CBC to host free nature education workshops

Headline: CBC to host free nature education workshops

Coastal Bend College (CBC) is offering a series of workshops this spring that are designed to connect individuals with the rich elements of nature and birdlife that can be found in South Texas.

The Coastal Bend Community Foundation in Corpus Christi is providing funds to CBC to conduct these workshops. As a result of receiving funds, the workshops will be provided to members in the community free of charge.

Each of these workshops will be conducted at the CBC Beeville Campus. All participants will be provided with a brief orientation that will provide them with an overview of the workshop.

Dr. Robert Benson, the workshop instructor and a CBC faculty member, will lead a nature and bird walk along the wooded trails that are located around the CBC Beeville Campus. Throughout this expedition he will be pointing out birds and discussing methods that will be used by participants for identification purposes.

Participants will utilize equipment such as such as high-quality binoculars and mist nets while at the workshop. This equipment will be utilized to safely trap and administer numbered aluminum federal bands on the left legs of the birds.

The bands that are placed on the birds are used for tracking and research purposes. Once the bird is tagged, they are released back into the wild and will provide researchers with crucial information such as the movements of a bird and their average lifespan.

Individuals who would like to participate should meet in front to the James R. Dougherty Student Center on the CBC Beeville Campus at 7:30 a.m. Each workshop is designed to have 16 students grouped in pairs. Students who are paired together will work together throughout the day for the entire workshop.

Registration for the workshop is free, but will be conducted on a first come first serve basis. Workshops will be hosted on April 18, April 25, May 2 and May 9. For more information, please contact Dr. Robert Benson via phone at (361) 834-0000 or via email at benson@coastalbend.edu.