Past Events

Join San Jose State University Professor Dr. Costanza Rampini for a discussion on whose values and voices are prioritized in climate change solutions. Dr. Rampini, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Studies, will inquire into who will benefit, who will lose, and who will be left out as different countries, regions, cities, and communities try to reduce their greenhouse gas… Read More

You can join the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO) and the Restoration Project to help improve nesting habitat for threatened western snowy plovers and endangered California least terns! Staff and volunteers will spread oyster shells donated from area restaurants on a dry pond bottom. 
This event is open to all ages, but please note that there are no restroom facilities at the site.… Read More

Interested in a volunteer opportunity you can do for school, work, or just for fun, that you can do on your own or with your household? Calling middle and high school students and scout groups! Come to the Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge and take photos to record the high tides called King Tides. The Refuge has a few spots around Alviso to view the year's highest tides. Participants… Read More

Join a Refuge biologist for a leisurely morning stroll to view shorebirds that frequent the Pond SF2! This will be an interpretive guided tour to learn about resident bird species, migratory birds and the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project. Many migratory waterfowl are traveling through the Bay Area from October through January along what is known as the Pacific Flyway migratory path. This… Read More

Come join Save The Bay at Ravenswood and help protect marshes from invasive plants! Invasive species degrade habitat by crowding out the California native species that our landscapes and wildlife have adapted to live with. Save The Bay will be pulling invasive plant species to make way for the native plants that staff and volunteers put in the ground. This will transform the degraded habitat… Read More

Join SFBBO ecologists to help restore habitat for birds and other wildlife at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve in Union City! Volunteers will get to tour a restoration site that was just seeded and planted by SFBBO in fall-winter 2022-2023. The restoration site is not normally accessible to the public, so volunteers will get special access to a restricted area while helping SFBBO put in native… Read More

It is planting season! All the work Save The Bay has done throughout the year collecting seed, growing and caring for our precious native plants has been leading to this moment of opportunity provided by the seasonal rains. Save The Bay invites you to join them in putting these plants in the ground at the Ravenswood Unit of Don Edwards NWR, adjacent to Bedwell Bayfront Park.

Come join Save The Bay at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve to help restore former industrial salt ponds into healthy salt marsh habitat! They will be pulling invasive plants using hand picks and gloves to give the native marsh plants they put in over the winter a chance to establish themselves.
See here for more info and to register.

Learn the latest about the life and times of our local burrowing owls from our own first Lead Scientist, Dr. Lynne Trulio of San Jose State University, at this free online lecture hosted by the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO).
Register here.

Join San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory ecologists to help restore habitat for birds and other wildlife at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve in Union City! 
Volunteers will get to tour a restoration site that was just seeded and planted by SFBBO in fall-winter 2022-2023. The restoration site is not normally accessible to the public, so volunteers will get special access to a restricted area while… Read More

Winter is coming! 
For our partners at Save The Bay who are growing plants for our Ravenswood marsh restoration, that means it is time to prepare for planting season in high hopes of catching the seasonal rain. 
Save The Bay restoration managers hope you will join them at the Ravenswood Nursery to get the native plants they’ve been growing all season ready to restore the marsh in front of Menlo… Read More

It is planting season! 
All the work Save The Bay has done throughout the year collecting seed, growing and caring for precious native plants has been leading to this moment right as the seasonal rains approach. 
Save The Bay restoration managers hope you will join them in putting these plants in the ground at Eden Landing, where they will help transform former industrial salt ponds into… Read More

Join Grassroots Ecology, Climate Resilient Communities, and San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory for a bird walk along the East Palo Alto marsh - no prior birding experience is required! 

