Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program

Field Trips at the Nueces Delta Preserve are TEKS-aligned for any K-12th grade school in CBBEP's 12-county program area.

There will be a number of stations during a field trip that will be run by education staff and trained volunteers, and students will rotate through the stations. Volunteers will be given a volunteer manual, training, and have the chance to shadow field trips before teaching stations on their own. 

Field trips typically happen Tuesday-Friday from either 9am-12pm (K-2nd grade) or 9am-2pm (3rd grade and up).

Tasks will include: 

• Interacting with students and teachers
• Train and shadow to teach by discovery learning
• Co-teach or teach 1-2 activities 
• Promote stewardship of bays & estuaries
• Develop working knowledge of endemic flora and fauna
• Maintain resources and equipment

The Coastal Bird Program is looking for dedicated volunteers to help with habitat management activities on local rookery islands. This typically takes place September through March each year. 

Tasks will include: 

• Weed eating
• Spraying herbicide on invasive grasses
• Using bait on fire ants colonies
• Planting native seedlings on islands
• Installing nesting platforms
• Opportunistically picking up trash 

Delta Discovery Picnics allow the community to visit and explore the Nueces Delta Preserve. This opportunity is open to the public once a month to enjoy the sights and sounds of these protected estuary habitats. 

Tasks may include: 

• Helping with sign-in and/or parking
• Interact with the public and answer questions
• Lead an informal program (example: nature walk) 

Throughout the year, CBBEP staff and volunteers participate in outreach events in the community. These are typically half day or full day events, often on the weekends, where we set up a table with hands-on activities, which will vary depending on the theme! 

Example of events: 

• Earth Day Bay Day
• Celebration of Flight (Corpus Christi Hawkwatch) 
• Monarch Madness (Fennessy Ranch) 

We are looking for 1-3 experienced gardeners/plant growers to help care for our native seedlings that are located in our grow tables at the Nueces Delta Preserve (Odem, TX). Our goal is to successfully grow around 2,500 seedlings in the grow tables each year.  These plants are used by CBBEP for ongoing restoration efforts. Seeds will be planted at the end of March and care will continue through November/December.

Tasks will include: 

• Commit to care of the grow table on a weekly or bi-monthly basis, depending on the support needed each year
• Water seeds and/or seedlings
• Check for fungus/insect issues 
• Assist with maintenance and upkeep of the grow table

This annual event takes place each October! It is an all hands-on deck opportunity where we will be picking up trash on rookery islands This is a great event to get your friends, family or business involved! 

Volunteers who are willing to use their boats are greatly appreciated - but not required! 

There are two clean-up locations: 

• Upper Laguna Madre - Corpus Christi
• Lower Laguna Madre - Arroyo City

CBBEP is looking to utilize experienced bird observers to help with the Coastal Bird Program's shorebird monitoring efforts.  This takes place January-September each year.  

Tasks may include: 

• Bird species identification
• Counting and surveying
• Assisting with bird banding efforts

The Packery Flats Clean-Ups take place twice a year. This is an opportunity for regular CBBEP volunteers and our community to sign-up to pick up trash from along the roadside and within valuable wetland habitats!