Our Mission
To conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.

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Monthly Meeting: How Riparian Forests Can Nurture the Recovery of Marin's Coho Salmon

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Junior Birdwatchers

View a video created by local teens to protest the destruction of the Strawberry School wetlands (.mov file may require a plug-in.)

The Marin Audubon Society was established in 1956 as part of the effort to prevent development of houses on Richardson Bay tidelands. In our early years, Marin Audubon Society (MAS) was one of the founders of Audubon Canyon Ranch. MAS also was instrumental in protecting Bothin Marsh in Mill Valley, and the Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge in San Rafael, which supports the largest heron rookery in San Francisco Bay.

In 1985, MAS began to restore and enhance wetlands. With the help of grants from State Federal and private sources, MAS implemented habitat restoration projects at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Corte Madera Ecological Reserve, Gallinas Creek in San Rafael, Mill Valley Marsh, and Rush Creek/Cemetery Marshes in unincorporated Novato.

In 1997, after a tireless battle to save habitat from development through environmental review, MAS's focus changed to protecting habitat through acquisition. MAS assisted with the establishment of Marin Baylands Advocates, becoming its fiduciary agent.

Our first bayland acquisition was Triangle Marsh in Corte Madera, purchased in 1999. Since then, more than 1,000 acres of bayland habitat have been permanently protected by MAS through purchase with federal and state grants, foundations, and private contributors. Several properties have been donated. Other important baylands properties that have been acquired include: 164 acres of diked baylands along Simmons Slough near Novato, 632 acres of woodlands and baylands at Bahia in Novato, and a 182-acre tidal wetland and bayland on San Antonio Creek.

MAS restores wetlands on its properties, then donates many of them to the California Department of Fish and Game and the Marin County Open Space District.

In addition, MAS provides its members, and the public, many opportunities to experience the birdlife and nature of Marin County and beyond through field trips, monthly programs, the Southern Marin Christams Bird Count, and special events.

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Action Alerts

40 MARIN SPECIES ON AUDUBON WATCHLIST

"Highway to the Flyway" the restoration of San Pablo Bay in the July-September issue of Bay Nature Magazine and an interview with Barbara Salzman in the same issue.

Environmental triumvirate celebrates anniversaries in 2006 - Marin Independent Journal, 12/29/06 Three key environmental groups celebrated a combined 85 years of service this year, during which time they have shaped Marin's landscape by restoring wetlands, educating the public and inspiring students to protect the environment.

Dozens of birders gather to count species and socialize - Marin Independent Journal, 12/13/06 When it comes to birds, biologist Roger Harris has seen it all. He has watched albatrosses soar over New Zealand waters and picked out Arctic terns dancing in the skies over the North Pole.

A return to wetlands: Audubon Society floods Novato land once planned for dump site - Marin Independent Journal, 12/09/06 "It's a nice moment," said Barbara Salzman, president of the Marin Audubon Society, who headed the effort.

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Many thanks to artist Keith Hansen for our beautiful Clapper Rail logo.
Please visit Keith online, or at his gallery in downtown Bolinas!