It is planting season! All the work Save The Bay has done throughout the year collecting seed, growing and caring for precious native plants has been leading to this moment right as the seasonal rains approach. Restoration manager hope you will join in putting these plants in the ground at the Ravenswood Unit of Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge, next to Menlo Park's Bedwell Bayfront Park.… Read More

Come join Save The Bay at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Eden Landing Ecological Reserve to help restore former industrial salt ponds into healthy salt marsh habitat! As part of a partnership project with the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, volunteers will be pulling invasive plants using hand picks and gloves to give the native marsh plants planted last winter a chance… Read More

It is planting season! All the work we’ve done throughout the year collecting seed, growing and caring for our precious native plants has been leading to this moment right as the seasonal rains approach. We hope you will join us in putting these plants in the ground at Eden landing, where they will help reclaim former industrial salt ponds and restore them into healthier salt marsh habitat for… Read More

As we celebrate the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration's 20th anniversary, Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge's 51st, and World Conservation Day, you can come explore a Menlo Park hidden gem for migratory shorebirds and nesting waterbirds!
You'll take a leisurely stroll with Wildlife Biologist Rachel Tertes along a Ravenswood pond with bird nesting islands just south of Dumbarton… Read More

Join Save The Bay at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve to help restore former industrial salt ponds into healthy salt marsh habitat! 
Save The Bay staff and volunteers will pull invasive plants using hand picks and gloves to give the native marsh plants put in over the winter a chance to establish themselves. 
Register or add the event to your calendar here.

Join biologists at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve to view one of the few breeding colonies of the endangered California Least Tern in the San Francisco Bay! 
The group at the free San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO) event will look for adults incubating nests, young downy chicks being fed by their parents, older feathered chicks running around the colony, and fledglings learning to fly!… Read More

Come join Save The Bay at the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project Ravenswood Ponds site and help protect our marshes from invasive plants! 
Invasive species degrade habitat by crowding out the California native species that our landscapes and wildlife have adapted to live with. 
Save The Bay staff and volunteers will pull invasive plants to make way for the native plants that they put in the… Read More

Come join Save The Bay at their Ravenswood site to participate in California Invasive Species Action Week! Invasive species degrade habitat by crowding out the California native species that our landscapes and wildlife have adapted to live with. The crew will be pulling invasive plant species to make way for the native plants that Save The Bay staff and volunteers put in the ground earlier this… Read More

Join us for a walking tour to learn about South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project Phase 2 recreation, restoration and flood risk management plans for southern Eden Landing.
The 2- to 3-mile guided field tour will be held, along with a van tour that required RSVPs and now has full registration, at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s reserve. The walking tour does not require… Read More

Come to Eden Landing to stomp mud, all to help a threatened little bird!
Join the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory at a new restoration site at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Eden Landing Ecological Reserve in Union City. 

Join the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for Earth Day at the Refuge to celebrate our Earth and its endangered species & learn how we can do our part to protect them!

Join Save the Bay March 18th at Eden Landing to help weed, mulch, and maintain our beautiful new native plants, just planted in January! Please dress for any weather (we will run programs in light rain), wear closed toed shoes, and bring water. 

Come join Save The Bay at Eden Landing to help with maintena

Come join Save The Bay at their Ravenswood site to help remo

Join ecologists with the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO) to help restore habitat for birds and other wildlife at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve in Union City! Volunteers will get to tour a brand new South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project restoration site that was just seeded and planted by SFBBO in fall-winter 2022-2023. The restoration site is not normally accessible to the public,… Read More

Join Save The Bay on the shoreline at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve to help take care of their brand new site along the road to the kayak launch. They’ll be weeding, mulching, and watering the native plants that are going out this winter. Save The Bay strives to include volunteers of all abilities in their programs.
Register here.
If you have specific access needs, please reach out to gonorati@… Read More

Join us on a 2-mile bike ride along the San Francisco Bay Shoreline to Alviso to see the highest tides of the year. Meet at Baylands Park, Sunnyvale, and join Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition to see how the South Bay is responding with massive construction projects to combat the effects of climate change and sea level rise.

