The California Department of Fish & Wildlife has awarded nearly $3 million for the Tidal Marsh Restoration Project at Elkhorn Slough Reserve, one of 12 projects in California that will receive grants to restore wetlands that capture greenhouse gases.

 

Salt marshes can trap and store ten to fifteen times more atmospheric carbon than temperate forests, making them a valuable buffer to the effects of rising CO2 levels on climate.

 

Since 1870, nearly 50% of Elkhorn Slough's historic tidal marshes have been lost due to human activity. The Tidal Marsh Restoration Project will restore approximately 50 acres of salt marsh, as well as give researchers an opportunity to measure carbon uptake and other benefits of wetland restoration.

 

For more on the story, read the recent article in the Monterey Herald.

 

The Estuary Explorers Club is an afterschool program introducing 2nd-5th graders from nearby Elkhorn Elementary School to the Reserve through weekly visits and outdoor activities. As a special part of the program, the Explorers board the Slough Safari to see the slough by boat. This Earth Day, along with enjoying the sea otters and birds, one group of Estuary Explorers witnessed a sight rarely seen by visitors.  

 

"April is peak harbor seal pupping season, and we had been seeing lots of moms with pups," says Reserve Education Programs Coordinator Virginia Guhin. "As we approached the bank we saw gulls surrounding a harbor seal. We discovered they were scavenging on afterbirth, and that a newborn seal was emerging from the amniotic sac. We watched as the pup broke free and moved toward its mother for protection. In honor of Earth Day, the Explorers named the baby 'Earth'."

 

May 30 - Kayaking with ESF 

June 20 - Step into Nature: Walk & Workshop

 

Learn more or register at www.elkhornslough.org/calendar or call ESF at (831)728-5939.

Free and Open to the Public -- Register Today!

Elkhorn Slough Reserve invites the public to a half-day series of presentations about the water quality of Elkhorn Slough.

 

Scientific experts will present on water quality monitoring programs, long-term trends, and impacts of water quality issues on the slough. Agricultural experts will discuss opportunities and constraints for improving runoff. Slough managers will speak about their work to restore and improve water quality.

 

This free workshop will be held at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories from 1:00-4:30pm on Tuesday, June 2. Space is limited. To register, or for more information, visit our website.

Elkhorn Road Cleanup Bags 4,720 Pounds of Trash

Our thanks go out to the dedicated volunteers who donned safety vests, gloves, and grabbers on April 18 to participate in the Elkhorn Road Cleanup -- keeping trash out of the Elkhorn Slough and its watershed.  

 

This year, the Elkhorn Road cleanup collected more than two tons of trash, including: 600 cigarette butts, ten bottles of motor oil, 14 tires, two mattresses, four couches, more than 100 lottery tickets, 70 food containers, and a car battery.

 

Read more about the cleanup in a recent story that aired on KUSP -- or visit our website to find volunteer opportunities at the slough.

Tune in to the Elkhorn Slough Otter Cam  Elkhorn Slough hosts the largest concentration of Southern sea otters on the west coast, as well as California's largest expanse of salt marsh south of San Francisco Bay.