Virtual Elephant Seal Tour Recording

Join Año Nuevo Reserve Director, Patrick W. Robinson as he leads us on a virtual elephant seal tour at Año Nuevo State Park. His tour includes an introduction to the site, a walk through the colony, some show-and-tell of the electronic tags used on the seals, and a summary of some of the research projects that are being done. Because this park is currently closed to the public due to COVID-19 restrictions, this is quite an opportunity to view and learn a lot about these animals without the presence of crowds.

These webinars are made possible by the generosity of donors. Donate to help us continue these programs, and to support important land conservation on the coast.

The Scoop On Soil- Junior Land Stewards Virtual Environmental Science Program

Kasey Butler and Adria Arko , of San Mateo Resource Conservation District, introduce the Junior Land Stewards to what is important about soil, and the role it plays in our ecosystem. They share the biotic and abiotic components in soil. They also identify different types of soil, and illustrate how soil is so critical to environmental health.

With great thanks to our own Half Moon Bay High school Environmental Science students who lead the CUSD students in a soil decomposition activity, to bury cloth in different locations and observe the differences in microorganism decomposition activity.

Photo by Gabriel Jimenez

Monarchs Take Flight recording

Kim Young , Xerces Education and Conservation Specialist Ambassador, explores the migrating mysteries of the monarch butterfly. She discusses the biology, mystique, and behaviors of this iconic butterfly and what we can do (as those along their migratory path) to help mitigate their severe decline. Young explores the reasons for the great loss in our Western Monarchs, and orients us to what we can do to provide habitat and forage in order to help monarchs roost in our California overwintering sites.

These webinars are made possible by the generosity of donors. Donate to help us continue these programs, and to support important land conservation on the coast.

Coyote Brush

If you have been out for a walk in the Wavecrest Open Space, you have surely seen your share of Coyote brush. Baccharis pilularis, commonly known as coyote brush or coyote bush, is a shrub that can be found all over California- from San Diego County to Oregon, in a variety of habitats, from coastal bluffs to oak woodlands. Coyote brush is a woody perennial evergreen that looks like a bush but takes on a variety of different shapes, depending upon where it lives. There are two different subspecies of coyote bush. Asteraceae - Baccharis pilularis ssp. consanguinea - COYOTE BRUSH - is an upright, taller shrub. Asteraceae - Baccharis pilularis ssp. pilularis - COYOTE BRUSH (LOW GROWING) is low growing, mat forming (mostly less than 2 feet tall) and is considered a ground cover.

Asteraceae - Baccharis pilularis ssp. consanguinea - COYOTE BRUSH

Photograph by: Toni Corelli (taken at Wavecrest Open Space)

Coastal Bluff Scrub -Asteraceae - Baccharis pilularis ssp. pilularis - COYOTE BRUSH (LOW GROWING)

Photograph by: Toni Corelli (taken at Wavecrest Open Space)

Coyote brush is a perennial evergreen shrub that typically blooms between September and January, when the majority of other plants are dormant. It can grow in many soil types, including alkaline and clay soil, providing a thick woody shrub for wildlife cover and a critical nectar source for many native species of butterflies, bees, wasps, and flies. Coyote brush is dioecious, meaning each plant is either male (its flowers are pollen-producing) or female (its flowers are seed-producing). The white fluffy female and yellowish male flowers grow on separate shrubs.

Asteraceae - Baccharis pilularis (coyote brush) female flowers JR

Photograph by: Toni Corelli

Asteraceae - Baccharis pilularis - coyote brush - male fl AN

Photograph by: Toni Corelli

Coyote shrubs are exceptionally adept at survival, with a large root system which extends many yards out from the plant. It is extremely drought, deer, and fire resistant, and is referred to as a pioneer species because it is one of the first shrubs to appear after other plants have been removed by cultivation or fire.

There are a number of different theories for why this plant is called “coyote brush/bush”. One suggestion is that the seed pods have a crown of white hairs that give the appearance of a mass of fluffy white coyote fur. Another theory is that, like the coyotes, it is very adaptable to different habitats and climates.

Monarchs Take Flight

Join the Coastside Land Trust, as we welcome Kim Young, Xerces Education and Conservation Specialist Ambassador, as she explores the migrating mysteries of the monarch butterfly. She will talk about the biology, mystique, and behaviors of this iconic butterfly and what we can do (as those along their migratory path) to help mitigate their severe decline. Young will explore the reasons for the great loss in our Western Monarchs, and orient us to what we can do to provide habitat and forage in order to help monarchs roost in our California overwintering sites. There will be a Q and A session to follow.

This 60 minute webinar is free, and is sure to be educational and engaging for adults and children. All are welcome. CLT webinar presentations are recorded and posted to our YouTube channel.

Local Mountain Lions- Junior Land Stewards Virtual Environmental Science Program

Join Courtney Coon, of Felidae Conservation Fund, as she introduces our Junior Land Stewards to our local mountain lions. She explores how to identify them, how they live and function as essential parts of our local ecosystem, and why we must work to preserve their way of life.

With great thanks to our own Half Moon Bay High school Environmental Science students who lead the CUSD students in a Mystery Science predator/ prey food chain activity.

Celebration Of Our Local Open Spaces Recording

Check out our video recording, as the Coastside Land Trust celebrates all of our properties and the accomplishments of this year. This video includes a beautiful and informational slide show of our properties, created by Barbara Dye. We also talk about the work that we are doing, the programs we are offering, the people who are making a difference, and the importance of our local open spaces.

Donate to support our important land conservation and stewardship on the coast.

