The Sellers Keever Outdoor Educational Activity Center, located in Imperial Beach, provides an outdoor classroom setting for school children to connect with nature and learn about the wildlife of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

The Sellers Keever Outdoor Educational Activity Center was funded by a $175,000 grant from Supervisor Greg Cox. The County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation designed the unique multi-hued concrete pad in the shape of a nautilus shell. The design of the landscape architecture features of the pad, bench, sitting boulders, and trail, seamlessly blends in with the surrounding areas that are being restored to native wildlife habitats by schoolchildren and volunteers. The design by the County of San Diego reflects a high degree of sensitivity to the inspiration and memory of the two young boys, and natural areas and wildlife of south San Diego Bay.

Full story here.

TJ River Estuary PSA Final

Our own Jill Terp featured as well on the show ” A Growing Passion.”.

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Watch California Native Grown on PBS. See more from A Growing Passion.

The Blue Goose has been the official symbol of the National Wildlfie Refuge since 1936.   The Goose can be seen on publications, posters and refuge boundary signs all across the US.

In an effort to increase public awareness of the Goose and the Refuge System, our own Sharon Lindsay
has packed up the Goose and is driving it cross-country, visiting refuges and making appearances.  Sharon is chronicling the trip for publication as a fund-raising book .

After starting in Florida, Puddles made a rest stop in Savannah (and was banded for easy identification).  Then it was off to visit refuges across the west!

Sharon will keep us all informed of her adventures with the Blue Goose on her Blog on the Friends website.  Check it out to follow the Goose on its journey!

Puddle’s Blog

The National Fish and Wildlife Service has released a Draft Strategy Plan for Improving Environmental Education for your review. The draft strategy for environmental education calls for a comprehensive inventory of program resources, staff and delivery methods as the first step in establishing national and field station goals for transforming more of America’s youth and families into America’s conservation stewards.  The draft strategy, developed by the Conserving the Future Interpretation & Environmental Education implementation team, is available Tuesday, May 14 for public comment on AmericasWildlife.org.  The comment period will end June 28. You may also e-mail your comments to conservingthefuture@fws.gov.

The plan emphasizes developing and providing online programs, including, for example, virtual field trips to wildlife refuges, even those not open to public visitation. The plan also explores connecting Refuge System staff to off-site classrooms by using such technology as Skype, interactive webcams and social media apps in an effort to maximize delivery modes. Among other recommendations:  improved evaluation methods, greater investments in training and professional development, and enhanced partner relationships.