2010 California State Parks grants announced

Audubon California has announced that Morro Coast Audubon and Redwood Region Audubon will receive grants totalling $10,000 in the 2010 California State Parks grant funding program for chapters.

The program was inaugurated in 2009 following the sale by Audubon of the McVicar property in Clear Lake to California State Parks. The funds received from the sale were placed in an Audubon California endowment for annual grant funding for partnership projects between California chapters of Audubon and California State Parks staff to restore habitat, monitor populations of birds, or reach out to a new conservation constituency in California State Parks, with preference for projects in Important Bird Areas or that help a species of bird that is at risk. The inaudugural grant was awarded to Sequoia Audubon for a partnership project with Ano Nuevo State Park to restore habitat on Cascade Creek to benefit riparian species especially Common Yellowthroat.

Morro Coast Audubon will partner with Morro Bay State Park in monitoring succession of habitat from field to coastal sage scrub by monitoring the species of birds that migrate to the habitat using a MAPS monitoring program. The chapter will receive $2500 and will match with $2500 in chapter funds to launch the project.

Redwood Region Audubon will receive $7500 to partner with Humboldt Bay State Park to restore potential breeding habitat for Western Snowy Plover, and attempt to attract to the birds to the habitat.

The next request for proposals for the next round of California State Parks grants will be issued in late spring 2010, and will be posted on the Grant Opportunities page of the Chapter Network site here

Morro Coast Audubon acquires 8 acre bay front addition to Sweet Springs Nature Preserve

The charming East Sweet Springs property includes 400 feet of Morro Bay’s southern shoreline including critically important coastal wetlands, marsh, mudflats, and upland coastal scrub.

“We are thrilled to expand the Nature Preserve to include this important shoreline property. We look forward to expanding our restoration efforts and trails on this new property and opening the site up for public enjoyment and education,” says Jan Surbey, president of the Morro Coast Audubon Society.

In 1995, the Morro Bay Estuary was included in the National Estuary Program (NEP) due to its water quality issues and critical importance for migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway. A community and multi-agency effort known as the Morro Estuary Greenbelt Alliance (MEGA) emerged shortly thereafter to protect the multiple endemic special status species, the remaining undeveloped lands on the shoreline, and important habitat lands and trails between Montana de Oro State Park and Morro Bay State Park. Audubon California includes Sweet Springs in the Morro Bay Important Bird Area identified in 2004.

“Every year, Morro Bay ranks among the Audubon Society’s Top Ten Birding Areas in the nation. This acquisition will greatly expand birding opportunities for everyone,” says Henry Pontarelli, Strategic Development Chair of MCAS.

A special community event to celebrate the new addition to the Preserve will be held on Sunday, September 21, 2008, at 2pm. The event is open to the public and will include a brief ceremony about the project and land, docent-led tours, fun activities for kids, food and drinks Everyone is welcome.

Funding for the acquisition was generously provided by the Wildlife Conservation Board, State Coastal Conservancy, the USFWS National Coastal Wetlands Program, and the USFWS Section VI – Recovery Land Acquisition Program, with support from Senators Feinstein and Boxer for the federal monies.