Santa Monica Baykeeper

Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) are often seen diving for fish in the Santa Monica Bay.  Lately, many have been observed sick or even dead.  Over two dozen carcasses were seen at Malibu Lagoon this past weekend and local animal care hospitals are overwhelmed with sick or starving pelicans.  Explanations for causes range from polluted urban runoff from heavy rains to a lack of fish to eat.  If you see a sick pelican call the California Wildlife Center in Calabasas at 818-591-9453, or the International Bird Rescue Research Center in San Pedro at 310-514-2573.

This year the state Fish and Game Commission will decide the fate of our coastal gems - places like the extensive rocky reefs surrounding Rocky Point, Palos Verdes - where locals and tourists visit to dive, surf, tidepool, photograph, boat, kayak, paddle, or simply enjoy the coast.  We have a chance to protect this special place as an underwater park, so our kids and grandkids can experience a vibrant, healthy ocean.

But we cannot do it without your help.

Please join us in urging the Fish and Game Commission to adopt a strong, science-based marine protected area plan that will save Rocky Point from the threat of overfishing and habitat degradation.  Join us at http://www.facebook.com/SaveRockyPoint.

Annie Tavetian-SMBK Intern

This Saturday was another Stone Canyon Creek restoration at UCLA. The event in July was more focused on planting new plants in the area and taking out invasive vegetation. Over 200 plants were installed by about 40 volunteers. It was a hot day but an overall successful one. It was great to see so many people coming to volunteer to restore the creek to its beautiful natural state. Just three weeks later, another restoration was held to check back up on the new plants and continue work on the creek. The major project in August was leveling out the banks of the creek. At the beginning of the day you could look down the creek and the banks were extremely steep which made it hard to access the creek. Volunteers worked together to make the incline less severe and by the end of the day the effects were very visible. At the next restoration we hope to continue leveling out the bank. Overall, Stone Canyon Creek is a great project and really does make a difference to the environment on the UCLA campus.

The next restoration is planned for September 19th. Hope to see you there!

Intermediate students at UCLA lab School (ULS) have been hard at work researching the water quality and habitat of Stone Canyon Creek. Stone Canyon Creek runs through the elementary school’s campus providing a valuable hands on learning tool.

 

At the beginning of the semester, students were asked to come up with a question about the creek. Through observation and experimentation they discovered their own answers and presented them through a poster session held at the school before they left for summer vacation. Some of the questions they asked were: what type of wildlife live in and near the creek, what effects the flow of the stream, what happens when too many nutrients are in the water? With help from ULS teachers and Santa Monica Baykeeper’s Watershed Program team, the students were given the tools and strategies necessary to answer these questions.

Thanks to a generous grant from the West Basin Municipal Water District, installation of a native plant nursery is now complete on the Environmental Charter High School (ECHS) campus in Lawndale. ECHS students are growing native plants to be installed at Santa Monica Baykeeper’s Stone Canyon Creek Restoration site on UCLA’s North campus and for their own native plant gardens at the high school. The nursery enclosure is fully equipped with work benches, timed irrigation system, a rain guage to turn the system off when it rains and all the supplies necessary to grow and care for the plants.

To see a video of the new nursery click here echs-nursery