Volunteer Opportunities June

Help needed: Save these events!

We have a number of upcoming outreach events that SCVAS will be participating in that are currently in need of volunteers. Staff has prior commitments so if we are unable to get sufficient volunteers our participation in these events will be canceled. If you are available, please consider signing up to join the fun!

June 1: Habitat Day at the Coyote Creek Field Station

This is a short festival. SCVAS will lead one short bird walk around the surrounding area for the public. Runs 10-1. Setup is 9-10. One volunteer will need to retrieve the tabling materials from McClellan Ranch. Parking is available in the site's lot, as well as on the residential street alongside the festival space.

June 15: Pollinator Day at Martial Cottle Park

This is a short festival running 9-12. Setup is 8-9. Parking is available in the park, near the festival space. One volunteer will need to retrieve the tabling materials from McClellan Ranch.

June 15: Father's Day Nest Box Building Activity at The Club in Los Gatos

Morning event assisting members of the public build nest box kits. Tools are provided. No prior experience with power tools required outside of a basic understanding of how a drill works. Chuck Wade will be bringing tools and kits to the location. Further details to come.

Egret Office Hours: A Curious Colony

Eek! The last Egret Office Hours of the season is upon us! Come on out for your last chance to help introduce Googlers to their local rookery on June 12th from 11am-1pm.

Bioblitz: Scientific Snapshots

This Sunday, June 2nd, there will be a Bioblitz at Alum Rock Park. Bring your family and friends to document the Spring bloom, butterflies, fawns, and of course plenty of birds! No special knowledge required, just a smartphone with the free app iNaturalist installed.

Volunteer hours are available to docents and participants who document ten or more observations.

The event will run 9:00-11:30 and participants will gather at the Youth Science Institute/Mineral Springs Parking Lot.

Board of Directors: Join the team

We are currently accepting applications to join our board of directors! Board members play a crucial role in guiding the organization's strategic direction, ensuring fiduciary responsibility, and ensuring the successful execution of our initiatives. We are actively seeking members with prior experience in professional leadership, fundraising, and/or marketing. If you are passionate about SCVAS, visit the website for more details.

The deadline for applications is June 17th.

Volunteer Opportunities May 2024

SOCIAL MEDIA INTERNS: BIRDS ARE REAL

SCVAS is recruiting students with a passion for the environment and an interest in social media to assist in content creation across SCVAS’s social media platforms. We are looking for content on local conservation and environmental issues, informative accounts of local species and habitat. Interns will attend a biweekly zoom meeting, attend at least two SCVAS events each month, and will be responsible for postings to SCVAS’s Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and other platforms.

Interested students can apply by sending a social media portfolio and a one-minute video on a local environmental issue, or local species of wildlife they are passionate about, to Carolyn Knight at programs@scvas.org. Further details here.

Egret Office Hours: A Curious Colony

Are you a bird lover who loves to meet new people? Join the Egret Office Hours team to share the love of the egrets and herons of Shorebird Way in Mountain View. Through the breeding season, volunteers are available during lunch on select Wednesday to show the nests and hatchlings of the breeding colony to the public. In addition to sharing the wonderful part of the birds’ life cycle with people, this is also an opportunity to discuss local conservation efforts, the importance of protecting breeding habitat, and introduce people to the joy of birding!

NATURE SHOP: HELPING FEED THE BIRDS

SCVAS is looking for reliable volunteers to help run the nature shop on an as-needed basis. Volunteers are responsible for answering basic birding and wildlife related questions for the public over the phone and in person, entering sales in the Nature Shop, filling and cleaning the feeders and bird baths, and helping with the occasional mailing.

Contact April Austin at scvas@scvas.org for further information.

SCVAS Board of Directors

A SCVAS Field Trip

Description

Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society (SCVAS), founded in 1925, promotes the enjoyment, understanding, and protection of birds and other wildlife by engaging people of all ages in birding, education, and conservation. As we approach our centennial, SCVAS continues to thrive with a vibrant membership of over 1250 individuals, supported by a dedicated team of conservation professionals and a dedicated and knowledgeable board of directors.

SCVAS is seeking dedicated individuals located in the greater San Francisco Bay Area to join and actively participate in our Board of Directors. Board Directors play a crucial role in guiding the organization's strategic direction, ensuring fiduciary responsibility, and ensuring the successful execution of our initiatives.

