Tag Archives: environmental volunteers

barn owls, environmental volunteers, raptors, Robert Barossi

Helping Barn Owls Return

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ID-1006743(Photo by Liz Noffsinger, courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

by Robert Barossi

Volunteers are often an integral part of wildlife protection and preservation programs. These may include anything from banding migratory birds to counting butterflies and listening for the songs of frogs and toads. This story out of Maryland details how volunteers are playing a role in the possible reappearance of the barn owl in the area. Volunteers have been helping to build and monitor barn owl nesting sites. One of those sites recently became the home to the first baby barn owls seen in the area in 17 years, according to the article. The birds were found by a volunteer who checked the nesting box over Memorial Day weekend. With this great work by volunteers and professionals, species which are currently endangered or threatened may be able to thrive once again.

Organizations involved include Calvert County Natural Resources Division and Southern Maryland Audubon Society (their website is currently under construction and not available).

environmental volunteers, ocean friendly gardens, Robert Barossi, San Diego

Ocean Friendly Gardens

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P1000689(Photo by Robert Barossi)

by Robert Barossi

Recently, I posted an environmental volunteer story about gardens and how volunteers help to maintain these green spaces in public areas, especially suburbs, cities and urban centers. Volunteers are also involved in another kind of garden activity. This story out of San Diego details how volunteers are helping residents create ocean friendly gardens. These gardens, which will be installed with the help of professionals and volunteers, will help to keep urban runoff free of pollution, or at least help to significantly lower the pollution that runoff brings to the ocean.

The organization leading the effort is The Surfrider Foundation, check them out here.

environmental volunteers, Robert Barossi, salmon, Uncategorized

Clearing the Path for Salmon

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IMG_2325(Photo by Robert Barossi)

by Robert Barossi

Environmental volunteers work to help ecosystems, natural environments and species of all kinds in many ways. They have an impact on wildlife ranging from insects and amphibians to birds and bears. All of the world, they are doing work that impacts the life that fills our oceans, rivers, streams, lakes and every other body of water. This story from the Auburn Journal details how volunteers are working to help the salmon population. These dedicated citizens are giving their time, effort and energy to help improve more than 30 miles of waterway so that salmon can once again thrive in the area.

The group leading the effort is Save Auburn Ravine Salmon and Steelhead, please check them out.

environmental volunteers, Gulf Coast, Robert Barossi, sea turtles, Uncategorized

Sharing the Beach

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394(Photo by Robert Barossi)

by Robert Barossi

Now that we’re firmly in the middle of summer, it’s definitely beach season. And it’s likely that hundreds of beaches along the east and west coasts are jam packed with millions of people, spending the days lounging in the sun and swimming in the surf. One thing to remember, though, is that many other species also utilize the coastline and that ecosystem. Many creatures share the beach with us, being born and spending much or all of their lives there. This great story out of Alabama, from Gulf Coast News Today, talks about how volunteers are keeping the beach safe for sea turtles along the Gulf. Volunteers walk the beach, looking for and protecting places where turtle nests are located. It’s an important job that goes a long way towards protecting the local population of turtles and ensuring that they can reproduce safely.

Check out the website for the organization leading the effort, appropriately called Share the Beach.

public gardens, Robert Barossi, Uncategorized

Growing Gardens

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IMG_1386(Photo by Robert Barossi)

by Robert Barossi

Public green spaces have become an increasingly important consideration in urban and suburban development. Citizens have demanded these kinds of spaces as planners, governments and nonprofit organizations have put more emphasis on their inclusion in any kind of new development. These green spaces often take the form of gardens, from colorful floral arrangements to desert-like xeriscapes. This article from The Pueblo Chieftan, out of Pueblo, Colorado, discusses how it often falls upon volunteers to maintain publicly held gardens. Volunteers are often the ones giving their time, energy and enthusiasm to maintain green spaces, for the benefit of the entire community.

bird rehabilitation, environmental volunteers, nest knitting, Robert Barossi, San Francisco

