Students in the San Francisco Bay area of California have received a hands-on lesson in conservation and species management while restoring a local estuary thanks in part to support from Wildlife Forever. The Tiburon Audubon Center is engaging student “Junior Nature Guides” and additional volunteers to restore one of the biological building blocks of Richardson Bay, native oysters. Healthy oyster populations play a crucial role in the Bay ecosystem by improving water-quality, enhancing the growth of aquatic vegetation, creating a source shell habitat, and providing forage for a number of species including waterfowl. At regular intervals, the Junior Nature Guides will monitor the expansion of the oyster population and the corresponding improvements in the health of the estuary. Wildlife Forever is proud to support this project that not only restores critical habitat, but also educates a new generation of stewards who will work to conserve the Bay in the years ahead.