How to Be a Shorebird Steward

Welcome! You are on your way to becoming a Shorebird Steward in South Carolina. Shorebird Steward volunteers are the boots on the ground that educate beachgoers about the importance of sharing the shore with our vulnerable coastal birds. They are trained and deployed at several sites along the South Carolina coast, working hard to protect nesting and resting shorebirds and seabirds.

Currently, we are hosting in-person trainings at different locations across the state. Please register below for one of our 2024 trainings:
 

• March 13 - Huntington Beach State Park
• March 16 - Harbor Island, Hunting Island, and Bull Point
• April 6 - Folly Beach Lighthouse Inlet
   

2025 training dates and locations will be announced soon.
 

If you have any questions regarding these trainings, reach out to abigail.burke@audubon.org 

Becoming a Steward is Simple!

Step one: Please attend an in-person training or watch the entire training video. Every steward must either attend a live training event or watch this video to be a Shorebird Steward. There is a lot of important information in this video and we are relying on the honor system and trust that you will watch the entire training video. Returning volunteers, please watch this as a refresher if you feel you need it.

Step two: Fill out a liability form. Once you are finished watching this training session, please click on one of the two links on the right side of this page. If you are 18 or over, please fill out the adult liability form. If you are under 18 years of age, please fill out the child liability form with your parent or guardian. After you submit this liability form you can then sign up for volunteer shifts!

Step three: Sign up for shifts! For 2024, shifts will begin at most sites on April 1st. After submitting your liability form, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to sign up for volunteer shifts. Sign up at your desired location(s).

Step four: Submit your Post-Shift Survey! This survey helps us to gather the important data we need to improve this program and further protect the birds on our beaches. You can find the survey here.