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Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Samuel has never had the opportunity to explore much of nature or be part of many green spaces within his neighborhood. Realizing this fact and other environmental injustices when growing up in an area such as South Central Los Angeles, he wanted to find a way to mend these issues. He was drawn to the world of environmentalism. He is now pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies B.S. at the University of California Santa Barbara and is entering his third year. Samuel is excited to be a part of The Audubon Center at Debs Park family throughout the summer, thanks to an internship funded by the Arnhold Undergraduate Research Fellows Program. He hopes to learn a lot this summer and be a valuable part of this community while getting experience in conservation at the local level.
Samuel is interested in gardening, hikes, and all things nature-related, making this internship much more exciting and fulfilling. His favorite pastime is going on walks and observing the surrounding area. Samuel's favorite bird is the Red-Tailed Hawk due to its colorful pattern and size. Samuel is most excited about meeting new people and being able to educate individuals in his and surrounding communities about nature and the importance of green spaces.
Throughout his internship, Samuel will be focusing on community engagement and will be working to find creative ways to share the resources that the Center has to offer with local community members.
The Bren Environmental Diversity Leaders and Internship Program is designed to advance diversity, catalyze environmental careers for particularly promising students in the environmental and natural sciences, support students’ financial needs, and further build partnerships with organizations committed to improving equity in the environmental, sustainability and conservation field. With a combination of learning communities, career exploration and skills workshops, and paired internships with graduate students, the Bren Environmental Diversity Leaders and Internship Program is focused on building a pipeline of underrepresented students trained for success as graduate students and in the workforce. This recently launched program seeks to identify and mentor students to become future leaders in the environmental field.
With a wide range of habitats and more than 300 species of birds, the Pasadena region has long been known as a premiere birder's destination. Now, with the Guide, birdwatchers of all skills -- from beginner to expert -- can discover all the birding delights the region has to offer.
The write-up for each of the 30 profiled sites includes everything a birdwatcher needs -- a map of the site, directions on how to get there, what paths and trails to take once you arrive, and what birds to look for every season of the year. The Guide also includes comprehensive accessibility information for each site.
Introductory sections on the geography and climate of the region, as well as the special role fire plays in shaping the ecology of the area, will deepen the reader's knowledge and appreciation of the Pasadena area. And with stunning watercolor illustrations of area birds by world-renowned bird artist Catherine Hamilton, the new Guide is as beautiful as it is useful.
The Birding Guide to the Greater Pasadena Area is being published in both English and Spanish by the Pasadena Audubon Society (PAS). PAS will donate 20% of the copies to schools, libraries, nature centers, etc., and sell the remainder through retail outlets and online. The proceeds of the sales will fund PAS educational programs such as the Bird Science Program, Pasadena Audubon Grants program and the Schoolyard Habitat Garden program. The 182-page book retails for $20.
We are currently accepting applications for a Community Conservation Fellow. This is a 12-month, part-time position that will be starting July 1, 2022. This position is a great fit for anyone interested in habitat restoration, community engagement, and youth leadership development. Previous experience in conservation work is not required.
Please contact debspark@audubon.org with any questions.
One of our favorite spring migrants, Lazuli Buntings are a small, finch-like bird that can be found here in Debs Park and around Los Angeles in the spring and summer months. The males are a striking blue with a rusty orange chest while the females are a light greyish-brown. Lazuli Buntings typically enjoy brushy and wooded areas on hillsides or near streams, where they can be found perched and singing on exposed branches or hopping among the foliage - although if you're lucky, you may catch one at a backyard feeder as well!
During breeding season - Lazuli Bunting males are often found singing and defending their territory. Each bird will create a unique song to distinguish themselves and their territory. Listen to some of their calls & songs HERE!
If you keep your eyes and ears open, you may be able to find a Lazuli Bunting up by Peanut Lake! If you're not feeling confident enough to go out on your own yet, join us for a Community Bird Walk on Saturday, May 21st which will be led by expert SoCal birder, Dan Cooper!
Photos taken by Russell Campbell in Debs Park
Instagram: russell_campbell_wildlife
Join Marcos as he embarks on a journey exploring the fascinating, complicated, and inspiring world of urban nature in LAist Studio's newest podcast: Human/Nature:
Human/Nature, a podcast with a wild yet inspiring thesis: if you step outside and reconnect with nature in your own city, you’ll feel better, reconnect with yourself, and find your place in the world. This podcast will empower you to reclaim your attention. Spending time in nature isn’t just good for our minds — in this tech obsessed culture — it’s the ultimate form of resistance.
As a native Angelino, Evelyn is very excited to be part of the Audubon Center at Debs Park crew. Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, she has always enjoyed walks in her neighborhood and finding the hidden gems where nature thrives in the cityscape. As a kid she looked forward to three-day weekends when she would get to go camping. She disliked the food prep, packing up the car, and what felt like an extra-long car ride, but she loved sitting by the river, running around, and using the trees to play hide and seek. When not working you can find Evelyn hiking, tide pooling, or playing board games.
Evelyn earned her Bachelor's Degree from the University of California- Santa Cruz (UCSC) in Marine Biology and her Master's degree from the California State University- Fullerton (CSFU) in Conservation Biology. As an undergrad she was a docent at the Seymour Center, a small aquarium in Santa Cruz, where she was exposed to the world of informal education. While completing her Master's degree Evelyn realized that she loved teaching outdoors and utilizing everything around her to connect people with the natural world around them, and to inspire excitement and curiosity. She spent 11 years as a member of the Education Department at the California Science Center in Exposition Park. She is excited to use her experience to connect people with nature and empower our visitors to see themselves as naturalists.
The Manager, Public Programs will play a lead role in the development and execution of events and programs that drive attendance, expand the guest experience and grow and diversify the audience at the Audubon Center at Debs Park. Specifically, the Manager of Public Programs will be responsible for the development of innovative programs that support and align the Center’s educational and public programs with Audubon California and National strategies and initiatives. Additionally, they will work with the Center Director to build the centers flagship programs around Youth Leadership Development. The candidate must be a strategic thinker who is skilled at building internal and external partnerships and is an effective communicator.
Contact Marcos.Trinidad@audubon.org with any questions!
The newest addition to the Debs Park team, Jansy is the Center's first-ever Community Conservation Fellow. The Community Conservation Fellowship program employs two young adults at the Audubon Center at Debs Park and the Richardson Bay Audubon Center through a 9-month fellowship that prepares them to enter the conservation workforce with skills and experience in habitat restoration, volunteer leadership, and policy advocacy.
Hailing from South Central LA, Jansy is excited to join the Debs Park familia. Jansy is the youngest out of three siblings, and the only person in her family to take interest into pursuing an education in biology. Jansy’s love for nature comes from her parents. Both of her parents are immigrants from El Salvador and shared their love for nature with her since early childhood by visiting many parks and going on camping trips to places like Sequoia National Park. During Jansy’s studies at the University of California, Merced, she gained a new appreciation for nature when learning about how many plant species are displaced due to agriculture and urban development.
Througout her fellowship, Jansy will be focused on habitat restoration at Debs Park, youth leadership development, community engagement, and more!
Jansy’s favorite bird is the Anna’s Hummingbird and she loves to read in her free time (accepting all book recommendations). She is most excited about meeting everyone at Debs, being out in nature, and helping her community.
Huge thanks to the Maggie Walker Incentive Fund for their help in making the Community Conservation Fellowship possible!
We send out periodic emails about programs, events, and volunteer opportunities at the Center.
Audubon Center at Debs Park is located at 4700 Griffin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90031
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