Best Fall Hikes in Los Osos Near the Morro Bay Estuary

The land that surrounds the Morro Bay estuary is contoured by hills and valleys, studded with trees, and etched by creeks that take their time winding down to the salt marsh and entering bay. In short, it is a beautiful place that offers many opportunities to get outside and explore. A study done by Stanford researchers shows that making time to enjoy the natural spaces around us by hiking, walking, or even just visiting with friends in natural spaces can decrease stress and may lessen the risk of depression. During the study, they asked participants to take a …

Morro Bay Watershed Native Plant Series: Pioneer Sand Dunes and Foredunes

November 13, 2020 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

Morro Bay Watershed Native Plant Blog Series Because the natural areas of the Morro Bay watershed have been so well preserved, many native and rare plants grow here. Some of these plants are endemic to this area, which means that they are not found anywhere else in the world. To celebrate our area’s botanical richness, we are rereleasing our popular blog series on Morro Bay watershed native plants. For each blog post, we will explore a different plant community that you can find in the watershed, with suggested hikes, too! Morro Bay Sandspit Overview This is our first exploration of …

Morro Bay Watershed Native Plant Series: Introduction

October 16, 2020 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program conservation education endemic estuary estuary program local plants MBNEP morro bay morro bay national estuary program native plants Native Plants Series plant community plant diversity stewardship watershed Blog Posts Native Plants

Why do native plants thrive in the lands surrounding Morro Bay? The Morro Bay watershed is one of the most botanically diverse regions in California. This diversity can be traced back to the ice ages as California’s coastline receded and advanced over thousands of years, and the tectonic plates settled into their current position. Many communities and species of plants have evolved here as a result of such active geologic change. These plant communities have continued to exist and thrive because San Luis Obispo County still resembles its natural state, despite increasing human habitation and land use development. Because …

PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS: SHARE THE BEAUTY AND BOUNTY OF MORRO BAY

September 25, 2020 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program beauty and bounty of Morro Bay central coast photography estuary Glenn fuss mary l watt MBNEP morro bay morro bay national estuary program nature photography photo contest photographers robert zwissler tony salome Blog Posts

Our Beauty and Bounty of Morro Bay photo contest celebrates National Estuaries Week and recognizes the many benefits that estuaries provide. These places where freshwater rivers and streams meet the salty sea are home to myriad wildlife. They nurture juvenile fish, including commercial species. They provide us protection against both flood and drought. They also provide us with a chance to recreate and reconnect with nature. They give us beauty and solace, too. We received so many beautiful photographs that showed every angle, mood, and aspect of the bay. It was very difficult to choose between them, but after much …

Paul Bump on Researching Acorn Worms in Morro Bay: The Unknown Lives of the Small and Squishy

June 5, 2020 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program acorn worm estuary Hopkins Marine Station marine worm morro bay morro bay animals morro bay estuary morro bay native species mudflats Paul Alexander Kai Bump Paul Bump research Schizocardium californicum worms Blog Posts Guest post Wildlife spotlight

Paul Bump, Guest Author Paul Bump is an explorer of the small and squishy. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2016 in marine biology, and the spent two years working as a lab technician at the Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC. As a fourth year PhD student in the Lowe Lab at the Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University in Monterey, California, Paul studies how an organism can build two wildly different bodies during its life while having access to the same genetic information. Through his research in strange, enigmatic, marine invertebrates, he hopes to …

May is for Bay: victory garden and composting

May 22, 2020 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program bay bokashi composting climate change composting environment estuary food scraps green bin help your environment morro bay reduce reuse recycle sloiwma victory garden worm composting Blog Posts

May is for the bay! All month we have been looking into ways to be more environmentally friendly, so that our bay stays healthy and beautiful. In these interesting times, many of us have been dedicating more of our time to gardening. I personally am excited to eat my yummy tomatoes! Did you know you can make your own environmentally friendly fertilizer at home by composting kitchen scraps? Something that can easily be done at home? Yay! Protect your bay! Compost! How does composting help the environment? By composting, you can redirect up to thirty percent of your waste from the landfill, where it would either rot or mummify, back to the earth where it can nourish new life. By diverting your …

Photograph Friday: Appreciating Our Corner of the Earth

April 24, 2020 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program central coast estuary Clean Water Act CWA section 320 earth day estuary estuary of national significance friends of the estuary MBNEP morro bay morro bay estuary national estuary program Of Marshes and Morros Photograph Friday

This week marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. In 1970, the first Earth Day drew 20 million people together in support of a more environmentally sustainable future. At the time, that was 10% of the total population of the United States. We can trace the roots of the Morro Bay National Estuary Program back to that day, which set in motion a decade of environmental reforms and grassroots work for a greener future. In 1972, the Clean Water Act established pollution control programs and protections for surface water quality. In 1987, Congress created the National Estuary Program …

The recycling world is plastic (malleable) it’s time for an update!

March 20, 2020 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program california CRV estuary helping the planet morro bay recycling reduce reuse recycle science what goes into the recycling bin Blog Posts

How is California doing with recycling? If you’re wondering how California is doing with recycling, the short answer is, not very well. Because of California’s location on the West Coast, the state has depended heavily on selling recyclables to China. Since China put the National Sword Policy into action in 2017, the U.S. has been struggling to support the recycling system and keep it from crumbling. For those of you who haven’t read our first blog on the business of recycling, we recommend reading it first, it will blow your recycling mind! A National Sword Policy Refresher As a refresher, here is a quick summary of the National Sword policy. The U.S. has been dependent on China buying our …

Morro Bay Wildlife Spotlight: Balls of Spines (AKA Sea Urchins)

January 24, 2020 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program animals of morro bay climate change estuary kelp forest morro bay morro bay national estuary program morro bay wildlife sea star wasting disease sea star wasting syndrome sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus Tide pools wildlife spotlight Blog Posts Wildlife spotlight

Is it a ball? Is it a Pokémon? Nope, it’s a sea urchin! Sea urchins, even though common, are really cool! In Morro Bay, there are mainly two species, purple sea urchin and red sea urchin. The biggest difference between the two is their size and color. Red sea urchins can reach up to five inches in diameter whereas purple sea urchins reach only two inches in diameter. The most common species is the pacific purple sea urchin, also known as Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Sea urchins use their spikes and poison as a defense mechanism. The poison is located at …

How to be environmentally friendly during the holidays!

December 20, 2019 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program Christmas environmentally friendly estuary green ideas morro bay Morro rock recycling Blog Posts

Whether you’ve been counting down the days with your festive sweaters or hiding in a cave under a box, hoping to avoid the hustle and bustle, the holidays have arrived. Since we know you care about the health of Morro Bay and beyond, we’re here to help you avoid the holiday season becoming a season of unintended wastefulness. That’s right, ’tis the season to get environmental! Here are some simple ways to be more eco-friendly this year. Gift giving Want to get something really cool for your loved ones? Try picking up presents locally. Look up local artists and craftspeople, or visit collective art galleries or holiday fairs, to get unique gifts for …