About Us

Mission

Mt. Diablo Audubon Society is committed to the sustainable balance of our community’s people, birds, other wildlife, and habitat through conservation, education, and advocacy.

We:

• Ensure a high degree of habitat diversity and preservation through an active role in local environmental activities and issues.
• Observe, collect, and report information concerning the status of birds, other wildlife, and habitat.
• Support community organizations with similar goals.
• Sponsor educational activities to promote environmental knowledge with a special focus on youth.
• Enhance public appreciation of the natural world with an emphasis on birds.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Mt. Diablo Audubon Society’s Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging:

Mt. Diablo Audubon Society is committed to the diversity of our community and the natural world. To this end, we cultivate and promote an environment that is inclusive, supportive and welcoming to all. We recognize that it is only through this commitment can we work to fulfill our mission of protecting birds and preserving their habitat while connecting people of all ages and backgrounds to them.

We intentionally choose to integrate Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging as a core value, priority, and guiding principle. Our aims are to create a welcoming, safe, and accessible birding and learning environment specifically for people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, Native peoples, and those who are underserved.

We believe birding is for everyone. Below are programs and resources that foster EDIB and are supported by MDAS. To get involved, please contact or join the MDAS EDIB Committee (see below).

MDAS EDIB Programs

EDIB Committee
The Mt. Diablo Audubon Society’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee was formed in 2022 after members of the MDAS board (Vice President and Program Chair Ariana Rickard, Conservation Chair Juan Pablo Galvan, and Education Chair Krista Vossekuil) participated in training offered by the National Audubon Society from June 2021 to January 2022. The Committee now includes five additional MDAS members. If you are interested in learning more or joining, or if you have ideas or stories please contact us. We would love to hear from you. The Committee is currently defining direction and goals.

Young Birders Club
The purpose of the Mt. Diablo Audubon Society Young Birders Club is to give young people about 9-17 years old who like birds and the outdoors a chance to meet others their age with similar interests, while getting outside and, of course, seeing birds! We want participants to learn about birds and their habitats, come away with an appreciation of nature, develop birding skills, and most importantly, have fun! By doing that, we can get young birders thinking about how birding can contribute to science, protect birds and their habitats, and even be the start of a future career! Visit the Young Birders Club page for more information.

EDIB Resources

Through education, outreach and advocacy, Birdability works to ensure the birding community and the outdoors are welcoming, inclusive, safe and accessible for everybody. We focus on people with mobility challenges, blindness or low vision, chronic illness, intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental illness, and those who are neurodivergent, deaf or hard of hearing or who have other health concerns. In addition to current birders, we strive to introduce birding to people with disabilities and other health concerns who are not yet birders so they too can experience the joys of birding.

Chapter EDI How-To Guide — Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
A guide from the National Audubon Society for incorporating equity, diversity, and inclusion into chapter partnerships, programs, and culture. This How-To Guide was developed with chapters, for chapters in partnership with Deeohn Ferris, Devon Trotter, and an outside consultant — Jumana Vasi.

The Feminist Bird Club was founded by Molly Adams in 2016 as a way to leverage both their passion for birds and their passion for social justice into a cohesive whole. Since then, the Feminist Bird Club has expanded to chapters across North America and in the Netherlands.

The birds Audubon pledges to protect differ in color, size, behavior, geographical preference, and countless other ways. By honoring and celebrating the equally remarkable diversity of the human species, Audubon will bring new creativity, effectiveness and leadership to our work throughout the hemisphere.

Leadership

Board of Directors

Click on names below to email.

Advisory Positions

Board Meetings

MDAS Board Meetings are held the 2nd Thursday of every month, at 6:45 PM via web-meeting. Members are welcome to sit in. Please contact a Board member to obtain meeting credentials.

Volunteer Openings

MDAS has the following positions available for anyone with an interest in supporting our mission of Connecting People with Birds.

Secretary is responsible for recording the minutes of the Board Meetings as official documents as required by our 501c3 nonprofit status, and to assure that our Bylaws are current and up-to-date. This position is one of four elected positions on the Board (the other three being President, Vice-President and Treasurer), and is a full Board position with voting rights.

The Quail Editor is responsible for the publication of the monthly chapter email newsletter. This is an MDAS Board position.

Duties include setting up content schedules, reaching out to persons inside and outside of the chapter for content, familiarity with Mailchimp or other online newsletter platforms, familiarity with basic HTML, and working with the MDAS Membership Chair to maintain the list of subscribers. MDAS publishes nine issues of The Quail newsletter each year. Training on Mailchimp will be provided.

Outreach Coordinator is responsible for coordinating volunteers to staff MDAS booths and tables, etc at local festivals and other public events at which MDAS has a presence. This can be an Advisory or a Board position.

Hospitality Chair duties include setting up refreshments at our general membership meetings (approximately 6/year), preparing coffee, punch, setting out utensils, etc. Supplies can either be stored at your place or at the MDAS storage facility in Walnut Creek. This is an advisory position (no voting rights).

If you or someone you know is interested in any of these positions, please send an email to MDAS President Jerry Britten at .