2013 Project Approvals

In 2013 the State Coastal Conservancy supported 123 projects along California’s coast and around San Francisco Bay with awards totaling more than $35 million. The Conservancy’s support for these projects is leveraging almost $67 million from the federal and local governments and private organizations. The funds are being used to help people enjoy the outdoors, protect and improve natural lands, support local economies, and prepare for climate change. The majority of the Conservancy’s funding came from resources bond acts approved by the State’s voters.

To accomplish its goals the Conservancy relies on partnerships with local communities and more than 100 nonprofit organizations based in all parts of the coast and around San Francisco Bay. This network ensures that local residents inform the Conservancy about coastal needs and opportunities and are actively involved in the Conservancy’s work.

For Public Recreation along the length of the coast the Conservancy

• awarded 52 Explore the Coast grants totaling $1.3 million to nonprofit organizations and public agencies for projects that encourage and help people get to and enjoy California’s coast and the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Descriptions of funded projects can be found immediately below and in the county listings that follow. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $45,000 to Turtle Island Restoration Network for its California Sea Turtle Hero Outreach Project, which will encourage the exploration, enjoyment, and protection of California’s coast with a focus on building awareness of and appreciation for sea turtles. The campaign will include photo contests and will use a website, social media, and bilingual advertising to reach new audiences. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $20,000 to Pelican Media for environmental education tied to Pelican Dreams, a documentary being produced about California brown pelicans for a broad general audience. Pelican Media is using the funding to create short-film extras and video clips for mobile devices and distribute them via social media and to nature centers. Pelican Media is the nonprofit organization that produced the award-winning documentary The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill. (October)

For Climate Change throughout the coast the Conservancy

• made $200,000 available to identify risks from flooding along the coast and actions that might be taken to minimize those risks. Rising seas and extreme storms resulting from the warming global climate threaten critical State infrastructure and the natural environment, and the cost to replace at-risk properties could exceed $100 billion. The funding for the study is available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. (June)
• granted $50,000 to Winrock International to develop a wetland carbon sequestration protocol specific to coastal and delta wetlands in California. The protocol will demonstrate the value of wetlands in capturing and storing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and may lead to wetland restoration projects becoming eligible for funding through the voluntary and compliance carbon markets. (June)

SOUTH COAST

For the length of the South Coast the Conservancy

• awarded $650,000 to Earth Island Institute for the Community Wetland Restoration Grant Program, which supports community-based restoration of coastal wetlands and other natural areas from San Diego through Santa Barbara counties. The 2013 funding is supporting nine projects, all of which involve community participation and education. The program is part of the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project, a partnership of 18 State and federal agencies working in concert with local governments, conservation organizations, and the business community to acquire, restore, and improve coastal wetlands and natural areas. Individual projects are described in the county listings that follow. (June)
• provided $300,000 to the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Southern California Sea Grant Program to develop a coastal storm model to support coastal hazard and sea level rise vulnerability assessments from San Diego through Santa Barbara Counties. The model will help communities in the region identify and prepare for risks from rising seas and severe storms expected from a warming climate. (June)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $48,000 to KCETLink for its production of Coastal Trail Then & Now – From San Diego to San Luis Obispo, a series that will combine journalism, photography, and video to create a web-based “Docu-logue” that rediscovers the past, reveals the present, and imagines the future of the Southern California Coastal Trail. Then & Now will be designed to encourage Southern California residents and visitors to explore the Coastal Trail as it winds for 320 miles from the Mexican border through San Luis Obispo County. (October)

