Audubon California is looking for some dedicated folks to help us monitor a new tidal marsh restoration project at the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Over the summer, biologists will be monitoring tidal marsh plants and small mammals. Volunteers will have opportunities to learn ecological monitoring and species identification. This is a great opportunity to contribute to cutting edge ecological restoration at the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Volunteer requirements vary by activity.  A 1-3 day/week commitment is sought for vegetation and/or small marsh mammal monitoring. Most activities require traversing rugged tidal marsh terrain.  All activities take place within sensitive endangered species habitats. 

• Tidal marsh vegetation monitoring will occur from July 20-August 14.
• Small mammal monitoring will occur over a similar time period.
• Additional opportunities for planting and waterbird monitoring will resume in the Fall.

To RSVP, please contact Mike Perlmutter, Audubon California: 510-601-1866 ext. 231 or MPerlmutter@audubon.org.  Please indicate your interest and experience activities of interest as your availability.

Here's a little background on the project:

Tubbs Island and Tolay Creek are located at the west end of the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. These tidal wetlands were enclosed by levees in the late 1800s and converted to agricultural use.  Subsequently they were managed as a duck club.  In the 1970s Tubbs Island and Tolay Creek were purchased by The Nature Conservancy and transferred to the US Fish & Wildlife Service for inclusion in the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. 

Audubon California and the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge have partnered to enhance and restore 65 acres of tidal marsh, sub-tidal, and marsh-upland transition environments at Tubbs Island and Tolay Creek.  Internal levees and sills, which form barriers to tidal flow and circulation, will be breached or removed and new channels that re-connect marsh areas to existing drainages will be excavated.  Construction will occur in Fall 2009.  These actions will return tidal circulation to the site, resulting in development of a functioning tidal marsh/tidal slough complex, enlarged area of shallow channel habitat, and increased tidal prism and deep channels.  Improved hydrologic conditions will enhance the re-establishment of native vegetation, improve estuarine-dependent wildlife habitats, and reduce or eliminate future mosquito population management issues. 

To measure the effectiveness of project actions, surveys will be conducted before and after construction.  Control sites will also be surveyed to allow for comparisons among similar landscape types (e.g., tidal marsh plain, muted tidal marsh, interior marsh ponds) before and after construction.