Clean Rivers Cooperative staged two Wildlife Rehabilitation Contractor training days with the support of International Bird Rescue from August 19th – 20th, 2026. Special thanks to Michelle Bellizzi of International Bird Rescue for her knowledge and training assistance.
Member Participants were first walked through a presentation from International Bird Rescue to become familiar with the steps of the wildlife rehabilitation process after a spill incident. Clean Rivers Staff then demonstrated and taught the usage of the specialty wildlife rehabilitation equipment present on site before allowing participants the chance for hands-on training.
Wildlife rehabilitation represents a unique aspect of incident response that few organizations are qualified to teach. The capacity of Clean Rivers to retain the necessary equipment to respond effectively when wildlife rehabilitation is needed represents a golden opportunity. The ability to teach Clean Rivers members unique skills not found in their everyday work strengthens incident preparedness and response as a whole.
As a member-driven organization, Clean Rivers relies on strong partnerships with our members, the oil and gas industry as a whole, and fellow response organizations to maintain a robust state of readiness. Staging this event with International Bird Rescue illustrates how industry partners can work together to strengthen regional response capabilities and support a shared mission of preparedness.
