See and Do!
Our Mission
The Wildlife Volunteers are an "elite" group of caring people of all ages, striving to improve the quality of life for birds and wildlife in the East Bay Regional Park District. We are dedicated to assisting the East Bay Regional Park District's Stewardship staff with protecting, managing, conserving and enhancing the region's important scenic and natural resources. Wildlife Volunteers renew their connections to the land through hands-on conservation and resource management activities.
Please give some careful thought to the activities you would most like to help with, then give me a call at (510) 544-2319, or e-mail me at docquack@ebparks.org. Also, please give me at least two weeks notice and a phone number where I can leave you a voicemail message. Based on weather conditions, or other unseen circumstance, projects may be cancelled.
Dave "Doc Quack" Riensche
Wildlife Resource Analyst
docquack@ebparks.org
Volunteer Activities
Scheduled Group Activities
California Black Rail Habitat Enhancement
Location: Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, Richmond
Date and Time: 9:30 a.m. to noon, Friday, August 1, 2008
Date and Time: 9:00 a.m. to noon, Thursday, September 11, 2008
Description: During this hands-on adventure, you’ll help create 1,000 square feet of habitat for the State threatened California black rail. We will remove non-native plants, pick-up trash, and clear debris from clogged channels to improve tidal water cycling, which restores and creates nesting habitat for the California black rail. By participating, you’ll earn your “Black Rail Habitat Helper” patch. Registration required by calling 510-544-2340. Parent participation required.
Directions: Driving from I-80, take the Richmond Parkway exit and go west towards the Bay. Cross San Pablo Avenue and watch for the Point Pinole/ Giant Highway exit. Turn right (north) at Giant Highway. The park entrance will be ahead on the right, past the railroad tracks.
Tern Tour 2008
Location: Hayward Regional Shoreline, Hayward
Date and Time: 8 to 10:30 a.m., Saturday, August 2, 2008
Description: Come join us for a once in a life-time outing to see what the “stork” brought to parent terns, shorebirds, ducks and more! During this special opportunity we will peer into the family life of the endangered California least tern. Space is limited. Registration required by calling 510-544-2340. Parent participation required.
Directions: In Hayward, from Hwy 880 south, right on Hwy 92, exit at Clawiter Road, make a left onto Breakwater Ave., (which parallels Hwy 92).
Lizard Legionnaire
Location: Sunol Regional Wilderness, Sunol
Date and Time: 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., July 22 & 23, 2008
Date and Time: 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., August 18 &19, 2008
Date and Time: 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., September 16 & 17, 2008
Description: Discover the beauty, mystery, and magic of the region’s reptiles while participating in field research to conserve and manage grassland wildlife. These are on-going dates that include setting our research plots, trapping, monitoring, vegetation survey and hands-on data entry. By participating, you’ll earn your “Managed Grasslands Research” patch. Space is limited to current Wildlife Volunteers. These are remote and rugged areas that require all participants to be "self-contained resources," and in most cases vehicle access is by four-wheel drive.
Hole-In-The-Tree Gang
Location: Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont
Date and Time: 9:30 to noon, Friday, September 12, 2008
Description: Here is your opportunity to meet the park’s star cavity nesting critter--the tree swallow! We will clean, build and install nest boxes. By participating, you’ll earn your “Habitat Helpers” patch. Registration required by calling 510-544-2340. Parent participation required.
Directions: In Fremont, take Hwy 880 to 84-Decoto Road exit. Go west on 84 and right to Paseo Padre Parkway. Drive approximately a mile then left on Patterson Ranch Road to the park entrance. Meet in the parking lot in front of the Visitor Center.
It’s Your Tern
Location: Hayward Regional Shoreline, Hayward
Date and Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Thursday, September, 18, 2008
Description: An exciting adventure over land and water to help create nesting habitat for the State and Federal listed endangered California least tern. By participating, you’ll make new friends, peer into the world of wildlife, and earn your “Least Tern Habitat Helper” patch. We will help college students with this project. Registration required by calling 510-544-2340. Parent participation required.
Directions: In Hayward, from Hwy 880 south, right on Hwy 92, exit at Clawiter Road, make a left onto Breakwater Ave., (which parallels Hwy 92).
Rail Rescue Rangers
Location: Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary/Crown Memorial State Beach, Alameda
Date and Time: 9:30 a.m. to noon, Saturday, September 27, 2008
Date and Time: 9:30 a.m. to noon, Saturday, October 11, 2008
Description: During this hands-on adventure you’ll help create habitat for the federally and state endangered California clapper rail. We will remove non-native plants, pick-up trash, and plant wildlife friendly vegetation which will restore the upland areas of the Roemer Bird Sanctuary for rails. By participating, you’ll earn your “Rail Rescue Ranger” patch. Registration required by calling 510-544-2340. Parent participation is required.
Directions: Exit 880 on 23rd Ave, head west over the Park St. Bridge into Alameda. Follow Park St. West across the island which dead ends at Shoreline Drive; turn left for the bird sanctuary (on the Bay between Park St. and Broadway). Meet at the Marsh Overlook.
Other Special Projects
If you are available on a weekday and are willing to help on the project(s) listed below, please give Dave "Doc Quack" Riensche a call at (510) 544-2319, or e-mail at docquack@ebparks.org. Also, please provide your phone number where we can leave you a voicemail message.
Fundraising
Poster and Brochure Distribution. We need some help identifying financial resources to support our wildlife habitat enhancement projects. Please place our current posters and brochures in a visible location to generate support for our projects. To download our program flyers, click on the following links:
- Doc Quack's Call for Wildlife Volunteers
- Volunteers Answer the Call of the Wind
- Covey Conservationist: California Quail Habitat Helpers
- Keeping Nature A-Float: Improve Western grebe nesting success.
- Help the Frogs "Leap" Into the Future: Pond restoration and habitat enhancement.
- EBRPD Managed Grassland Study Design: Conserve and manage grassland wildlife.
- Lizard Legionnaire: Learn how to become a Lizard Legionnaire.
- Breeding Bird Biologist: Assess nesting requirements and develop management strategies for bird populations.
- Black Rail Habitat Helpers: Point Pinole Habitat Enhancement: Give the California black rail a wing up.
- It's Your Tern: Least Tern Habitat Helpers: Give the California least tern a wing up.
Office Heroes
We need some help once a month sending out correspondences and with maintaining files.
How to Volunteer
To become a Wildlife Volunteer, download the volunteer application and return completed application to: Dave "Doc Quack" Riensche, Wildlife Resource Analyst, East Bay Regional Park District, P.O. Box 5381, Oakland, CA 94605-0381.
Some scheduled group activities require registration. To register, call (510) 544-2340 at least two weeks before the event. Based on weather conditions or other unseen circumstance, projects may be cancelled. Back to top
Make a Tax-Deductible Donation
Please make check payable to the Regional Parks Foundation in support of a Doc Quack program of your choice and send to the Regional Parks Foundation, P.O. Box 21074, Crestmont Station Oakland, CA 94620. The Regional Parks Foundation's Federal Tax ID # is 23-7011877. Back to top
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