide presentations on diverse birding topics. These are provided to San Diego schools and other interested groups. The chapter coordinates the National Audubon Society's Audubon Adventures for local schools. This program supplies schools with educational materials on natural history for schoolroom use. SDAS participates in judging for the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair and presents special awards to outstanding projects.
SKETCHES Newsletter
The SDAS newsletter (issued nine times each year) keeps members informed of chapter events and activities. SKETCHES lists all upcoming field trips with detailed instructions for meeting the leader as well as reports of previous trips. It regularly includes essays on active conservation issues, a report on Silverwood, and listings of volunteer opportunities. SKETCHES can be viewed on the SDAS web site. As the voice of SDAS, SKETCHES has something of interest to both the dedicated member and the casual reader.
Social and Speaker Meetings
Each month SDAS organizes a lecture presentation or a social event for its members. Meetings have included prominent researchers discussing their latest work, slide presentations by world travelers, and documentary films with interest to the birding community. Each year, SDAS has a dinner banquet in which outstanding conservation work is recognized. A summer picnic is held for members.
|
