Elkhorn Slough Reserve Volunteer Program

Training Classes Start January 30, 2016 — Everyone Welcome

WATSONVILLE — Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (ESNERR) welcomes the community to its 2016 Volunteer Training Classes. Discover the wonders of the Elkhorn Slough Reserve and learn more about the ecology, and history of the Elkhorn Slough. Classes are open to everyone.

An Introductory training class will be held on Saturday, January 30, 2016 from 9:30 a.m. -4:00 p.m. This class is for anyone interested in learning more about volunteering at the Reserve, and for those wanting to help with our research, stewardship or other non-public projects. Volunteers with our research and stewardship programs help with wildlife monitoring, habitat restoration, facility maintenance, and administrative support.

Naturalist Training classes will be conducted as a three-part series each Saturday in February 2016 — February 6, 13, & 20, 2016 from 9:30 a.m. -4:00 p.m. The Naturalist Training series introduces the natural history of the Elkhorn Slough, with information about the geology, plants and animals of the Elkhorn Slough, as well as the cultural history of the area. Participants will also learn how they can support Reserve programs and goals.

Naturalist Training sessions are open to all, and required for potential Education Volunteers. Education Volunteers work with school groups and the public, supporting activities on the trail and in our microscope Learning Lab. Advanced Education Training classes are being planned for spring or summer 2016.

All classes will be held at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville. For more information or to receive an application, contact Volunteer Program Coordinator Amanda Ankenbrandt at (831) 728-2822.

Elkhorn Slough includes the largest tidal salt marsh in California south of San Francisco Bay, and is part of a watershed that features a variety of habitats — from oak woodlands and maritime chaparral to rare and threatened wetlands — supporting incredible biodiversity. More than 340 bird species have been identified in the Elkhorn Slough watershed, including more than 135 species of aquatic birds. The estuary also hosts more than 550 species of marine invertebrates and 102 species of fish, as well as resident sea lions, harbor seals and the largest concentration of endangered Southern sea otters on the west coast.

Administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (ESNERR), is one of 28 reserves established nationwide to support long-term research, water-quality monitoring, environmental education, and coastal stewardship.

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For more than 30 years, Elkhorn Slough Foundation (ESF) – a nationally accredited land trust – has worked in partnership with the Reserve, and is the only non-profit organization solely dedicated to protecting Elkhorn Slough and its watershed. ESF has conserved and restored nearly 4,000 acres of critical habitat. Please visit our website: www.elkhornslough.org.