CUCKOO CALL!

December 2008

Winter 2009 Events, Festivals, Happenings, Walks, Research Projects, Maintenance Projects...  See our website - http://kern.audubon.org for these and more exciting developments at Audubon California's Kern River Preserve

Upcoming Events

News

Land Protection, Research, Restoration, Endangered Species Protection, Protecting Migratory Corridors

Dear Friends,

Thanks to your dedicated support, Audubon's Kern River Preserve was able to protect more acres of habitat, discover new plants and animals in the South Fork and Kelso Valleys, and restore more acres of riparian and upland habitats. Unfortunately some less than happy news to report with the freezing of our grant to build the new visitor's center. And with the unbridled push to build solar and wind energy facilities throughout the Kern Valley and Desert, we need to ensure that wildlife habitat is not being forgotten. We need your help to keep our positive protection efforts moving forward.

In 2009, we hope for your prosperity and your help. We know the economy is in deep trouble and we promise to work twice as hard to ensure that land and wildlife protection is front and center on Kern County's agenda...and we can’t do it without your help.

Thanks to your support, in 2008 the Kern River Preserve was able to achieve many critical victories including: protecting another 600+ acres of habitat in along Kelso Creek.

Wednesday, December 31st is your last chance to donate and receive a tax credit for 2008 - please give today and help us keep the momentum going in 2009. Mailed donations must be postmarked by December 31, 2008 to count for 2008 tax purposes. Online donations can be given until 11:59 p.m.  on the 31st. http://ca.audubonaction.org/site/Donation2?1723.donation=form1&df_id=1723 But there is much, much more to do. So I urge you to please, make a year-end donation to the Kern River Preserve.

Thank you in advance for your loyal support.

Sincerely,

Ali

Leaving A Legacy for the land

Help the Kern River Preserve to protect this land in perpetuity. Leaving a bequest is one of the most powerful ways an individual or family can help create a lasting benefit for the wildlife, the land and the people at this Preserve. It is really simple to do find specific instructions on our legacy webpage. 

Volunteer Opportunities

Monthly Event Coordinator

Qualifications: Skill and knowledge of local naturalists and historians desired. Ability or willingness to learn how to write Press Releases and flyers is required. Must have time and transportation to coordinate monthly educational events at the Kern River Preserve. Contact information and supervision will be provided by Kern River Preserve Outreach Director. Call Alison at (760) 378-2531 for information.

Friends of the Kern River Preserve

1st Friday of most months 1p.m.

Friday, February 5, 2008 - 1 p.m. - Friends of the Kern River Preserve Monthly Meeting. Email

Meet at the Sprague House to discuss projects, needs, and volunteer work assignments.

Volunteer Workdays at the Kern River Preserve

3rd Saturday of each month 9a.m.

Meet at the KRP Headquarter for volunteer work assignments. Bring work gloves, hat, appropriate clothes to get dirty, and footgear or shoes that can get wet.

Volunteer Opportunities

Service Workdays—Help KRP staff and volunteers with work projects at the preserve!—for dates and time, see Calendar of Events. Bring a sack lunch and wear sturdy outdoor clothes. Contact Reed Tollefson at rtollefson@audubon.org for details.

We Need—A team of people to serve as hosts, instructors, chaperones, materials preparers and general assistants for KRP visitors and special events. • A team of gardeners to take on the responsibility of lawn and garden care at KRP Headquarters. • People with painting, carpentry and/or electrical skills to do construction, repairs and maintenance on Headquarters’ buildings and equipment. People to conduct research on grazed vs. un-grazed areas looking at various environmental parameters – vegetation, animal diversity etc... We need help constructing Osprey Nesting Platforms

Wish List

Items and volunteer projects desperately needed at the Kern River Preserve.

CAN YOU HELP US? Have you noticed our trails becoming a little unkempt... our tractor keeps breaking down.

For maintenance

We NEED a new tractor desperately, so we can mow our trail without threat of more breakdowns and parts that can not be found.

What we need is a Medium Farm Tractor, Category III with a 3-point hitch, 4x4, approx 40 hp. Attachments needed include: Chipper, Box Scraper, Front end loader, Hydraulic Auger

Also needed a flatbed Trailer suitable for hauling a tractor or automobile.

Our Buildings

ROOF - Both the current Visitor's Center and the Audubon House at Sprague Ranch need new roofing. Help us with our campaign to fund the roof repair on these important buildings. We are beginning the process to reroof the building but even with volunteer labor, building materials alone will cost $4,000.

Paint/Wiring - The Audubon House at Sprague Ranch desperately needs new wiring. All buildings in our compounds need paint. The Audubon House at Sprague Ranch needs high speed internet at costs over $500 to install and $90 per month to maintain.

Nature Trail

We need to buy interpretive trail signs and to rebuild the trail boardwalk. We need more benches and kiosks along the nature trail and need to repair the driveway and parking lot.

For our office

Oversized laser color copier for making maps, brochures and kiosk items.

For the planet

Land Protection – We have spent about $2.5M on land protection over the last 2-3 years – we always are looking for more land and money.

Economy car for travel to events, errands, presentations and meetings

FOR RESTORATION PROJECTS

Ditch Improvements

a. Culverts, Risers, Concrete other materials
b. Labor
c. Equipment time

Riparian Restoration

a. Irrigation lines, emitters, materials
b. Planning and permitting
c. Labor

Tri-colored Black Bird Nesting Habitat Restoration

a. Materials
b. Labor for implementation and management

FOR THE NEW AUDUBON CENTER

1. Visitor Center – our planning grant from SNC was frozen... considering the deep fiscal crisis California is in, we don't know if it will be reinstated, please consider donating to our Center fund.

2. We will be looking for several million for construction, operations of AC.

3. Volunteer Help with Audubon Center Business Plan

Be a part of our riparian restoration and outreach programs in the Kern River Valley as a member and volunteer.  Looking for other ways to support Kern River Preserve? If you can help us with our wish list please contact Reed Tollefson for details.

About this newsletter

Cuckoo Call is published occasionally for those interested in the happenings at Audubon California's Kern River Preserve. If this e-newsletter has piqued your interest in the Kern River Preserve, consider taking the next step. If you are not already a member, please join us! To our current members, we greatly appreciate your continued support.

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Cuckoo song is © Doug Von Gausig, http://naturesongs.org, All rights reserved.

The cuckoo call is written by Audubon Kern River Preserve Outreach Director, Alison Sheehey, if you have questions or suggestions for our next e-newsletter, email her at krpfriends@audubon.org

Images © 2008 Audubon and Nature Alley™. Nature Alley and Nature Ali are trademarks of Alison Sheehey. All rights reserved.