For more than a decade, our employee volunteers and their loved ones have come together every Spring to help the ​nesting habitat for the California Least Tern, an endangered local shorebird that has seen population decline in recent decades. Donning work gloves and carrying tarps, volunteers removed invasive and overgrown vegetation, filling up a large dumpster with plant material. Due to the frequent winter rains recently, plant growth in the area was substantial, requiring a concerted effort by volunteers to create open sand areas for Tern nesting.

“Conservation and sustainability are foundational for SDG&E. Projects like this one help reinforce why our focus on environmental stewardship and nature-based solutions are so important." - Scott Crider, Senior Vice President, External & Operations Support, SDG&E

Thanks to San Diego Audubon’s efforts and volunteer support from groups like our employee volunteers, the Least Tern’s population is rebounding, with nesting sites in Mission Bay responsible for 20% of fledgling populations in California last year. Mariner’s Point is one of three protected habitats in Mission Bay where the Least Tern are safe to nest. We look forward to continuing our partnership with San Diego Audubon and supporting the conservation of our feathered neighbors.

“Although the Least Tern population has been growing, it is important to remember that this is still an endangered, management-dependent species. This means that they are completely dependent on habitat support efforts like the ones SDG&E volunteers are helping to do.” - Cristina Santa Maria, Conservation Manager, San Diego Audubon Society

A tradition of service

Each month, our employees participate in volunteer service projects, often under the Environmental All Stars program. These efforts support environmental nonprofits and conservation projects across our service territory. Last year, almost 600 Team SDG&E volunteers participated in more than 10 Environmental All Stars projects, giving back close to 1,700 hours in community service. With support from the Sempra Foundation, employees can also direct a $20/hour volunteer match to the charity associated with each volunteer event, in this case, San Diego Audubon. Recognizing the staff time and materials costs associated with organizing volunteer events for our employees, we also make charitable donations to its service partners, ranging from $1,500 - $5,000 depending on the project size and scope.

If you have an environmental project in need of volunteer support, please reach out to sdgecommunity@sdge.com.

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