Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center at Cedar Hill

Dogwood Canyon is part of the National Audubon Society and is managed by the state office, Audubon Texas. Since 1905, the mission of Audubon is to protect birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. Dogwood Canyon is an area of nearly 200 acres of nearly pristine wildlife habitat. Part of the White Rock Escarpment, it is home to a wide variety of plants and animals, including rare species. The Dogwood Center has 3 miles of trails, a children’s Nature Play area, picnic area, indoor and outdoor bird viewing areas and education animal ambassadors. The Center is open to the public to engage and connect our communities to nature and to provide science education for thousands of school children.

Volunteers support Dogwood Canyon with trail building, citizen science projects, outdoor education, guided trail hikes, invasive species eradication, habitat restoration and preservation, and service as education docents and visitor docents.

Website:  https://tx.audubon.org/dogwood-canyon-audubon-center or https://dogwoodcanyon.audubon.org

2024 Activities – 6 volunteers with 114 hours of service performed

• Volunteers contributed to a wide range of tasks, programs, events and outreach to connect our communities with Dogwood Canyon’s mission of protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Listed in this report are volunteer participation beyond just NTMN as the volunteer system at Dogwood Canyon does not delineate what type of volunteer.
• There were two major events that are supported by volunteers. Stars & S’mores is an evening event that connected over 220 visitors to nature from a nighttime perspective: telescopes, live birds of prey, campfires, hot chocolate, self-guided scavenger hikes, guided night hikes, nature photography, and information tables. The bi-annual Native Plant Sale promotes the use of native plants in urban landscapes through guided walks, workshops, and plant information during the sale.
• Other major volunteer activities include:
  • Habitat: invasive plant removal (privet, nandina), native plant gardens (planting, weeding), pathway improvements, trail maintenance, fence repairs, litter pick up.
  • Visitor Information Docent: Greet visitors, talk about Audubon mission, directions to trails, answer questions about the habitat, flora and fauna, inform about upcoming education programs.
  • Animal Care: feeding, cleaning, handling and using native reptiles and invertebrates for educational purposes, including animals on display and monthly animal encounters.
  • Outreach: information tables to promote Dogwood Canyon visitation, talk about mission, birds, programs, trails and habitat.
• Total Attendance: 10,021 (hikers, programs, events)
• Total Programs: 110 (education, community, special events)