Directors are expected to commit for a minimum of three (3) years.

Board Directors support SCVAS financially, within their means. 

We are particularly interested in directors with interest and experience in finance, fundraising, and outreach, but will consider other skills and interests as defined below.

Board of Directors Responsibilities

• Review and protect the mission of SCVAS

• Develop, Train, and Self-Evaluate the Board of Directors

• Actively participate in SCVAS planning efforts

• Serve as a fiduciary of SCVAS

• Select, support, and evaluate the Executive Director

• Serve as final court of appeals in internal conflicts

• Monitor the external environment in which SCVAS operates

• Serve as ambassador and spokesperson for SCVAS

Responsibilities of Individual Board Members

In addition to the above general responsibilities of the Board of Directors, individual’s responsibilities include the following:

• Know the organization’s mission, policies, programs, and needs, as well as understand its collective purpose.

• Faithfully read and understand the organization’s financial statements and board materials in advance of meetings.

• Prepare for and actively participate in meetings of the Board, generally held virtually using video conferencing, up to 12 times per year.

• Attend and actively participate in an annual strategic meeting, held in-person within Santa Clara County.

• Actively participate in two or more committees or organization-wide projects.

• Leverage connections, networks, and resources to develop collective action to achieve the organization’s mission.

Qualifications

All candidates must have a passion for environmental conservation and education, and be able to actively participate in board, committee, and organizational activities as outlined above.

Additionally, SCVAS is actively seeking candidates with one or more of the following qualifications:

• Prior experience in a professional leadership role, such as people management, project management, or budget management within corporate or non-profit organizations.

• Prior experience in development and fundraising. Experience in fundraising and associated efforts is a strong focus of our recruitment efforts, as we seek to enhance this capacity within our organization.

• Demonstrated ability to engage with and advocate for the interests of youth and underrepresented communities across Santa Clara County.

• Prior experience in online marketing, including growing audience breadth and engagement through email, newsletters, and social media. 

How to Apply 

If you are passionate about the mission of SCVAS and have the qualifications outlined above, we invite you to join our dedicated team of board members and make a positive impact on the Santa Clara Valley's natural environment.

To express your interest or inquire further, please submit your resume, a brief cover letter, and any relevant references to nominationcommittee@scvas.org with the subject line "SCVAS Board Director Application." We look forward to welcoming individuals who share our commitment to the preservation of our local birdlife and ecosystems.

Deadline for applications: 17 June 2024

Note: Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society is an equal opportunity organization and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.

We are actively seeking to create a diverse board because teams are stronger with different perspectives and experiences. We value a diverse board and encourage women, people of color, LGBTQIA individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and others from minority groups and diverse backgrounds to apply.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Volunteer Opportunities April 2024

Bioblitz participants at Kelley Park

Bioblitz: Help document nature

Whether you’re an experienced birder or a mushroom superfan, naturalists of all stripes and levels of experience are welcome to join our documentation efforts at a bioblitz. We will be using iNaturalist to document our observations. Knowledge about our local plants and animals are helpful, but not required.

Volunteer hours are available to docents and participants who document ten or more observations.

• April 6: North Coyote Valley

• April 28: Almaden Quicksilver

Barn Owls: Teresa Cheng

NEST BOX MONITORING: MAINTAINING SAFE SPACES

Do you want to get outside and help your local cavity nesting birds? SCVAS is currently looking for volunteers to assist with nest box monitoring responsibilities on established trails throughout Santa Clara County. Get a close up look at the most secretive part of a bird's life, and get involved in a state-wide community science project! Open locations include areas of Almaden Quicksilver, and Ridge Winery. Students interested in monitoring can inquire about schoolyard boxes.

Volunteers must provide their own transportation to trails and be able lift weights of up to 10 pounds overhead (for the purposes of nest box retrieval).

Contact Carolyn Knight at programs@scvas.org for more information and to get connected!

SOCIAL MEDIA INTERNS: BIRDS ARE REAL

SCVAS is recruiting students with a passion for the environment and an interest in social media to assist in content creation across SCVAS’s social media platforms. We are looking for content on local conservation and environmental issues, informative accounts of local species and habitat. Interns will attend a biweekly zoom meeting, attend at least two SCVAS events each month, and will be responsible for postings to SCVAS’s Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and other platforms.

