Morro Bay Estuary Poetry Contest Winners 2018 Announced

We look forward to April every year. The wildflowers are blooming, the bay view is ever-changing between thick fog, sunshine, and wave-whipping wind. April is also when we recognize Earth Day and celebrate National Poetry Month. At the Estuary Program, we like to bring all of these spring happenings together with a poetry contest that asks people to capture the essence of the Morro Bay estuary in haiku and free verse poems. The poems are judged anonymously and receive points for form, creativity, imagery, and adherence to theme. This year, the 5th anniversary of the contest, a record 101 poets from …

What to do in Morro Bay

May 5, 2018 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program elfin forest hike maritime museum MBNEP morro bay estuary morro bay nature center morro bay state park national estuary spring things to do in Morro Bay what to do in morro bay Blog Posts

Looking inland from the top of Black Hill in spring.

Wildflowers are blooming, birds are singing, and the afternoon winds have been picking up speed. It’s definitely spring in Morro Bay! Every year during the spring and summer visitors stop by the Estuary Program office asking for the best spots to enjoy our beautiful estuary and things to do that will help them learn more about the area. We’re sharing some of our favorite what-to-do tips with you, too. Go birding Bring your scope or binoculars and visit one of the area’s numerous birding spots. Sweet Springs Morro Coast Audubon’s expanded Sweet Springs preserve in Los Osos is a …

From Seas to Trees, Plastic Pollution Takes a Toll

April 27, 2018 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program cleanup coast ecoslo estuary litter MBNEP microbead microplastic morro bay plastic plastic ban trash trash free sea Blog Posts

When you look at this picture, what do you see? You might note Morro Rock, the waves washing along the shore, bits of brown kelp, green algae, a shell, and other organic beach debris. How about this picture? At first glance, this second picture might look just like the first, but it isn’t quite. That green blob that looks like it might be algae is actually a tennis ball buried in the sand. And, some of that stringy organic-looking beach debris is actually fishing line, tossed and tangled with strands of plant debris. It is easy to look at …

Native Plant Series #2: Southern Coastal Scrub

April 20, 2018 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program black hill black sage california sagebrush coastal scrub conservation drought estuary morro bay national estuary program morro bay state park native plants plant community rain watershed Blog Posts

The Southern coastal scrub plant community is one of the most common plant communities found in our watershed. Not sure what a plant community is? Take a look at our introductory post to the Morro Bay Native Plant Series, an exploration of our watershed’s diverse native flora! Climatic conditions, soil type, topography, and other features determine what types of plants will grow in a particular region, and the coastal scrub plant community occurs on relatively dry soils in areas where a Mediterranean climate prevails. The Mediterranean climate exists along the Central Coast of California along with a handful …

Citizen Scientists Make a Difference for Morro Bay

April 13, 2018 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program Audubon citizen science ecoslo estuary iNaturalist marine debris MBNEP morro bay noaa Blog Posts

We used the Trash Tracker for the first time at our inaugural Pickup and Paddle event in 2017. We're excited to continue using it this year!

While not everyone can be a marine biologist, a meteorologist, or a conservation ecologist, almost anyone can help contribute to the wealth of knowledge that these experts draw from in their work. Our own Monitoring program uses data gathered by citizen scientist volunteers and staff members to keep an eye on long-term trends in water quality, bacteria levels, and other factors that influence stream and bay health. In honor of National Citizen Science Day tomorrow, we’re sharing a few ways that you can help move science forward at home and beyond. Marine debris projects Clean Swell This simple app created …

Field Updates March 2018: Eelgrass Transplanting and Sediment Sampling

April 6, 2018 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program california conservation creek eelgrass estuary field fieldwork los osos MBNEP morro bay redd restoration salmon spawn steelhead transplant trout volunteer Blog Posts

No, that’s not a grass skirt. That is 25 eelgrass rhizomes tied onto rebar, ready to be planted.

Fulfilling our mission to protect and restore the Morro Bay estuary for people and animals requires a lot of hard work in the field. At the Estuary Program, that often means spending time doing research and monitoring work out on the water. Read on to see the progress that our staff and volunteers have made in our eelgrass work during March of 2018. Eelgrass In the last few months, you might have seen our staff and volunteers in waders at Coleman Beach or trudging through the mud in the back bay during the last few months. They have been busy …

Photograph Friday: Spring Rain in Morro Bay

March 30, 2018 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program drought estuary los osos MBNEP morro bay photographs precipitation rain rain gauge rainfall storm stormwater water Blog Posts

At the Estuary Program office, we are always excited to see the rain come down. When enough rain falls, creeks flow at adequate levels, giving fish and other aquatic wildlife a better chance to survive and thrive. On the other hand, rain can wash trash, sediment, and other substances into storm drains, creeks, and out into the bay. It’s important to make sure that we dispose of trash, pet waste, debris, and chemicals properly. so that they can’t catch a ride into our waterways. Today, we are sharing some of our favorite pictures of the most recent storm. If you …

Native Plant Series #1: Pioneer Sand Dunes and Foredunes

March 23, 2018 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program dunes education estuary local plants MBNEP native plants plant community plant diversity plants sandspit stewardship watershed Blog Posts

This is our first exploration of a specific plant community found within the Morro Bay watershed. Today, we will learn about the pioneer dunes and foredunes communities located on the Morro Bay Sandspit. This area is probably the harshest environment for plants found in the Morro Bay watershed. Because of its direct exposure to the Pacific Ocean, the Sandspit is a very windy place: the constant salty, sandy wind coming off the ocean keeps plants at a low, small stature. Since sand does not hold water very well, these plants experience moisture conditions similar to a desert. Because of these …

Finding A New Perspective: Morro Bay Estuary Poetry Contest 2018

March 16, 2018 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program california coalesce bookstore contest estuary haiku Miossi Charitable Trust morro bay Photography poetry time lapse Blog Posts

This is the first picture the Morro Bay Cam captured.

You’ve likely stood near Coleman beach and watched the waves roll in through the mouth of Morro Bay’s harbor, or visited Sweet Springs and looked out over the back bay to see the mud flats at low tide. But, have you ever stood perfectly still—as still as a great egret stalking its prey or a live oak on the edge the boardwalk at the Elfin Forest—to watch the tide roll all the way in and all the way out? It’s a phenomenon that happens twice each day along Morro Bay’s shores, but we don’t have time to observe it …

Field Updates February 2018: Eelgrass Transplant Videos

March 9, 2018 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program CalPoly conservation eelgrass environment estuary MBNEP morro bay morro bay national estuary program morro bay oyster company restoration seagrass Watershed Stewards Program wsp Blog Posts

One of our longtime volunteers works on harvesting eelgrass blades near Target Rock. Thanks, Marc!

Fulfilling our mission to protect and restore the Morro Bay estuary for people and animals requires a lot of hard work in the field. At the Estuary Program, that often means spending time doing research and monitoring work out on the water. Read on to see the progress that our staff and volunteers have made in our eelgrass work during February of 2018. Our field highlight for February was preparing for and executing our third, small-scale eelgrass restoration. We completed two in 2017—one in March and one in July. Eelgrass was harvested from the healthy bed at Coleman …