TRI-STATE BIRD RESCUE AND RESEARCH INC

FY 2024 VOLUNTEER SERVICES AND EDUCATION SERVICES This program includes training and materials for volunteers, in addition to educational workshops for the public. The Tri-State team invests a lot of training into their volunteers to prepare them for their service in the field of wildlife rehabilitation. In FY 2024, Tri-State brought on 49 new volunteers that completed a new volunteer orientation in addition to role specific hands-on training. Between April 2023 and March 2024, Tri-State hosted 151 individual volunteers who served a total of 13, 760.50 volunteer hours. During FY 24, 12 interns trained with our clinic team and served a combined total of 3,282.5 hours of volunteer service. The twelve interns represented seven different colleges/universities. In addition to supporting our clinic team, interns attended weekly lectures, trainings, and workshops to further their knowledge and skills. Tri-State also hosted a Student Project Intern who worked with clinic staff to help complete a Capstone Project needed to graduate high school. A new internship program was also designed this year for a year-long internship, designed to give the candidate training and experience in the field to help obtain a position in the field after their completion. In November 2023 and March 2024, our team hosted an advanced training workshop for best practices in field response and transporting injured wild birds. There were 21 participants in November and 12 in March. Attendees represented our own volunteers in addition to those from different conservation-based organizations from Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey. It is also part of Tri-State's mission to promote stewardship of wild birds and wildlife through public education. This is accomplished with educational workshops and outreach programs for local and neighboring communities. Education is an important component of Tri-State's mission. It is achieved by providing information for the public as well as through colleague outreach, and intern and volunteer programs. In FY 2024, our team reached over 8,000 members of the surrounding community by participating in outreach events and festivals. During this same time, our team also reached 1,372 students and 390 scouts/campers through classroom programs and presentations. Tri-State supported improved excellence in wildlife care by training other wildlife professionals and oil spill contingency personnel. Tri-State hosted the largest wildlife rehabilitation conference in the United States and had a total of 8 presentations, one published poster and 1 all day workshop. Tri-State staff and volunteers presented topics at local, regional and international conferences. Throughout the year, Tri-State helped to educate the public by answering over 18,000 telephone inquiries and conducting outreach programs. In addition, an annual open house is held each Spring attracting approximately 750 visitors to the campus in Newark, DE.