New Kind of Knitting Club

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ID-100178770

(Photo by Tina Philips, courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

by Robert Barossi

Every story of an environmental volunteer is exciting, seeing what kind of impact everyday people are having on our planet and their local communities. Some stories go beyond just being exciting, they are also amazing and border on mind-blowing. Here’s a story about volunteers in San Rafael who are knitting nests for birds, in an effort to help rehabilitate abandoned bird chicks. Now, maybe this nest knitting thing happens all the time and I just haven’t come across it before. Whether that’s the case or not, it’s pretty fantastic. Especially considering the nests, over a thousand of them, according to the article, are all knitted by volunteers, freely giving of their time and effort.

WildCare is the organization leading the effort, check them out.

There’s also a longer story about the knitters and their efforts here, in the San Francisco Chronicle

environmental volunteers, Robert Barossi, Tropical Storm Arthur, Wounded Nature

Cleaning Up Shorelines

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440(Photo by Robert Barossi)

by Robert Barossi

This past week, Tropical Storm Arthur crawled up the east coast of the United States, causing havoc along the shores of the Carolinas and up in to New England. After the devastation from major weather events, it’s often volunteers who are out there cleaning up debris that is a threat to ecosystems and the natural environment. This story from the Post and Courier details how one group is looking for more help cleaning up South Carolina’s coast, especially after storms like Arthur.

Find more information here about the organization leading the efforts, Wounded Nature.

 

Detroit, environmental volunteers, Robert Barossi, Rouge River

An Urban Watershed

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SDRandCo (40)(Photo by SDRandCo, courtesy of morgueFile.com)

by Robert Barossi

The city of Detroit has certainly made news over the past few years, and often for the wrong reasons. It can be argued that it’s gotten a bad rap and that there has been a lot of focus on the negatives with no attention paid to the positives. Among the positives are a number of initiatives aimed at sustainability and environmental awareness and/or improvements. There are a number of environmental organizations who remain dedicated to protecting and preserving the natural surroundings. One such group is Friends of The Rouge, an organization which has been monitoring the Rouge River and it’s watershed. This article offers details on how the Friends’ recent reports indicate how the watershed is faring and how it can still be improved.

Check out Friends of the Rouge, for more information about this group and their efforts.

A couple of other green groups in Detroit include Green Garage and The Greening of Detroit.

Coronado National Forest, environmental volunteers, Madera Canyon, Robert Barossi

In The Canyon

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IMG_2414(Photo by Robert Barossi)

by Robert Barossi

Oceans. Lakes. Rivers. Forests. Mountains. Canyons. No matter what sort of landscape or body of water it is, there are volunteers who work to protect it and preserve it. This article from the Green Valley News and Sun details how numerous volunteers are working to protect Madera Canyon and the Coronado National Forest. According to the article, in 2013, volunteers spent nearly 3,000 hours and drove almost 24,000 miles participating in activities dedicated to the canyon’s preservation. While picking up trash is a major project for the volunteers, they spend time doing many other tasks, including maintaining picnic areas and information signs. No matter what form it takes, their work is essential and invaluable.

Find more information here about the primary organization behind the efforts, the Friends of Madera Canyon

Click here for more information about Coronado National Forest, where Madera Canyon is located.

 

Beaver Valley, environmental volunteers, Robert Barossi, Uncategorized

Volunteers Helping to Save a Valley

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Through the TreesPhoto by Robert Barossi

by Robert Barossi

There are numerous ways that volunteers can get involved to help preserve and protect nature and the environment. One motivating factor for many to get involved is planned development, whether residential or commercial. Oftentimes, the development plans spark passionate emotions about the preservation of the land and the need to stop whatever developers are planning. This article from Delaware County News Network tells the story of one such effort, started by two organizations, The Beaver Valley Conservancy and Save the Valley. These groups are fighting to stop development in an area known as Beaver Valley, along the Pennsylvania/Delaware border, and volunteers are playing an important role.

Check out the websites for

Save the Valley

and

Beaver Valley Conservancy

For more information about how their efforts to protect the land are going and  how you can help, especially if you live in that area.