For San Diego County the Conservancy

• awarded $2.2 million to the San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy for continued technical studies and environmental documentation necessary for restoration of San Elijo Lagoon in Encinitas. The work will lead to improved water circulation and wildlife habitats and a program for the lagoon’s long-term maintenance and management. Although severely degraded, the lagoon is a valuable component of the network of habitats for birds and fish along the South Coast. The grant adds to almost $2 million awarded by the Conservancy since 2008. Most of the funding has been available from the San Diego Association of Governments via Caltrans. Funding for construction of the restoration is expected to be available through the I-5 corridor widening project. (April)
• provided $1.5 million to the County to construct three hiking, biking, and equestrian trails within Tijuana River Valley Regional Park. The trails will extend for more than six miles and offer links to Border Fields State Park, the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, the California Coastal Trail, and the Bayshore Bikeway. (February)
• awarded $1.5 million to the San Diego River Conservancy to eradicate Arundo donax (giant reed) and other invasive plants on 50 acres of the upper watershed of the San Diego River. Arundo is a tall, bamboo-like grass that overruns native habitats, clogs open waterways, exacerbates flooding, and is a serious fire hazard. It is one of the most significant causes of habitat degradation along Southern California rivers and streams. (June)
• provided $750,000 to the Ocean Discovery Institute for final design and construction of the Living Lab environmental education center in the City of San Diego. The Living Lab will be an environmental science educational center with an outdoor education area in the City Heights neighborhood. The lab will be the headquarters for Ocean Discovery’s education, scientific research, and environmental stewardship programs. (October)
• granted $250,000 to Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), UC-San Diego, to plan for and construct a 350-feet segment of the California Coastal Trail on the Scripps campus. The trail will provide sweeping ocean views from a coastal terrace and connect two coastal overlooks. (June)
• awarded $210,000 to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to construct a portion of the Bayside Birding and Walking Trail in the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Imperial Beach. The new pedestrian trail will be parallel to the existing Bayshore Bikeway and include a wildlife overlook and a 50-foot bridge across a drainage channel. The trail will be built to protect sensitive wetlands habitats and resolve conflicts between bicycle and pedestrian uses of the Bayshore Bikeway. The award follows $300,000 provided for the project in 2010. (June)
• provided $85,000 to the Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association to develop a conceptual restoration plan to restore native Olympia oysters in San Diego Bay. The plan will incorporate natural structures as habitat that will also buffer and protect adjacent shorelines from sea level rise and erosion. The funding is available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (June)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $35,000 to the Ocean Discovery Institute for its Ocean Science Explorers program, which provides 3^rd through 6^th graders with early and continued exposure to ocean science. The program includes classroom studies, field trips, and hands-on stewardship of natural lands in the students’ neighborhoods. The funding is supporting the program’s work with more than 3,250 students in San Diego’s City Heights neighborhood, a high-poverty community where the majority of students have never been to the ocean despite living only 15 minutes from the coast. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $30,000 to the San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy for its Our Living Watershed environmental education program and to transport residents of the inland community to its Family Discovery Days at the lagoon. Our Living Watershed includes classroom studies and coastal field trips for 3^rd through 5^th graders in Escondido. The program provides 1,150 underserved students with the opportunity to explore coastal wetlands. The funding has provided transportation for 450 people to Family Discovery Days, which are seasonal weekend events at the lagoon that include nature-themed crafts and presentations, guided hikes, and interactive exhibits. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $25,000 to WILDCOAST to support educational, recreational, and stewardship activities focused on Marine Protected Areas off the San Diego coast for at least 60 students from three high schools in low-income areas of southeast San Diego. The students—members of Summer Adventure Clubs—participated in several activities including coastal ecology education, tidepool tours, citizen science projects, and cleanups, in addition to recreational activities such as surfing, kayaking, and snorkeling. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $20,000 to the Maritime Museum of San Diego to host the Festival of Sail 2014 held in September at the port of San Diego. The event featured visits from historic tall ships and working craft from around the world together with multi-cultural educational and recreational activities highlighting San Diego’s working waterfront. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $20,000 to The Ocean Foundation for its Ocean Connectors program, which provides bilingual marine-conservation learning opportunities for more than 1,000 low-income 4^th through 6^th graders in the National City school district. Activities include whale watching excursions, habitat restoration field trips at the South Bay Salt Ponds Wetlands Complex on San Diego Bay, and visits to the Living Coast Discovery Center in Chula Vista. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $9,950 to the San Diego Audubon Society to support its 18^th annual San Diego Bird Festival held in Mission Bay in 2014. The theme of the festival was “Celebrating San Diego’s Coast” and activities included several workshops and field trips. The funding supported the festival’s free Family Day, with hands-on arts and science programming to promote local wildlife and bird watching, and a partnership with Nikon Birding Adventures TV to produce an episode focused on San Diego birds and coastal habitats. (October)
• awarded a Community Wetland Restoration Program grant of $23,000 to the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation to restore wildlife habitat along the north shore of Batiquitos Lagoon. The work includes wetland restoration and replacement of non-native eucalyptus and palms with native tree species to improve bird nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat. (June)

For Orange County the Conservancy

• provided $675,000 to the County for improvements at Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park in Laguna Niguel, including construction of new trails, parking facilities, and other visitor amenities, plus planning and design of new visitor-serving and administrative buildings. The improvements will be located near the main entryway to the park, which contains 30 miles of trails across 3,300 acres of scenic natural lands. The Conservancy also awarded $204,000 to the City of Laguna Beach for additional parking improvements and trail planning to serve park visitors. (June)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $50,000 to Crystal Cove Alliance to support its SNAP! (Science and Nature at the Park) program, a collection of educational programs, outdoor exhibition panels, and on-line resources engaging K-12 students and visitors in conservation research at Crystal Cove State Park. The program includes Citizen Science cruises to a nearby Marine Protected Area for middle and high school students and a half-mile Environmental Study Loop in a newly restored 35-acre natural area. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $20,000 to the Ocean Institute to host the Toshiba Tall Ships Festival held in early September 2014 at Dana Point Harbor. The event featured visits from historic tall ships from around the world together with multi-cultural educational and recreational activities highlighting California’s maritime heritage. (October)
• awarded a Community Wetland Restoration Program grant of $30,000 to Back to Natives Restoration for habitat restoration at the Santiago Park Nature Reserve in Santa Ana. Volunteers will replace invasive vegetation with native plants along Santiago Creek and learn about the local ecosystem. Student volunteers will also be introduced to potential careers in natural science. (June)
• awarded a Community Wetland Restoration Program grant of $30,000 to Earthroots for habitat restoration in Big Oak Canyon next to the Cleveland National Forest in the Santa Ana River watershed. Students and other volunteers from a variety of nonprofit organizations will replace invasive vegetation with native plants and help create a campground for school groups. (June)
• awarded a Community Wetland Restoration Program grant of $30,000 to the Heritage Museum of Orange County in Santa Ana for restoration of the Gospel Swamp Natural Area adjacent to the museum. Gospel Swamp Community Days will draw volunteers to restore the site’s wetlands and associated habitats, and on-site educational programs will be coordinated with science classes of nearby schools. (June)

For the Santa Ana River Trail and Parkway the Conservancy

• provided $100,000 to San Bernardino County for engineering and design of a bikeway with pedestrian shoulders along a 3½-mile length of the Santa Ana River Trail in the City of Redlands. At 110 miles the Santa Ana River Parkway will be one of the longest river parkways in the United States, connecting 14 cities in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties and linking the San Bernardino National Forest and other wilderness areas to the California Coastal Trail near Huntington Beach. (June)

