Discovery Communications recently celebrated its annual “Discover Your Impact Day” with a volunteer event in conjunction with the Friends of the Los Angeles River. After spending the day at the river collecting trash and completing biodiversity surveys, the 80 volunteers got to work building nesting boxes to bring bluebirds and other native species back to their river habitat. The 74 birdhouses completed at the end of the day were donated to the Audubon Center at Debs Park, where Audubon staff will distribute them through Audubon’s school programs.

Audubon Center at Debs Park teacher/naturalist Ximena Gil spoke to the volunteers at the river. “I have a dream for the LA River,” she said. “There is a bird called the Yellow-billed Cuckoo that used to flourish right here in Los Angeles. When the river was channelized, that bird was driven away. But if we can bring just one Yellow-billed Cuckoo back to the river, there will be hope. With the help of volunteers like you and organizations like SCA, that can be not just a dream but a reality.”

After the event at the L.A. River, several volunteers paid a visit to the Audubon Center at Debs Park.

(Top photo: Discovery Communications volunteers pose with Audubon Center at Debs Park Director Sarah Miggins, center, and Ximena Gil, second from left)