Save The Bay needs your help at its nursery in Bedwell Bayfront Park, Menlo Park. Habitat restorers and volunteers will be weeding and preparing plants for their journey to the outside world!
Registration LinkWebsite link
Upon registering, folks will receive confirmation and directions.

Wilson's and Red-necked Phalaropes are tiny but charismatic shorebirds that rely on saline lakes like Mono Lake and Owens Lake as their most critical gas stations on their epic migration to South America. Saline lakes are threatened worldwide by water diversion and climate change, and presumably phalaropes are threatened along with them.

As part of its Adaptive Management Plan, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project tracks habitat evolution and change in South San Francisco Bay, with particular focus on changes to marsh vegetation and mudflat acreages.

Want to learn more about the large-scale restoration projects taking place around the San Francisco Bay? Interested in how the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge and its partners undertake daily restoration activities? Looking to improve your outdoor spaces and make them more watershed-friendly and drought-resistant?

Help restore our Bay and get some much needed fresh air at the Refuge!

Join the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory to help enhance habitat for snowy plovers and least terns!
Volunteers will gather at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Eden Landing Ecological Reserve in Hayward to remove predator perches, trim overgrown vegetation, and spread oyster shells to help camouflage the protected birds from predators. These activities will help improve the… Read More

You are invited to a celebratory Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge 50th anniversary open house, including guided walks, ranger talks, crafts and activities, refreshments, and fun for all!
Here is the day's activities:

Weeding Party: You are invited to join Santa Clara County Parks Natural Resource Management team, in partnership with San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, in their efforts to restore the coastal habitat of Alviso Marina County Park.
Volunteers will assist in the removal of invasive plants and the spreading of mulch in preparation for the planting of native plants.
Please bring sturdy gloves,… Read More

Dr. Kristen Ruegg will discuss her work to map migratory bird population challenges at this free virtual event. Most populations of migratory birds are now threatened. It is estimated that the populations of 1 out of every 2 songbirds are declining in the Western Hemisphere with impacts predicted to worsen with climate change. However, because migratory birds have breeding, migratory, and… Read More

Join San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory biologists at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve to view one of only six San Francisco Bay breeding colonies of endangered California least terns.
The group at the free event will look for adults incubating nests, young downy chicks being fed by their parents, older feathered chicks running around the colony, and fledglings learning to fly.

Shorebirds are an exciting yet vexing group for birders to identify. At this free virtual event, Jon Dunn and Lara Tseng will discuss sandpipers: not only their identification, but also plumages, structure, molts, behavior, status and distribution. They will also talk about how to look at and study shorebirds – doing so requires some memorization but more importantly patience, love, and… Read More

Amie MacDonald at the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory's Birdy Hour Speaker Series discusses the latest technological approach to tracking bird migration.

David Thomson, founder of San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory's Habitats Program, will discuss upland transition zone strategies and other activities of the Habitats Program during more than a decade of work at SFBBO's latest Birdy Hour.

Join San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory at Eden Landing to help enhance habitat for endangered California least terns!
Volunteers will join SFBBO staff at Pond E14 in Eden Landing Ecological Reserve, which supports one of only six Least Tern breeding colonies in the San Francisco Bay estuary!

Help restore our Bay and get some much needed fresh air at the Refuge.

Join Ceal Craig of the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society, for a unique opportunity to dive into the history of Drawbridge, a 'ghost town' that once housed a thriving community on an island along the South San Francisco Bay, in the Alviso Ponds of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Join us for the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory's annual event to help enhance habitat for western snowy plovers!

Dave Halsing, Restoration Project Executive Project Manager, will share information about wetlands restoration at a group bike ride along the Bay Trail in Mountain View. Mountain View Council Member Pat Showalter and environmental advocate Lenny Siegel will also participate in the event, which will include information about environmental issues at Moffett Field. The bike ride is sponsored by… Read More

Join the plucky group of volunteers who will meet at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve in Hayward to improve the lot of least terns and western snowy plovers by spreading oyster shells, removing predator perches, and improving foraging habitat for the listed species.
The 2nd annual event at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife reserve is sponsored by the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory… Read More

Join Don Edwards Refuge Wildlife Biologist Rachel Tertes for a virtual program on South San Francisco Bay salt marsh biodiversity.  The event is  part of a celebration o California Biodiversity Week, September 4-13. More information:
Celebrate California Biodiversity Week and learn about the Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge!