For Los Angeles County the Conservancy

• contributed $200,000 to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority’s purchase of 104 acres of undeveloped land in Ramirez Canyon, within the Santa Monica Mountains north of Point Dume. The scenic property contains brushy slopes and oak woodlands that are habitat to a variety of wildlife. The purchase also offers the opportunity to develop public trails that will link neighboring protected lands and connect to the area’s extensive trails network. (December)
• provided $68,000 to the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy to restore five acres of coastal sage scrub habitat in Abalone Cove Reserve in Rancho Palos Verdes. The project will remove invasive species and restore native coastal plants that are habitat for threatened animal species and protect against erosion of the coastal bluff. (June)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $20,000 to Heal the Bay for a Stoked on the Coast! video contest, whose goal is to inspire students to share their experiences, passions, and daily activities as they relate to the coast. The contest is targeted at middle and high school students across Southern California with a special focus on underserved and inland communities. Winning films will be publicly presented, promoted on several Internet sites, and used to communicate to elected officials, educators, and others the vested interest of local youth in protecting the coastal environment. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $20,000 to the Los Angeles Conservation Corps for its Coastal Corps program, whose objectives include training a crew of young adults recruited from low-income areas for conservation stewardship of the LA County shoreline. The crew will be trained to rehabilitate rescued sea life, host field trips and classes, maintain coastal restoration projects, and operate SEA Lab’s native plant nursery. The program will be conducted through SEA Lab, the Corps’ marine science and education facility in Redondo Beach, and will be designed to serve as a model for similar programs elsewhere. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $9,500 to the Otis College of Art and Design for its third annual Kite Festival held in 2014 on the beach just north of Santa Monica Pier. A major use of the grant funding was to provide transportation to the festival for inner-city children, many of whom had never been to the beach. The free festival features world-renowned kite artists and on-site kite making. (October)
• awarded a Community Wetland Restoration Program grant of $30,000 to Heal the Bay for a project coordinating science education with hands-on restoration of a portion of Compton Creek in the City of Compton. Community volunteers will be enlisted to participate in the restoration work, which will be linked to classroom programs of local high schools and colleges. (June)
• awarded a Community Wetland Restoration Program grant of $26,000 to the Los Angeles Conservation Corps for restoration of wildlife habitat at Playa Del Rey along Ballona Creek. Monthly volunteer events will enlist members of the local community in restoration and educational activities to foster a sense of community ownership of the area, and inner-city students will engage in hands-on and classroom natural science education. (June)

For Los Angeles and Ventura Counties the Conservancy

• provided $40,000 to the nonprofit organization Ecotrust to prepare plans to revive community fisheries in the cities of San Pedro and Ventura. Ecotrust prepared business, marketing, and financial plans for the two cities with recommendations for steps to be taken by fishing organizations and other interested parties. Objectives included economic revitalization of the fisheries, promotion of local production and sustainable fisheries, and improved outreach to the general public. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $24,000 to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority for its Transit to Trails program, which will offer free trips to coastal areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties for families and community groups from disadvantaged areas. The trips will include guided talks and activities designed to develop interest in the coastal environment and encourage future visits to the coast. (October)

For Ventura County the Conservancy

• provided $2 million to the City of Port Hueneme to place an emergency shoreline stabilization structure at Hueneme Beach to prevent imminent loss of a public road, parking lot, and other infrastructure. Severe erosion of sand from the beach made it highly vulnerable to damage from winter storms, requiring shoreline armoring to provide both immediate and long-term protection. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $50,000 to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary to expand its environmental education and stewardship program aimed at disadvantaged inner-city students. The program includes teacher training in ocean science and related subjects, development of classroom curricula, and student/teacher field trips to the Santa Clara River Estuary, County Line Beach, and Channel Islands Harbor. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $10,000 to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to expand its Citizen Science Phenology Field Studies Program through field trips that will serve more than 300 students from ten K-12 grade schools in Ventura County. USFWS biologists will lead site visits to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area where students will gather year-to-year data on seasonal changes in plants and animals (phenology) for use in studying the effects of climate change. The program will bolster the schools’ science curricula and introduce many students to the natural environment of the coast. (October)
• awarded a Community Wetland Restoration Program grant of $30,000 to Once Upon a Watershed for the Healthy Watershed Series, which will bring hundreds of fourth to sixth graders to natural lands along or near the Ventura River. The project will provide the students with hands-on stewardship experiences coordinated with classroom science education. (June)
• awarded a Community Wetland Restoration Program grant of $28,000 to the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy for its Ventura River Upper Estuary Volunteer Restoration & Wetland Education Program. The program will engage local volunteers in wetlands restoration, create a new network of public trails, and provide local students with class presentations and field trips to natural areas. (June)

CENTRAL COAST

For the length of the Central Coast the Conservancy

• provided $121,000 to the University of California for three projects to further the recovery of the southern sea otter. UC-Santa Cruz will research the behavior of otters in Elkhorn Slough and, working with the Friends of the Sea Otter, will continue a public outreach program that promotes awareness of issues related to the otters’ recovery. UC-Davis will expand a long-term study of how coastal contaminants affect the otters’ health and survival. (February)

For Santa Barbara County the Conservancy

• awarded $869,000 to UC-Santa Barbara to plan and obtain permits for the restoration of 113 acres of upper Devereux Slough adjacent to Goleta, including the recently acquired Ocean Meadows golf course. The project site is at the core of 650 acres of scenic natural lands that are home to a variety of wildlife and offer opportunities for outdoor recreation and education. The bulk of the funding came from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant. (April)
• provided $170,000 to Earth Island Institute to remove one barrier to the migration of steelhead trout on Carpinteria Creek and to plan for and design removal of another barrier on the creek. Since 2001 the Conservancy has supported the local community’s efforts to restore the creek and has worked with neighboring landowners and public and private organizations to improve its water quality and wildlife habitat. The creek flows from the Santa Ynez Mountains to Carpinteria State Beach and offers one of the region’s best opportunities for significant runs of the endangered southern steelhead trout. The funding was available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (February)
• granted $15,000 to the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center to plan and design the educational exhibit Tracing the Circle from Subsistence to Stewardship. The objective of the exhibit is to inspire an appreciation of how the region’s environmental, cultural, and political histories intertwine to form a distinctive bioregion. (February)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $27,000 to the City of Santa Barbara for web-based coastal education and outreach including development of a coastal walking map and a central source of information about the city’s waterfront. The walking map will be available in multiple formats, including a mobile platform, and will link to interpretive signs installed along the California Coastal Trail and in parks, viewpoints, and other public areas along the city’s 6.3 miles of shoreline. Additional online information will enable residents and visitors to get information about such subjects as Chumash Indian culture, the history and ecology of the waterfront, and potential effects of sea level rise. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $25,000 to the University of California, Santa Barbara for its Kids in Nature program to provide opportunities for teachers and students to explore the coast. The goals of the program include reconnecting children to nature and engaging underserved children in activities that will develop an appreciation for and stewardship of the local coastal environment. The program included classroom studies and student/teacher field trips to coastal areas. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $15,000 to the Santa Barbara County Trails Council to improve visitor experience along a 22-mile length of the Gaviota Coast. The council will prepare a printed brochure, web-based maps, and additional information about visitor opportunities and associated historic, natural, and cultural resources along the coastline between Isla Vista and Gaviota State Park. The information will help people get to and appreciate this spectacular and largely undeveloped area. (October)
• awarded a Community Wetland Restoration Program grant of $11,000 to the Santa Barbara Urban Creeks Council for its project to eradicate cape ivy and other invasive plants from Mission Canyon, adjacent to the Santa Barbara water tunnel in the City of Santa Barbara. The project will engage volunteers in removing the invasives and reseeding with native vegetation. (June)

For Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties the Conservancy

• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $10,000 to the Central Coast State Parks Association to provide transportation for underserved students to the Museum of Natural History at Morro Bay State Park and the Morro Bay National Estuary. The transportation will allow disadvantaged elementary and middle-school students from San Luis Obispo, northern Santa Barbara, and Central Valley counties to experience the coast and receive hands-on learning in life sciences and physical sciences through existing nature education programs. (October)

For San Luis Obispo County the Conservancy

• contributed $415,000 to the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District’s purchase of a conservation easement to restore a portion of the watershed of Arroyo Grande Creek. The easement will cover a portion of the floodplain of Corbett Creek and will allow restoration work that will help manage floodwaters and improve water quality for steelhead trout and other wildlife. (April)
• provided $350,000 to the County to construct a new segment of the California Coastal Trail, a beach stairway, and other visitor amenities at Pirates Cove near Avila Beach. The trail will extend southward about one-half mile and link existing Coastal Trail segments that run through Avila Beach, Shell Beach, and Pismo Beach. Improvements at Pirates Cove include paving of a parking area and installation of restrooms and picnic facilities. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $24,000 to Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers to prepare multi-media informational materials to help people get to and appreciate the Point San Luis Lighthouse and the nearby area. The informational materials will consist of inter-related modules that can be used through the internet and mobile devices in classrooms and on site. Information will be made available about visiting the Lighthouse and its relationship to navigation, shipping, and the historical, cultural, and economic life of the area. (October)

For San Luis Obispo and Fresno Counties the Conservancy

• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $17,000 to McCabe Elementary in Mendota, Fresno County, to support student field trips to Morro Bay State Park and Museum of Natural History. A total of 250 underserved 4th grade students participated in the field trips, whose activities included tours of the museum, hiking along the California Coastal
  Trail to tide pools, and hands-on natural science education. (October)

For Monterey County the Conservancy

• provided $450,000 to the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District for design and permitting of improvements to the intake structure of the Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility on the Carmel River. The facility rescues juvenile steelhead trout from portions of the river that dry up in the summer and then releases them when rains begin in the fall or winter. As currently designed, however, its intake structure frequently becomes clogged with debris and sediment. The funding was available from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (December)
• awarded $150,000 to the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea to construct a barrier-free restroom at Carmel Beach that is fully accessible to people with disabilities. The restroom serves visitors to Monterey County’s most popular beach and hikers, bikers, and wheelchair riders using the California Coastal Trail. (October)
• accepted high bids of $75,000 and $50,000 for the purchase of two Kasler Point Transfer of Development Credits and authorized the Executive Officer to complete the sale of the Conservancy’s property at Victorine Ranch in Big Sur and to retain the services of a real estate broker to assist in the marketing and sale of the property. (December)

For Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties the Conservancy

• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $20,000 to the Museum Foundation of Pacific Grove for its regional LiMPETS (Long-term Monitoring Program and Experimental Training for Students) program that will engage students in hands-on scientific research along the coast of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The students, many from underserved populations in inner-city and rural areas, will be recruited from middle schools, high schools, and colleges in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara counties. LiMPETS has its roots in the 1970s, operates from San Diego to Bodega Bay, and annually serves about 4,000 students. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $10,000 to O’Neill Sea Odyssey to provide bus transportation that has enabled students to participate in its ocean-going science and environment education program. About 18 classes of 4th through 6th grade students from lower-income communities within and outside Santa Cruz County have received hands-on lessons about the marine environment and the importance of the sea. The program included a field trip aboard a 65-foot catamaran sailing the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and follow-up lessons at the Odyssey’s shore-side education center at the Santa Cruz Harbor. (October)

For Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Mateo Counties the Conservancy

• awarded $775,000 to the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County to provide design and permitting assistance for watershed restoration projects through the Integrated Watershed Restoration Program. The IWRP is a voluntary, non-regulatory approach to watershed restoration that coordinates the actions of federal, State, and local resource and permitting agencies and assists landowners in the design and permitting of restoration projects. Since 2003 the Conservancy has provided IWRP with $7 million, which has leveraged almost $15 million for more than 150 restoration projects in the three counties. (October)

