Every three years, the Estuary Program gathers the most recent data and research to compile a State of the Bay (SOTB) report examining the health of the Morro Bay estuary and the lands that surround it. In addition to the report, we host and attend a series of events throughout the spring to share the results and engage with the community.
As we wrap up our 2026 SOTB, we are excited and grateful for the enthusiasm, curiosity, and community support shown this spring. Keep reading to hear more about this year’s SOTB.
Events and Impact
Between March and May, we hosted or attended eleven events and connected with nearly 900 people. From cleanups to technical talks, there were opportunities for folks from all backgrounds to get involved.
March Events
In the first week of March, we kicked off State of the Bay at the Morro Bay Farmers’ Market where staff members handed out reports and connected with community members.
In mid-March, we partnered with Woods Humane Society to host a community pack walk. Attendees connected with fellow pet owners and learned more about our Mutts for the Bay program.
The following day, we hosted a guided birding tour through Sweet Springs Nature Preserve with Morro Coast Audubon Society.
To wrap up March events, we hosted a State of the Bay themed trivia night at Oak and Otter. All trivia questions were centered around findings from the report, and attendees put their SOTB knowledge to the test.
April Events
In April, Estuary Program staff tabled at the SLO County Beaver Festival and SLO Earth Fest. At these two events alone, we chatted with over 450 people and gave out over 100 reports.
We hosted an Earth Day Cleanup and were joined by 45 bay enthusiasts from Morro Bay and beyond.
From April 24-27, we took part in the City Nature Challenge, a global bioblitz event that encourages people to get out and document biodiversity in their area. During the four-day observation window, more than 3,500 iNaturalist observations were made by 200+ people in SLO County!
Over 1,000 species were observed, several of which are rare, endangered, or threatened. To see more results and learn more about City Nature Challenge, visit the 2026 SLO City Nature Challenge iNaturalist page.
May Events
During the final month of State of the Bay, we took part in four events, including Science Explorations, our largest science communication event of the year.
Our 2026 SOTB Science Explorations took place in early May at Cuesta College. The evening featured six presentations from Estuary Program staff and local researchers, along with a poster session showcasing 20+ fascinating studies. We were joined by nearly 100 event attendees and were thrilled with the engagement and enthusiasm shown throughout the evening.
The following week, Estuary Program staff attended the SLO Farmers’ Market and led a site tour of one of our restoration sites.
For our final SOTB event, two members of our monitoring team presented at the Central Coast Aquarium’s Science After Dark program. Makenzie, Monitoring Projects Manager, shared insights on our steelhead tracking efforts in Chorro Creek. Nick, Monitoring Coordinator, presented research on Morro Bay fish populations’ response to changes in eelgrass habitat.
Looking Ahead
As we shift from the higher visibility SOTB effort to our more routine work, rest assured that we will continue to collaborate with our partners and volunteers to collect those water samples, engage with students of all ages, and safeguard the unique and fragile habitats of our watershed. We are deeply grateful for the support, curiosity, and stewardship this community continues to show year after year.
To learn more about findings from our 2026 SOTB report, visit https://www.mbnep.org/state-of-the-bay-2026/ . To stay up to date on Estuary Program happenings, follow us on Instagram at @morrobayNEP , Facebook at www.facebook.com/MBestuary, and Eventbrite at mbnep.eventbrite.com.
Help us protect and restore the Morro Bay estuary!
- Donate to the Estuary Program today and support our work in the field, the lab, and beyond.
The Estuary Program is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. We depend on funding from grants and generous donors to continue our work. - Support us by purchasing estuary-themed gear from ESTERO. This locally owned and operated company donates 20% of proceeds from its Estuary clothing line and 100% of Estuary decal proceeds to the Estuary Program. Thank you, ESTERO!
- Purchase items from the Estuary Program’s store on Zazzle. Zazzle prints and ships your items, and the Estuary Program receives 10% of the proceeds.
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- We want to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to fill out this short survey about what type of events you’d like to see from the Estuary Program. We appreciate your input!