Our Mission is: Conservation through Education, Advocacy, Land Management, and Monitoring
NEW! BVAS's Land Acknowledgement Statement
The Buena Vista Audubon Society (BVAS) honors and respectfully acknowledges the Payómkawichum (also known as the Luiseños), who are of the land on which the BVAS Nature Center stands. The Tribal Nations of San Diego County are the Payómkawichum, the Kumeyaay, the Cupeño, and the Cahuilla. Colonization culminated in genocide, enslavement, stolen land, unratified treaties, and forced removal of the original peoples to 18 reservations. Since colonialism continues today, we stand in alliance with these tribal communities by acknowledging their continued resistance, resilience, self-determination, and sovereignty.
We pledge to work mindfully and respectfully with our indigenous neighbors in partnership to steward lands secured by BVAS for protection and restoration. Our action steps in support of this acknowledgement will include collaborating with local Tribal Nations in the following efforts:
- Recognizing and speaking of the tribal communities in the present and future tenses.
- Understanding historic and current uses of the land and all that exists on it.
- Facilitating participation of indigenous community members in activities to restore the land (e.g., weeding, planting).
- Incorporating indigenous names and language on signs.
- Developing a brochure that highlights animals of the lagoon through indigenous stories.
- Reviewing and adapting the Nature Guides lesson, lecture, and demonstrations about the Payómkawichum/Luiseños.
We encourage everyone to learn more about and build relationships with members of the indigenous communities on whose lands we all live.
- Payómkawichum
- La Jolla: https://www.lajollaindians.com/
- Pala: http://www.palatribe.com/visitors/history/
- Pauma: https://www.paumatribe.com/history/
- Pechanga: https://www.pechanga-nsn.gov/
- Rincon: https://rincon-nsn.gov/culture-history/history/
- San Luis Rey: https://www.slrmissionindians.org/about
- Soboba: https://www.soboba-nsn.gov/
- Kumeyaay: https://www.kumeyaay.com/kumeyaay-history.html
- Cupeño: http://cupa.palatribe.com/culture/history/
- Cahuilla: https://sctca.net/cahuilla-band-of-mission-indians/.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
The Buena Vista Audubon Society’s mission is conservation with a focus on understanding and saving the naturally occurring diversity of Southern California. Those who cherish nature routinely respect diversity in the natural world. BVAS supports the same respect for the diversity of the members of our community. Yet we acknowledge the need to be more inclusive and to provide opportunities that are easily accessible by all in our community.
We pledge to examine and adapt our practices to increase equity, diversity, and inclusion in all levels of our organization and all facets of our work. We commit to having discussions about ways to engage in greater environmental justice, especially as it intersects with marginalized groups. We invite the community to join us in identifying meaningful pathways that will move us toward these goals.
9 Rules for the Woke Birdwatcher, by J. Drew Lanham
Great article by J. Drew Lanham:
https://orionmagazine.org/article/9-rules-for-the-woke-birdwatcher/

Donations that make a difference!
Your donation will help us further our mission of providing nature-based education to local children, offering birding classes and other programs, protecting and restoring North County wildlife habitats, and more!
Our Mission
Conservation Through Education, Advocacy, Land Management, and Monitoring
Mailing Address
Buena Vista Audubon
PO Box 480
Oceanside, CA 92049
Nature Center
2202 S. Coast Highway
Oceanside, CA 92054
760-439-BIRD
(760-439-2473)
Hours
Sunday CLOSED
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday 10 am-1 pm
Wednesday 10 am-1 pm
Thursday 10 am-1 pm
Friday 10 am-1 pm
Saturday 10 am-1 pm