For Santa Cruz County the Conservancy

• contributed $1.9 million to Save the Redwoods League’s purchase of conservation and public access easements over the 8,532-acre CEMEX/San Vicente Redwoods property near the town of Davenport. The conservation easement will ensure the protection of natural resources on the largest privately owned property in the County while allowing limited, sustainable timber harvesting. The Conservancy also awarded $100,000 to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County to develop a plan for public trails on the property that will link to several nearby State and federal parks. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $20,000 to Open Streets Santa Cruz County for events in which several miles of coastal roads in Santa Cruz and Capitola are closed to vehicular traffic and opened to the public along the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary coastline. These events give visitors and residents a rare opportunity to appreciate this natural treasure without the dangers associated with motor vehicles. Displays about ecology, conservation, and opportunities for coastal recreation are featured at the events. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $25,000 to Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge for community-based restoration of coastal bluff habitat along the West Cliff Drive portion of the California Coastal Trail in Santa Cruz. Oikonos will recruit students and local residents to restore the bluff’s ecosystem by removing and replacing invasive ice plant with native vegetation. The work will reduce bluff erosion and provide nesting and roosting habitat for seabirds. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $8,800 to the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for its On the Spot program that encourages wildlife viewing, offers coastal recreation and educational opportunities, and inspires stewardship of the coast. The program provides visitors with binoculars and spotting scopes to observe the birds, whales, otters, seals, and sea lions of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and offers a variety of hands-on exhibits. Web-based applications will allow remote viewing of sea life in the sanctuary through mobile devices and social media. (October)

For the Coastside of San Mateo County the Conservancy

• provided $80,000 to the Pacifica Land Trust to continue its volunteer-based stewardship program to improve trails, inhibit erosion, and restore native vegetation at the Pedro Point Headlands. Since 2008, hundreds of volunteers have kept trails open and restored wildlife habitat on the 246-acre property, which lies at the nexus of Montara Mountain, Pacifica State Beach, and Devil’s Slide. The funding followed more than $112,000 provided by the Conservancy for the program since 20007. The Conservancy also awarded the land trust an Explore the Coast grant of $24,000 to develop a virtual tour of the Pedro Point Headlands that will serve as a guide for both on-site and remote users. The tour will be tied to learning stations that provide descriptions and photos of the immediate surroundings along with videos about the ecology, geology, and cultural history of the area. (February and October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $15,000 to San Mateo County for its Devil’s Slide Trail Ambassadors project that created a corps of about 20 volunteers who educate and assist users of the new 1.3-mile segment of California Coastal Trail at Devil’s Slide. The project included preparation of a training manual, purchase of safety and communications equipment, outreach to attract volunteers, classroom workshops, and field training. (October)

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

For the Greater San Francisco Bay Area the Conservancy

• made $3.49 million available for the continuing effort to eradicate invasive Spartina, non-native varieties of cordgrass that threaten native wildlife habitats in and around San Francisco Bay. The Conservancy has been working since 1999 to eradicate the noxious weeds and the effort has succeeded in reducing the range of the infestation from a high of 800 acres to an estimated 39 acres by the end of 2012. Formerly infested sites are being replanted with native vegetation. The Wildlife Conservation Board is providing $1.5 million of the authorized funding. (February)
• made $3 million available to continue planning for Phase II of the South Bay Salt Ponds Restoration Project, the West Coast’s largest tidal wetlands restoration project. The project is restoring 15,100 acres of former salt ponds to tidal wetlands and ponds managed for wildlife habitat. The work is improving the quality of bay waters, moderating the effects of storms and shoreline flooding, and helping bay communities adapt to sea level rise. Phase I construction, which began in 2009, has opened more than 3,000 acres to bay waters and created trails and viewing platforms for the public. About $800,000 of the current funding will be provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (December)
• provided $750,000 to the Association of Bay Area Governments to develop and implement various projects for the San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail, a network of launching and landing sites around San Francisco Bay for small non-motorized boats. Working closely with the Conservancy, ABAG will use the funding to develop and improve water trail sites, provide information about the trail, promote safe boating practices and wildlife protection, and plan for the trail’s continued development. The funding follows $1 million awarded in 2011. (October)
• made $400,000 available for planning and permitting of the San Francisco Bay Creosote Piling Removal and Pacific Herring Restoration Project. The goal of the project is to remove derelict creosote pilings that are navigational hazards while improving spawning habitat for Pacific herring—the last commercial fishery of a native species in the bay. The herring lay their eggs on surfaces that include creosote pilings, which leach toxic chemicals harmful to the fish. The project will reestablish underwater habitats naturally suited for deposition of the eggs. The funding is available from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. (October)
• made $315,000 available to further the Bay Area Ecosystems Climate Change Consortium’s development of climate change adaptation practices and pilot projects in the Bay Area. BAECCC is a multi-jurisdictional organization formed in 2009 to integrate resource managers, scientists, and policy makers in addressing the impacts of accelerating climate changes to Bay Area ecosystems. The funding is available from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. (June)
• made $200,000 available for the final three years of monitoring at San Francisco Bay Living Shorelines project sites offshore of San Rafael and Hayward. The Living Shorelines project is testing ways to improve habitats for fish and wildlife in the bay using techniques that could also help shoreline communities adapt to climate change. Native oyster and eelgrass beds established at the sites are being studied for their ability to reinforce the shoreline for protection against rising seas and severe storms. (December)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $50,000 to the Association of Bay Area Governments’ San Francisco Bay Trail Project to create a San Francisco Bay Trail application for mobile devices that provides users with a set of trailside tools including geolocation maps, histories of specific sites, current points of interest, photos, and audio tours. Areas initially covered by the app are Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, Napa River and North Bay Salt Pond Restoration in American Canyon, Hamilton Wetlands Restoration in Novato, and South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project sites in East Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $20,000 to the Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP) for its disability cycling project, which makes it possible for people with physical disabilities, including paralysis, blindness, and cerebral palsy, to experience natural lands along the coast and bay on specially adapted cycles. BORP is using the funding to provide cycle rides for the disabled in the San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay areas, provide year-round access to cycles and training in the East Bay, train disabled volunteers to be cycling guides, and augment its cycle fleet. (October)
• provided $50,000 to the Association of Bay Area Governments to organize and present the eleventh State of the Estuary Conference in the fall of 2013. The biennial conference brings together scientists, managers, interest groups, and the public to address the protection and restoration of the Bay-Delta Estuary. (February)