Refuge Ranger Miguel Marquez and Olivia Poulosthe, an Associate with the Watershed Watchers anti-pollution program, will lead this virtual tour of marsh habitat near the Don Edwards Refuge's Environmental Education Center in Alviso.
The event is  part of a celebration o California Biodiversity Week, September 4-13. More information:
Celebrate California Biodiversity Week and learn about the Don… Read More

Join Ben Pearl, an SFBBO science director, for an update on recent Western Snowy Plover conservation efforts in Eden Landing and other parts of Alameda County.
Register here.
Further information:

The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory's latest Birdy Hour presentation features Dr. Phred Benham, a UC Berkeley post-doctoral researcher, discussing how salt marsh sparrows survive in the harsh edge ecologies of coastal salt marsh, exposed to high salinity, daily coastal flooding, and increasing human pressures on coastal habitats.
The free talk is recommended for ages high school and up.
For… Read More

Project consulting scientist Brian Fulfrost of Brian Fulfrost & Associates shared information on his latest effort to use satellite imagery to map South Bay habitats. His background information on the project:

Watch the recording of this event.
Celebrate World Wetlands Day with us by learning about the largest wetland restoration project on the West Coast!
Interested in learning about the wetland restoration project happening here in the South Bay? Join the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project and San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society for an engaging and educational program featuring our Executive… Read More

The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1972, but this story starts 200 years earlier when Europeans discovered San Francisco Bay. Learn about the Bay’s history and the answers to mysteries such as: Why are mercury and gold a lethal duo? How did silver mining in Nevada affect the Bay? Why was Oscar the Grouch happier 60 years ago than today? Join docent Larry… Read More

Behind the peaceful Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge and beautiful San Francisco Bay are many fascinating tales: the little rail vs. the big rail, the mouse with the mighty tail, the amazing mistake that led to the discovery of the Bay, the marsh named after Chicago, how the Bay was nearly destroyed (twice!), how three women saved the Bay, why the Refuge was created, and… Read More

The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory launches its Birdy Hour Speaker Series! This virtual Science Talk is free and family-friendly (recommended age: 5th grade & up). The talk by Dr. Alex Hartman of the U.S. Geological Society will focus on two recent successful social attraction projects at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge: the… Read More

Sad to say, but the Mud Stomp has rightly been cancelled because of concerns about COVID-19 and the need for social distancing.
Please stay well and plan on joining us in 2021 or for other habitat enhancement events in the future.

Come join the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project team, and others in the 1st annual California Least Tern Habitat Enhancement event!
To help these beautiful and interesting birds, we will be removing old wood structures and weedy vegetation, installing decoys and sound systems, and building shelters for least tern chicks. These efforts will improve the… Read More

Ravenswood (Menlo Park)
Our Nursery at the Ravenswood site needs some TLC. Come help us weed and do light maintenance work this Saturday. 
https://savesfbay.org/event/our-newest-nursery-needs-your-help-ravenswood-menlo-park/

Come help Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge prepare for the upcoming waterfowl hunting season by volunteering to clean up the hunting site and repair hunt blinds in the Alviso Pond area. We will meet on the levee between AB1 and A2E. Go to https://bit.ly/2vqmEas for more information and registration. Afterward, join us for an information meeting at the Environmental Education… Read More

Interested in volunteering at the refuge? Come out for a Restoration Work Day celebrating Coastal Cleanup Day! We will be cleaning up trash along the entrance road into the refuge while learning about our habitats and wildlife. This is a great opportunity for middle school, high school, and college students to gain volunteer hours. Great for scout groups and families as well! All ages and skill… Read More

Eden Landing (Hayward/Union City)

Docent Laurel Stell will talk and walk you through all things tides. What are they? How do they affect wildlife? How have humans reshaped the Bay’s tidal lands? Program starts indoors but will move outside for an easy 1-mile walk. All ages are welcome – bring your whole family. Reservations recommended. Go to: https://eectides2019.eventbrite.com. Questions? Call Hope at 408-262-5513 ext. 104.

