Fun Fishing Program at SEA Lab
Redondo Beach, California
 This past year, SEA Lab expanded their Fun Fishing Program to include hands-on interactive learning for 3rd to 5th grade classrooms at several Elementary Schools in Los Angeles. MSRP first funded this program in 2007. SEA Lab was able to reach over 600 students through their classroom program. The students interacted with three learning stations including an interactive food chain game, a fish identification activity, and a fishing game. SEA Lab also continued their fishing program for over 300 Los Angeles Corpsmembers which includes taking the students fishing on the Redondo pier. MSRP will continue to fund hands-on fishing programs like these in the future. |
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Seabirds Continue to Get Home Makeover
Channel Islands, California
 Since 2007, over 10,000 native plants have been placed in the ground on Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz Islands. The new plants have replaced non-native plants, like ice plant, that covered up prime nesting sites for Cassin's Auklets and Xantus's Murrelets. These seabirds make nests by burrowing under native island shrubs. Invasive plants like the ice plant create a thick mat, making it difficult for seabirds to reach the soil underneath. MSRP staff with the help of 176 volunteers has been working hard to restore important nesting habitat for these seabirds. Plantings on both islands have taken place this Fall.
View short films about restoration on Santa Barbara Island and Santa Cruz Island. Check out these Xantus's Murrelets sounds recorded on Santa Barbara Island! |
Project Highlight: New Interactive Montrose Kiosks!
Southern California
This summer, MSRP unveiled two new interactive kiosks made from sustainable materials to debut in local Aquaria and Nature Centers in Southern California. These kiosks use a cutting edge technology known as Augmented Reality, which allows users to interact with their learning environment. The moment a user steps into the kiosk environment, they see themselves on the screen with the use of a video camera. A message on the kiosk screen prompts the user to pick up a bald eagle, seabird, or fishing restoration brochure to hold up in front of the screen. The camera instantly recognizes the brochure image and a 3-D animation pops up on the screen. A bald eagle flies into the screen and lands on a nest. Sounds of bald eagle calls fill the air and text boxes appear explaining MSRP restoration efforts. During this time, the user can interact with the eagle and nest zooming into and out of the image or moving it side to side. After 15 seconds, a two minute video about Montrose efforts to restore bald eagles begins playing. Each brochure has its own accompanying 3-D animation.
Another exciting feature is that users can download the 3-D application onto their home computers by visiting the Montrose website. The brochure encourages people to visit the Montrose website where they can find out more about our restoration. One kiosk is currently installed at SEA Lab, a local aquarium in Redondo Beach. Additional kiosks will be appearing at the California Science Center and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium soon!
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