For San Francisco the Conservancy

• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $35,000 to Literacy for Environmental Justice for its Candlestick Point Eco-stewards project to increase public use and ecological stewardship of Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, the largest public access point to the bay in southeast San Francisco. LEJ is hosting events to connect the community to the area’s natural heritage and coordinating regular stewardship programs to grow, plant, and monitor 5,000 native plants at four restoration sites. (October)

For San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin Counties the Conservancy

• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $49,000 to Point Bonita YMCA to engage underserved middle and high-school students in environmental education and service-learning programs held at the Point Bonita YMCA campus in the Marin Headlands, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Participating students are recruited from schools that serve a high percentage of low-income families in Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Alameda counties. Programs introduce students to overnight camping, hands-on science training in coastal ecosystems, and habitat restoration. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $33,000 to the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy for a community shuttle program to address an obstacle that keeps many people from visiting parks—lack of transportation. The program provides free shuttle service to thousands of people from lower-income and underserved neighborhoods in the Bay Area to four key coastal park sites: Muir Beach in Marin County, Lands End and the Presidio in San Francisco, and Mori Point in San Mateo County. The program includes neighborhood outreach activities, shuttle ambassadors (high school and college interns), and greeters at the parks. (October)

For San Francisco, Alameda, and Marin Counties the Conservancy

• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $15,000 to Shark Stewards, a project of Earth Island Institute, for its Shark Watch program designed to develop an increased public appreciation for sharks and their role in the San Francisco Bay and coastal environments. The program contains three elements—“Paddle for Sharks, See Sharks,” which provides guided on-the-water outings using sea kayaks to explore local piers and observe marine wildlife; “Citizen Science,” which engages the public in the collection and reporting of shark data using a mobile application; and “Sharktober Outreach,” a series of eight public events that present information about the value of sharks to the San Francisco Bay ecosystem. (October)

For San Francisco, Contra Costa, and Marin Counties the Conservancy

• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $35,000 to The Watershed Project for its Wild! Oysters education program designed to increase underserved Bay Area students’ knowledge of San Francisco Bay and ocean ecology and highlight the critical role that the native Olympia oyster has played in those environments. The program includes classroom lessons and hands-on learning with field trips to Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, where native oyster beds are to be installed, and an oyster farm in Tomales Bay. The funding supported the program at four high schools in Richmond, San Francisco, and San Rafael. (October)

For Bayside and Inland San Mateo County the Conservancy

• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $35,000 to Acterra to engage the East Palo Alto community in hands-on opportunities to learn about, beautify, protect, and enjoy San Francisco Bay along a section of the San Francisco Bay Trail. Project activities have included a series of community events to draw people to the Bay Trail, creation of a Junior Bay Steward Program targeting underserved young people from East Palo Alto, Citizen Science opportunities that involve local families in water-quality monitoring, and informational signs and web-based materials to increase trail users’ understanding of the plant and animal life along the trail. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $10,000 to the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge to design and install two interpretive panels to engage people with cognitive disabilities such as autism. By using distinctive visual imagery and tactile learning with 3D models, nontraditional trail users will better understand the different ecological habitats of San Francisco Bay. The panels will be placed along a 1.4-mile round-trip trail at a recently restored salt pond at the western end of the Dumbarton Bridge. The trail provides an easy walk and great wildlife viewing along mudflat, managed pond, and salt marsh habitats. (October)

For San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties the Conservancy

• provided $35,000 to the San Mateo County Resource Conservation District to construct the Bonde Weir Fish Passage Improvement Project on San Francisquito Creek in El Palo Alto Park, at the border of Menlo Park and Palo Alto. The project removed the Bonde Weir, a deteriorated bank-to-bank concrete sill, and replaced it with a channel designed to facilitate fish migration. San Francisquito Creek is one of a handful of Bay Area streams that continues to host wild steelhead populations, and Bonde Weir was the most significant impediment to steelhead migration in the creek’s lower watershed. (June)

For Santa Clara County the Conservancy

• awarded $1 million to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District to build a trail to the summit of Mount Umunhum, provide visitor-serving facilities, and restore the mountain’s native vegetation. The 3,500-foot peak—one of the highest in the Santa Cruz Mountains—lies about 13 miles south of downtown San Jose within the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve. The summit trail will link to the Bay Area Ridge Trail and offer visitors spectacular views of the Santa Clara Valley and beyond. (February)
• provided $200,000 to the City of San José to construct a one-third-mile segment of the San Francisco Bay Area Ridge Trail along Penitencia Creek. The popular Penitencia Creek Trail runs for about four miles from Coyote Creek to Alum Rock Regional Park and connects city and county parks, educational facilities, community centers, and local and regional trail and transit systems. The new paved trail segment will replace a series of informal pedestrian pathways that are unsafe and harmful to the creek’s natural environment. (October)
• granted $150,000 to the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority to plan for development of the 348-acre Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve between San José and Morgan Hill. The plan will guide protection and restoration of wildlife habitats, construction of a trail system and related visitor-serving facilities, and possible agricultural uses that would demonstrate how such uses can be compatible with the natural environment. (February)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $25,000 to the Environmental Volunteers to attract more people, particularly underserved populations, to the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve through use of the preserve’s recently opened EcoCenter. Goals of the project include bringing lower-income young people to the preserve for education and exploration, developing stewardship opportunities for the community, and producing audio and printed tour guides and outreach materials for Spanish speakers. (October)

For Alameda County the Conservancy

• awarded $1.46 million to the East Bay Regional Park District to improve trails, stabilize the shoreline, and restore wildlife habitats at Albany Beach in McLaughlin Eastshore State Park. The funding is supporting the first of three phases of planned improvements to the Albany Bulb to benefit the natural environment and make the area more suitable for visitors. (February)
• provided $200,000 to the East Bay Regional Park District to construct a staging area for the Vargas Plateau section of the Bay Area Ridge Trail in Fremont. The District will construct an entrance to the Ridge Trail from Morrison Canyon Road with a 25-car parking lot, restroom, picnic benches, and a wheelchair-accessible pathway from the parking lot to the trail. The entrance will open to the public Vargas Plateau Regional Park—purchased 20 years ago but unopened due to lack of funds—and a 1.5-mile section of the Ridge Trail. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $1,500 to the Berkeley Racing Canoe Center at the Berkeley Marina to expand its youth dragon boat paddling program through maintenance of one of BRCC’s three 48-foot dragon boats and purchase of additional lifejackets, paddles, and a storage locker. The new supplies and refurbished boat will enable the volunteer members of the center to host additional paddling sessions for children from local schools and camps, helping them gain a new appreciation for the bay environment and continued access to water-borne recreation and competition. (October)