Interested students can apply by sending a social media portfolio and a one-minute video on a local environmental issue, or local species of wildlife they are passionate about, to Carolyn Knight at programs@scvas.org. Further details here.

Burrowing Owl: Sunny Mar

Habitat Restoration: Supporting Burrowing Owls

Get your hands dirty and help some amazing birds! Join biologists for a morning work day removing invasive plants from sensitive nesting habitat. We will provide gloves (although you are welcome to bring your own), hand tools and will give an educational presentation on burrowing owls and the weeding project. Volunteers MUST be 18 or older.

• April 13

• May 4

Due to the sensitivity of Burrowing Owls to disturbance, the location of the work site is only shared with participants. Contact Carolyn Knight at programs@scvas.org with interest.

Egret Office Hours: A Curious Colony

Are you a bird lover who loves to meet new people? Join the Egret Office Hours team to share the love of the egrets and herons of Shorebird Way in Mountain View. Through the breeding season, volunteers are available during lunch on select Wednesday to show the nests and hatchlings of the breeding colony to the public. In addition to sharing the wonderful part of the birds’ life cycle with people, this is also an opportunity to discuss local conservation efforts, the importance of protecting breeding habitat, and introduce people to the joy of birding!

NATURE SHOP: HELPING FEED THE BIRDS

SCVAS is looking for reliable volunteers to help run the nature shop on an as-needed basis. Volunteers are responsible for answering basic birding and wildlife related questions for the public over the phone and in person, entering sales in the Nature Shop, filling and cleaning the feeders and bird baths, and helping with the occasional mailing.

Contact April Austin at scvas@scvas.org for further information.

Volunteer Opportunities March 2023

Nest Box Monitoring: Maintaining Safe Spaces

Do you want to get outside and help your local cavity nesting birds? SCVAS is currently looking for volunteers to assist with nest box monitoring responsibilities on established trails throughout Santa Clara County. Get a close up look at the most secretive part of a bird's life, and get involved in a state-wide community science project! Open locations include areas of Almaden Quicksilver, McClellan Ranch, and Ridge Winery.

Volunteers must provide their own transportation to trails and be able lift weights of up to 10 pounds overhead (for the purposes of nest box retrieval).

Contact Carolyn Knight at programs@scvas.org for more information and to get connected!

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Cuesta Park with Susan Tenney

Field Trips: Bringing People to the Birds

Self-Guided Field Trip Writers

Do you have a favorite birding place that would make a great self-guided field trip? We are looking for more submissions. This task does not require any technical skills besides email, it only requires a love of your location and basic birding knowledge. We will make the maps for you, collect any bird photos you need, and even take the location photos. 

In particular, we are looking for new guides on Agnews Historic Park, Pacheco State Park, Sanborn County Park (main entrance), Rancho Cañada del Oro or any location we haven’t covered yet. 

Please contact Eve Meier at fieldtrips@scvas.org for more information. 

Required: SCVAS member

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Naturalists Needed: Inspiring a Love of Nature

Whether you're a birder or really into lichen, an expert with native plants or some other taxa entirely, we're looking for naturalists to help out at an upcoming BioBlitz Saturday, March 18, 9:00AM - 11:00AM at the Kelley Park Disc Golf Course. SCVAS is working with Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful to put this event on and we're excited to invite you to join us!

Register as a docent here.

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Outreach: Share the love (of birds)

SCVAS periodically hosts informational tables at community events and with other conservation organizations. Spend a couple hours of your time to help these SCVAS outreach events and share your love of birds with other people! SCVAS periodically hosts informational tables at community events and with other conservation organizations. Spend a couple hours of your time to help these SCVAS outreach events and share your love of birds with other people! Events include partnerships with Veggielution, Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful, Friends of Rengstorff House, and more!

• Join our email group to easily get updates about these tabling and outreach events here

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Nature Shop: Helping feed the birds

SCVAS is looking for reliable volunteers to help run the nature shop on an as-needed basis. Volunteers are responsible for answering basic birding and wildlife related questions for the public over the phone and in person, entering sales in the Nature Shop, filling and cleaning the feeders and bird baths, and helping with the occasional mailing.

Contact April Austin at scvas@scvas.org for further information.