Pinedale Boys & Girls Club “Nature-Map” Mendota Wildlife Area

Holding GPS units and wildlife identification booklets, 12 students from the Fresno-Pinedale Boys and Girls Club became the newest local wildlife inventory specialists. In late November 2007, conditions were perfect to observe dozens of species of migratory birds stopping over on their Great Pacific flyby south for the winter. By lunchtime, the students called themselves official nature-mappers.

The students, led by Pinedale B&G Club director JJ Velasco, spent the day in groups, walking the trails and margins of the Meyers Waterbank, located on remnant wetlands near Mendota, CA off the San Joaquin River. GPS units, watches and counters were used to document the species observed and their geo-positional coordinates.

The Meyers Waterbank is a unique natural system of saving water, actually saving water like a bank in its above-ground marsh – which is slowly returning to ideal feeding and nesting habitat. The waterbank, under private ownership and maintenance in cooperation with several area farmers and the Spreckles Sugar Plant, stores water in the summer to sell off for residential or rural use.

The San Joaquin River Stewardship Council (with blessings from the Fresno Co. Office of Education) has coordinated a long list of field trips for students of all ages to come and visit. Jason Dean, leading the Meyers Waterbank outreach program, conducts nature tours and environmental education through the wetland. Steve Starcher (SJR Stewardship) has acquired GPS units and developed a science/observation unit for students called nature-mapping.