For Alameda and Contra Costa Counties the Conservancy

• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $35,000 to KIDS for the BAY, a project of Earth Island Institute, for the Watershed Action Program. The program enables low-income students in Alameda and Contra Costa County schools to learn how their neighborhoods connect with their local creek, San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean through classroom lessons, Environmental Action Projects, and field trips. The field trips bring students to local creeks, the bay, and the ocean where they participate in science and stewardship activities, demonstrating how their actions make a difference in their own neighborhoods and the greater Bay Area. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $40,000 to the East Bay Regional Park District for its Parks Express Program, which provides very low cost transportation by bus and lift van to underserved children, seniors, and the disabled to regional shoreline parks throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The transportation can be chartered to take advantage of the recreational and educational programs run by the EBRPD or for self-guided visits. (October)

For Napa County the Conservancy

• provided $50,000 to the City of Calistoga to plan for and design a segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail and Napa Valley Vine Trail known as the Fair Way Extension. The trail will run along Washington Street for more than one-half mile between Lincoln Avenue in the City’s downtown and the end of the existing bike/pedestrian path that extends from Dunaweal Lane. The trail will greatly improve safety for trail users who currently must share the busy road with cars and trucks. (June)

For Bayside and Inland Sonoma County the Conservancy

• contributed $354,000 to the Sonoma Land Trust’s purchase of the Haire Ranch, a 1,091-acre former hay farm located on Skaggs Island within Napa-Sonoma Marsh. The purchase allows the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to proceed with restoration of historic wetlands that make up most of the 4,400-acre Skaggs Island. Conservation organizations have for decades been looking forward to restoring the island’s wetlands and adding them to the thousands of acres of protected marshes in the area. (October)
• provided $91,000 to the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation to remove a cattle crossing and restore five acres of creekside vegetation at Irwin Creek on the historic Stone Farm in the City of Santa Rosa. The work includes repair of creek banks, replacement of invasive vegetation with native plants, and installation of cattle fencing to protect the creek’s environment. The work will significantly improve wildlife habitat between the Laguna de Santa Rosa’s two best-preserved forested areas. (February)

For Eastern Marin County the Conservancy

• awarded $130,000 to the Conservation Corps North Bay to construct trail improvements on a segment of the San Francisco Bay Trail at the Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project in Novato. The improvements include three overlooks for viewing the restored wetlands along with benches and signs. (June)
• directed transfer of an eight-acre portion of the Conservancy’s Bel Marin Keys property near Novato to the County. The parcel is not needed for the planned Bel Marin Keys wetlands restoration but is well suited for use as parkland and a site for an extension of the San Francisco Bay Trail. (February)
• provided $90,000 to the County to conduct a feasibility study for the restoration of lower Miller Creek and the surrounding McInnis Marsh in San Rafael. The study will assist the County in its goals to improve the ecological function of the area, restore historic tidal marsh, and improve flood protection and small boat navigation. (June)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $37,500 to Environmental Traveling Companions to expand its accessible sea kayaking program for disadvantaged youth and people with physical or developmental disabilities. The program brings people onto the waters of San Francisco Bay and Tomales Bay, offering a break from their normal routines and an opportunity to learn first-hand the value of healthy coastal ecosystems. The funding will enable more people to participate in the program and increase its educational and stewardship components. (October)

NORTH COAST

For Western Marin County the Conservancy

• awarded $72,000 to the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to plan and design the first segment of the multi-use Dias Ridge Connector Trail, which will complete a key connecting segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail and California Coastal Trail at Muir Beach. The trail will parallel Highway 1 and will be served by a new bus stop near the Golden Gate Dairy. (October)

For the Coastside of Sonoma County the Conservancy

• contributed $10 million to The Conservation Fund’s purchase of the 19,600-acre Preservation Ranch inland of Sea Ranch on the Mendocino County line. The property contains 30 square miles of the Gualala River watershed and more than 30 miles of streams. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife and is connected to more than 50,000 acres of previously protected land. The property had been slated for extensive conversion of forests to vineyards and could have been divided into as many as 160 separate parcels. Future plans for the property include sustainable timber harvesting to support the local economy and provide funding for future conservation efforts. (April)
• contributed $350,000 to the Sonoma Land Trust’s purchase of the 238-acre Pole Mountain property north of Jenner. At 2,204 feet, Pole Mountain is the highest peak of the Sonoma Coast range. Its purchase linked two large protected lands—the 5,630-acre Jenner Headlands property and the 500-acre Little Black Mountain Preserve—and expanded recreational opportunities for visitors. (December)
• granted $39,000 to the Sotoyome Resource Conservation District to improve critical habitat for coho salmon and steelhead trout in Gilliam and Thompson creeks, tributaries of Austin Creek, which flows to the Russian River. The funding is being used for in-stream habitat improvements that continue the RCD’s longstanding work with landowners to restore healthy populations of fish in the area. The award follows $262,000 provided for improvements to Austin Creek in 2008. (April)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $38,000 to Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods to help people experience Campbell Cove on Bodega Head at the southern end of Sonoma Coast State Beach. The Stewards will reopen a parking lot, make trails accessible to wheelchair riders, bring underserved students to the coast, and develop educational and outreach materials. The work will be done in conjunction with the planned opening of a new marine education visitor center at Campbell Cove. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $6,000 to the Sonoma Land Trust to increase opportunities for people to visit the 127-acre Estero Americano Preserve on the border of Marin and Sonoma counties. SLT currently offers limited guided hikes and occasional group access to this highly scenic property but there is strong unmet demand for more access to the Estero Americano, most of which is in private hands. The funding will enable SLT to pioneer new “On the Land” programs at the preserve to inspire the next generation of conservation enthusiasts. (October)

