The Petaluma Wetlands Alliance (PWA) provides training each winter for community members who are interested in becoming city-appointed docent volunteers for the Petaluma Public Wetlands. Here are some of the activities performed by our docents:
• encourage public visitation to the wetlands by leading
tours of Shollenberger Park for the public and birding groups
• educate the public about the value, ecology, history,
and beauty of the wetlands
• visit elementary school classrooms and lead school tours
at Shollenberger Park using hands-on, science-based activities
about a wetlands
• operate docent and volunteer-work programs
• help generate funds for the docent program through grants
and public contributions
• work with the city on wetland management issues
• solicit organizations or groups to help with various wetland
related activities
• organize and carry out selected maintenance, cleanup,
and improvement projects in our wetlands
The training for the docents involves eight Thursday mornings, 8:30 a.m. to Noon, January thru February. The training will take place in Petaluma at the Lucchesi Community Center, 320 N. McDowell Blvd. and/or Shollenberger Park, 1900 S. McDowell Blvd.
The course will consist of lectures on wetlands, ecology, plants, birds, other wetlands animals, and hands-on techniques used with school groups.
Docents are asked to make a two-year, 20-hours-per-year commitment as a docent. Contacts for further information: Docent Bob Dyer, 763-2934, nrdyer@comcast.net or Education Chair Helen Heal, 789-0282, phbheal@sonic.net. Obtain an application either by using the button below to download and print a PDF version of the application or contact Bob Dyer. Those accepted into the program will need to pay $40 to offset the cost of a docent manual.
Go to Madrone Online