September 15, 2016
Announcements and Reminders
Rachel Ann Goodman spoke to us about a new community radio station to replace KUSP which went bankrupt.  The new station would have public service as its core.  The current effort is to get the license and transmitters for our community before they are bought by an outside company. For more information or to make a financial contribution contact Rachel@well.com  or 831 call 419-9047.
Doug Deaver was Rotarian of the week.
Win shared info from a membership meeting in Milpedes. We need to reconfigure our club to look like the community it serves (blend of age gender and ethnicity) and consider creating interest groups.
Doug announced Second Harvest Barrel Wrap is Saturday Oct 1st.  It starts at 7:30 AM.
Dr. Art is offering flu shots today and in two weeks.
This Saturday will be Beach Clean-up at Sumner and Dolphin at 9:00. Look for a red Prius with tailgate up. Gloves,bags and tally sheets will be there.
 
Our speaker today was Virginia Goulin, a coastal and marine scientist. She is a UCSC graduate and then went to San Jose State. She came to speak to us about Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve which is owned and managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. They work with two partners: The Elkhorn Slough Foundation, whose mission is to conserve and interpret the national resources at the reserve (they are also a land trust) and  NOAA, which  is the federal partner. Elkhorn is one of their 28 reserves.
 
 
Ms. Goulin gave us the history of how the slough was formed. It was opened up to the ocean by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1940’s. The Reserve now  has 1700 acres. There are many bird and insect habitats. The Reserve is tidal and connected to the Pacific Ocean, a saltwater estuary, at Moss Landing.
There are a number of programs connected with the Slough. There is research with scientists on sight doing projects such as studying the sea otters and birds (there are endangered amphibious species as well). There is stewardship with a team of people who take care of the land and do habitat management, controlling the invasive species. The Tidal Wetlands program is a collaboration of scientists who meet to protect the salt marshes. The Coastal Training program does professional development for planners, PG and E workers and others, There is a volunteer program that monitors the sea otters and does bird surveys. Some volunteers adopt a particular part of the forest  and are out there every single day for a whole month monitoring nesting sites and counting eggs. Kids come for field trips from schools and other groups such as boy and girl scouts. They go out on the trails as well as use the microscope lab and do field exploration. The Monterey Bay Aquarium uses them also as an outdoor lab.  There is also the Estuary Explorers Club, an after school program for 2nd 3rd 4th and 5th graders.
Ms, Goulin stressed that sloughs provide protection for coastal areas against flooding . They are a buffer for the agricultural community and a habitat for birds. She said that 55% of the fish coming out of the Monterey Bay begin their life in the slough.  The Reserve is open to the public Wednesday thru Sunday. Every Wednesday the native plant volunteers propagate plants. Every Saturday and Sunday, you can reserve tours. On the first Saturday of every month at 8:30 am there are “Early Bird” Birding Walks with local birding expert Rick Fournier.
They also have an award winning Visitors Center, a learning lab and an artist-in-residence. This weekend  there will be the Elkhorn Slough Reserve Open House and Native Plant Fair on Saturday from 9:00 to 4:00. For more information go to www.elkhornslough.org