If anyone is looking for an environmentally oriented (not specifically
birds) volunteer opportunity, here's one you may want to consider.(Training
starts next week.)

The City of Bellevue Stream Team is once again offering training for it's
volunteer Habitat Assessment Survey program. This program puts together
teams of volunteers to actually walk the streams of Bellevue and gather
data on water quality, erosion, vegetation cover, physical measurements and
other components of habitat. For the past two years, data gathered in these
surveys has been used to evaluate capital improvement projects. I have
participated in these surveys both years, and have learned so much about
the problems of an urban habitat, I consider it invaluable training. And
even though volunteers learn scientific measurement techniques, you
certainly don't need a scientific background to participate. The skills
necessary are observation skills (surely possessed by birders!) and
accurate recording skills. And the ability to walk through streams
sometimes made even more interesting by tangles of vegetation and
chest-deep pools!

If you want more information, E-mail me privately with your name and phone
number, and I'll pass it on to the appropriate folks. Thanks!

Christy Anderson
Bellevue, WA
christya at gte.net