The questions that stay with us

This week, I led two very different groups to the Palo Alto Baylands. The first was a group of local Rotarians, all senior to me, equipped with binoculars and basic knowledge of local species. Despite their experience, they were full of youthful curiosity. How do wintering shorebirds find their way here from the Arctic? Where do they roost when the mud is covered by the tide?

Two days later, I led fourth graders from a local school. Their questions were similar, but more numerous, rapid-fire, and urgent. How do they find food? How many Song Sparrows are there in the world? Will they be here all year? And one telling question: What will happen to them when the sea rises and the marsh stays underwater?

Inspiring the next generation of stewards

Questions from young and old remind me how important our education programs are. People of all ages benefit from understanding our environment and the interconnectedness of its plant and animal species.

Launched in 1988, our education programs reach more than 2,000 students from 17 schools each year, many from underserved communities that benefit from these low- or no-cost programs. But we can do more.

Transportation funding for South County schools would expand our reach across Santa Clara County and help close the environmental education gap. Additional education staff would further our mission—an investment in the future.

Turning knowledge into action

Knowledge and action are connected, of course. The more we know, the more effective our efforts can be. For us, that means advocating for the protection of crucial wetlands, grasslands, foothills, waterways, and woodlands. Our tool is education of the our children, the public, decision-makers.

Working with other organizations, our environmental advocates have helped protect more than 38,000 acres of bird habitat, advance bird-safe design standards, and secure Dark Sky Ordinances and Biodiversity Plans in multiple cities. Today, we are opposing data center development in San Jose without adequate protections for communities and wildlife, particularly from persistent noise in neighborhoods and adjacent habitat.

Help us do more

We want to have a greater impact on local environmental issues and to be more effective teachers. Your contributions make it possible. Please donate today and help us reach that goal. Thank you!

Matthew Dodder

Executive Director