For Mendocino County the Conservancy

• provided $100,000 to the Mendocino Land Trust to acquire the 73-acre CIES property south of Point Arena and to plan for construction of a 1¼-mile section of the California Coastal Trail on the property and extending southward. The largely undisturbed property consists of two marine terraces between Highway 1 and the ocean. The trail will become a significant addition to the planned extension of the Coastal Trail between Moat Creek and Arena Cove. (April)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $41,500 to the Mendocino Land Trust to develop a California Coastal Trail mobile device application and supporting website to provide information about the trail and adjacent areas on the Mendocino coastline. The information will include trail maps, natural and human history, locally available services, and announcements of community and volunteer events. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $32,000 to the City of Fort Bragg to establish a blue whale exhibit and related educational program at the Noyo Center on the former Georgia-Pacific mill site. The exhibit will display a 73-foot blue whale skeleton, yet to be assembled, that is expected to attract thousands of visitors annually. The Noyo Center will be directly linked to 4½ miles of the California Coastal Trail along the city’s newly opened waterfront. (October)

For Mendocino and Humboldt Counties the Conservancy

• awarded $230,000 to California Trout, Inc. to design one and construct three fish passage and habitat quality improvement projects in the Eel River and Mad River watersheds. A goal of all the projects is to remove barriers to the migration of coastal salmon populations, opening several miles of high quality spawning and rearing habitat. Two of the projects will also prevent the release of many thousands of cubic yards of sediment into creek habitats.  (October)

For Humboldt County the Conservancy

• contributed $950,000 to the County’s purchase of 1,005 acres on the Eureka border to establish the McKay Community Forest. Purchase of the land, which had been slated for development, protects wildlife habitat along Ryan Creek, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and allows for sustainable timber production. The funding was available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (October)
• awarded $500,000 to the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District for Phase II of the Humboldt Bay Regional Invasive Spartina Eradication Project. This phase of the project targets 100 acres in Humboldt Bay and seven acres in the Mad River Estuary that are infested with invasive Spartina, a cordgrass that threatens the native plant and wildlife communities of tidal marshes in the region. An eradication plan drafted in 2012 provides a multi-year strategy for eradication of the plant over the next several years. (April)
• provided $300,000 to California Trout for design and permitting of tidal marsh restoration at the 1,100-acre Eel River Estuary Preserve near Ferndale. The project’s goals include providing flood protection and improving salmon and waterfowl habitats while maintaining water flows that are essential to the area’s agricultural productivity. The highly scenic preserve extends for 3½ miles through dunes and marshlands southward from the mouth of the Eel River. (April)
• awarded $250,000 to The Wildlands Conservancy to replace two bridges, construct a new bridge, and install new restroom facilities for staff and visitors at the Eel River Estuary Preserve. The new bridges greatly improve access to the Preserve while enabling better management of water drainage necessary for maintenance of farmland and wildlife habitat. (April)
• provided $161,000 to Ducks Unlimited to prepare a feasibility study and initial designs for the restoration of tidal wetlands in the Eel River Estuary near Table Bluff, south of Eureka. A primary goal of the multi-year effort is to restore a significant area of rearing habitat for salmon and trout at the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Eel River Wildlife Area Ocean Ranch Unit. (June)
• provided $189,000 to the United States Bureau of Land Management for the second phase of public access improvements at the 444-acre Ma-le’l Dunes Cooperative Management Area on the north spit of Humboldt Bay. The improvements include new trails, upgrading of existing trails and parking areas, new signs for visitors, and installation of additional visitor-serving facilities. The first phase of access improvements at the site, also funded by the Conservancy, was completed in 2011. (December)
• awarded $100,000 to California Trout for the Elk River Recovery Assessment, which will prepare a strategy for improving wildlife habitat and alleviating flooding in the Elk River watershed, the largest freshwater tributary to Humboldt Bay. Excessive sediment loads have resulted in severely degraded habitats for coho salmon and other wildlife in the watershed and frequent flooding of roads, fields, and homes. (April)
• granted $30,000 to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for design and permitting of coastal wetlands restoration at White Slough and Hookton Slough on Humboldt Bay. The two sites offer the opportunity to restore about 100 acres of salt marsh to provide valuable habitat for fish and wildlife, including coho and Chinook salmon. (February)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $37,000 to Humboldt Baykeeper for a public education and outreach program designed to encourage and assist people in discovering Humboldt Bay and its surrounding lands. The program will increase the number of boat and shoreline tours offered by Humboldt Baykeeper that showcase the Eureka waterfront and natural lands along the California Coastal Trail. A special outreach effort will be directed toward the Spanish-speaking community. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $32,500 to Friends of the Dunes to develop an outreach and education program to attract more visitors to the Humboldt Coastal Dunes Center near Manila, the nearby dunes, and natural lands along Humboldt Bay. The program will develop print and video materials directed toward local students, families, and prospective visitors from outside the area. Volunteers will be recruited to expand the services offered by the center and underserved students will be brought to the center for guided field trips. (October)
• awarded an Explore the Coast grant of $18,300 to Redwood Community Action Agency to promote public use and awareness of the Elk River Wildlife Sanctuary, 300 acres of marshes, estuary, coastal forest, and dunes tucked behind Highway 101 and commercial businesses in southwest Eureka. The promotion included two Sundays in the Sanctuary events that offered pedestrian/bicycle and kayak tours, family activities, and free kayak, bike, and roller skate rentals. A completed portion of the planned Eureka Waterfront Trail—the 1½-mile Elk River-Hikshari’ Trail—winds through the sanctuary and can be reached from four parking areas. (October)