Slough Buzz #145   |   News & Updates from the Elkhorn Slough Foundation   |   February 2016

Adopt-An-Oak
Wild at Heart? Put Your Valentine's Name on an Oak, for Good
In 2015, we planted 150 coast live oak trees on our conserved ESF lands to help restore oak woodland habitat. We want these little oaks grow into sturdy trees so that future generations can admire the ancient oaks of our watershed.

You can help restore native oak woodlands in the Elkhorn Slough watershed by symbolically adopting a newly planted oak tree.  When you Adopt an Oak you will receive a geo-tagged tree and a digital "Oak Adoption Certificate" featuring the honoree's name and a link to our Google Earth Adopted Oak map.

An adopted oak is a living thing that grows with the passage of time, making it the perfect gift for Valentine's Day -- or any celebration.
 
As the years go by, you can view the growth of your adopted tree with every Google Earth image update. And you will know your oak is protected on the conserved lands of the Elkhorn Slough Foundation. You and your tree - as well as the entire oak grove - are helping to restore the Elkhorn Slough to a native California environment.

Learn more or Adopt an Oak today at elkhornslough.org!
eventsOn the Horizon: Events & Activities
Help ESF Restore the Dunes at
Moss Landing State Beach (2/20)

Join us for a fun morning planting native seedlings and help ESF restore the dunes at Moss Landing State Beach -- where the slough meets the sea.

This is a free, family-friendly event, open to the public. Gloves, tools, water, and a light snack will be provided. We encourage you to bring your own gloves and watering cans.

We look forward to seeing you at Moss Landing SB (Jetty Rd. and Highway 1), rain or shine, on Saturday, February 20 from 10am-12:30pm.

For more information visit our online calendar, or contact ESF Outreach Coordinator Katie Pofahl by email at katie@elkhornslough.org, or cell at (831)706-5712.
Reserve Public Planting Event (2/27)

Join the Reserve for a public planting event on Saturday, February 27 from 10am-1pm. We will meet at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve Visitor Center, then carpool to the planting site to restore native grassland and flowers. Wet conditions could cancel this event. RSVP to Reserve Stewardship Coordinator Andrea Woolfolk at amwoolfolk@gmail.com or call (831)728-2822.

For updates, visit our online calendar or download an Event Flyer (336K PDF).
Save the Dates: Spring Events
Harbor seal, photo by Jeff Adams

From old favorites to new offerings, the Foundation will host Spring events for all interests on lands that your member contributions help conserve and restore.
  • Saturday, April 2: Snowy Plover Mud Stomp
  • Saturday, April 16: Elkhorn Road Cleanup
  • Sunday, April 17: Kayaking with ESF
  • Saturday, April 30: ESF Wildflower Walk
  • Thursday, May 12: Speaker Series | Jo Ellis, Bay Area Lyme Foundation
  • Saturday, May 21: ESF Spring Birding Walk with Rick Fournier
  • Also on the horizon: more great talks in the Elkhorn Slough Reserve Speaker Series; a photography workshop with Paul Zaretsky; and a special Mud Walk with ESF Executive Director Mark Silberstein.
For registration and details, watch our online calendar or follow us on Facebook.
ottercamElkhorn Slough Otter Cam: Pups & Powerups
We've seen several mom and pup pairs on the OtterCam so far this year, despite power outages.

Streaming high definition video from the tidal marshes and mudflats of the Elkhorn Slough Reserve presents significant technical challenges, not least of which is maintaining reliable power to run the remote cameras and transmitters.
 
Thanks for enduring occasional camera outages as our staff and volunteers upgrade the solar panels and power systems that keep our Elkhorn Slough Otter Cams up and streaming.

We hope you'll visit the Elkhorn Slough OtterCams to energize your spirits. (And if we're still powering up, we hope you'll enjoy the video highlights from our YouTube channel.) 
We ♥ Elkhorn Slough!  
#iheartestuaries @elkhornslough

We know you love the Elkhorn Slough and the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) that supports our estuaries, places where freshwater meets the sea.

Now's the time to tweet your love from the treetops!

This week, we invite you to join the annual #iheartestuaries campaign. Tell your friends, family, and representatives just how important estuaries are to you and your community -- and don't forget to include the hashtags, #iheartestuaries @elkhornslough in your tweets and posts.
Elkhorn Slough Foundation   |   www.elkhornslough.org

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