Did you know you could ride your bike on the Refuge trails in Alviso? Join us for a bicycle tour around the levee. We will stop along the way to learn about the Refuge, the wildlife and habitats they use, the importance of Coyote Creek watershed, and the history of the area. The ride is 4.5 miles on a level trail, and there is no shade along the way. Must provide your own bikes, gear, and water… Read More

Eden Landing has a beautiful view of Coyote Hills. Enjoy the view with Save The Bay while we give some tender love and care to our native transition zone plants. We will be weeding, mulching and watering our native plants. To sign up, go to https://savesfbay.org/event/join-us-eden-landing-restoration-site-hayward-union-city-2.

The two best ways to celebrate summer: eat watermelon and give back to the planet! Save The Bay will be at our Ravenswood Nursery doing some weeding in our native plant beds. Join us then reward yourself with some delicious watermelon. To sign up, go to https://savesfbay.org/event/national-watermelon-day-ravenswood-nursery-menlo-park.

An abandoned town in the San Francisco Bay? That’s right! Nestled on an island in the salt marshes of South San Francisco Bay, the town of Drawbridge once boomed. Was it a quiet, peaceful town full of nature lovers, or people scrabbling out a living? How long did it exist? Find out at this program, led by Ceal Craig. We will start with a slideshow, and then take a short van excursion to view… Read More

Join us for a bike tour on the Mallard Slough Trail! We will stop along the way to learn about the refuge, the wildlife and habitats, the importance of Coyote Creek watershed, and the history of the area. The ride is 4.5 miles on a level trail, and there is no shade. Must provide your own bikes, gear, and water bottles. Helmets are required for children. Water and snacks will be provided at a… Read More

Ravenswood SF2 Trail, Menlo Park

Interested in volunteering at the refuge? Come out for a Restoration Work Day! We will be working in the butterfly garden and surrounding trails. Work will include weeding, mulching, and planting native plants. This is a great opportunity for middle school, high school, and college students to gain volunteer hours. Great for scout groups and families as well. All ages and skill levels are welcome… Read More

Join one of our Student Conservation Association interns, Haleigh, for a fun walk amongst the refuge habitats to discuss the geology of the area. We’ll learn about the geologic history of San Francisco Bay during a short presentation and then head outside for an interactive walk on our trails. The history of salt harvesting in the South Bay will be highlighted as we walk through the historic and… Read More

Eden Landing (Hayward/Union City)

There’s plankton in our Bay! Learn about the different characteristics of plankton and how they have adapted to survive. We will become planktologists for a day, collect water samples and identify these incredible organisms under a microscope! Best suited for ages 7 and up. Register at Register http://eectinydrift.eventbrite.com or call 408-262-5513 ext. 102 for reservations.

If you have an interest in wildlife and their conservation, enjoy working with people, and are enthusiastic and dependable, the Refuge's volunteer program is for you! As a volunteer, you'll receive on-the-job training from staff and other volunteers in the project area you choose. Project areas are restoration projects, information desk on weekends, interpretive programs, school field trips, and… Read More

Look for birds, mammals, and animal tracks as we explore along the water’s edge on this 3.7-mile nature walk. Bring binoculars and your favorite field guide to help enjoy the views. Have at least one liter of water, snacks, and appropriate clothing. Rain cancels hike. Led by Steve Stolper, certified California Naturalist. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Go to https://hikeeectrail.eventbrite.com. Questions… Read More