A black-throated gray warbler sits on a pinyon pine in Mahogany Flat Campground/NPS, Peter Treuherz.

Editor's note: The following is an unedited release from the National Park Service.

Interested in experiencing a beautiful location with your family or friends over the holidays? Looking for something fun and rewarding to do? Death Valley National Park is hosting several volunteer events, including the annual Christmas Bird Count and Junior Ranger service projects.

Two volunteer clean-up events offer adults or families an opportunity to beautify the park for everyone’s enjoyment. Tuesday, December 27, meet at the Texas Springs Campground from noon to 4 p.m., or kick off the new year with a good deed and join in on Sunday, January 1, from 9 a.m. to noon at the picnic area in front of Furnace Creek Ranch. Bring a water bottle, hat, sunscreen, sturdy outdoor shoes, and work/gardening gloves if you have them.

Kids of all ages are invited to join in activities and art projects that explore what it means to give back to their community. The event will be in the Multipurpose Room in the Furnace Creek Visitor Center on Sunday, December 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, December 31, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. These Junior Ranger Service Projects Open House days are a great way to fulfill the service project component of your Death Valley National Park Junior Ranger workbooks!

Death Valley National Park’s annual Christmas Bird Count will take place on December 30. This is part of the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC), which began in 1900. You are invited to participate in one of the longest-running citizen science events in the world.

Birders can experience the diversity of habitats and species found in the Furnace Creek area of Death Valley. For beginners, this is a great opportunity to learn about birds in the area, get identification tips and meet others interested in desert environments.

All skill levels are welcome. The bird count will begin at 7 a.m. at the Furnace Creek Golf Course parking lot. Participants should dress in layers and bring a hat, sunscreen, water, food, and binoculars (if available). Participants do not need to commit to the entire day, but must be there at 7 a.m.

The data collected by CBC participants over the past century allow researchers, conservation biologists, and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. When combined with other bird surveys, it provides a picture of how the continent’s bird populations have changed over the past hundred years.

The long-term perspective made possible by the Christmas Bird Count is vital for conservationists. It helps guide strategies to protect birds and their habitat, and helps identify environmental issues with implications for people as well.

Each year, the CBC mobilizes more than 70,000 volunteers in more than 2,400 locations. When compiled, the results will be posted at http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count.

If you have questions or would like to schedule a service project with your group, email Kira Lucier at [email protected] or call 760-786-3282. For more information on the Christmas Bird Count, contact Linda Manning at 760-786-3252 or [email protected].