Invertebrates of the Coast- Junior Land Stewards Virtual Environmental Science Program

Check out the what the CLT Junior Land Stewards virtual environmental science program will be learning about next! You can join along as Dr. Stephanie Dole, the “Beetle lady”, shares about our local invertebrates. This is a really fun presentation, complete with an orientation to our local invertebrates, and an introduction to many of our presenter’s “pets”.

With great thanks to our own Half Moon Bay High school Environmental Science students who lead the CUSD students in an activity, in which the CUSD students create their own bug pooters- a safe and humane way to capture and observe local invertebrates.

Click to learn more about the Junior Land Stewards program:

Celebrate Our Local Open Spaces

The Coastside Land Trust celebrates all of our properties and our accomplishments this year. This presentation features a beautiful and informational slide show of our properties, created by Barbara Dye. We also talk about the work that we are doing, the programs we are offering, the people who are making a difference, and the importance of our local open spaces.

Donate to help us continue these programs, and to support important land conservation on the coast.

Wintering Raptors of Wavecrest

Photo credit: Barbara Dye

Wavecrest is the single most important site on the San Mateo Coast for wintering raptors, which can be seen hunting in the property’s broad fields. Raptors and other species rely on its expansive grasslands, wetland areas and roosting sites, all of which are an integral part of the coast’s ecological health. Famous for its variety and numbers of resident and migratory raptors, Wavecrest is the place to see them all, including White-tailed Kite, Northern Harrier, Turkey Vulture; Sharp-shinned, Cooper’s, Red-shouldered, and Red-tailed Hawks; American Kestrel and sometimes Merlin, and Peregrine falcons. Occasional sightings of Swainson’s & Rough-legged Hawks; and Prairie Falcon.

Here is a recording of the Songbirds, Seabirds and More Webinar Series/Session 6- RAPTORS OF WAVECREST. Renowned international bird guide, Alvaro Jaramillo, joins the Coastside Land Trust to share about our local raptors.

Donate to support the preservation, protection, and enhancement of these local open spaces.

To learn more about Alvaro Jaramillo and his tours, research, and other work, check out: http://alvarosadventures.com

Coastside Ecosystems and Open Spaces- Junior Land Stewards Virtual Environmental Science Program

Check out the what the CLT Junior Land Stewards virtual environmental science program is learning about next! You can join along as Barbara Lohman, Coastside Land Trust board president, shares about the variety of ecosystems here on the coast, many distinguishing features (both biotic and abiotic), and how stewardship is critical to all of our open spaces.

With great thanks to our own Half Moon Bay High school Environmental Science students who lead the CUSD students in an activity, in which the CUSD students build and observe their own bottle ecosystems.

Click to learn more about the Junior Land Stewards program:

Coastal Plant Habitats- Junior Land Stewards Virtual Environmental Science Program

The CLT Junior Land Stewards virtual environmental science program has been exploring our coastal plant habitats. Local botanist, Toni Corelli, has been guiding the fourth and fifth graders of Cabrillo Unified School District in exploring the many local plant communities that grow along the San Mateo coast. Ms. Corelli discusses why plants thrive in this environment, and how we can all help to be stewards of the land around us.

With great thanks to our own Half Moon Bay High school Environmental Science students who lead the CUSD students in an activity, in which the kids build plant WANTED posters for our local coastal plants.

Click to learn more about the Junior Land Stewards program:

A Glimpse Of Fall From Wavecrest Open Space

Plants here have evolved to use the summer fog to get enough water during the dry summer season. These plants that make up these ecosystems have to be tolerant of high salt levels in the air and soil. Coyote Brush, a member of the Coastal Scrub community, accumulates salt from the air in its foliage and roots, increasing the salt content of the soil when it dies.

Donate to support the preservation, protection, and enhancement of these local open spaces.

Northern Elephant Seals: From the Beach to the Sea

Dr. Dan Costa explores the physiology, ecology, and behavior of the Northern Elephant Seal. Dr. Costa is the Director of the Institute of Marine Sciences and Distinguished Professor at UC Santa Cruz. He is an internationally recognized expert on marine mammals of the Central Coast. This presentation is the last presentation of a three part marine mammals webinar series.

Check out the Costa Lab at: https://costa.eeb.ucsc.edu

These webinars are made possible by the generosity of donors. Donate to help us continue these programs, and to support important land conservation on the coast.

The Secret Life Of Marine Mammals: Pulling Back The Curtain

Dr. Dan Costa explores the lives of marine mammals and how technological advances have allowed us to study these animals that spend their lives at sea. Dr. Dan Costa is the Director of the Institute of Marine Sciences and Distinguished Professor at UC Santa Cruz. He is an internationally recognized expert on the physiology, ecology, and behavior of marine mammals.

Check out the Costa Lab at: https://costa.eeb.ucsc.edu

These webinars are made possible by the generosity of donors. Donate to help us continue these programs, and to support important land conservation on the coast.

For The Birds

The Junior Land Stewards virtual environmental science program is off and running, and the fourth and fifth graders of CUSD will next be learning about the birds of our Coastside. They will be exploring

• How our ecosystem and climate supports the birds that live here

• Resident/ Migratory Birds  (Pacific Flyway)

• Internal and external structures that function to support flight, migration, survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

• How we can be stewards of the land to protect local birds

Our Coastside Land Trust presenter, Alvaro Jaramillo, is an internationally known ornithologist. As an author and contributor to numerous field guides and popular publications, he wrote the American Birding Association Field Guide to Birds of California. Alvaro works to enrich other’s enjoyment of birds and further avian conservation, leading birding trips throughout the world with his company, Alvaro's Adventures. To learn more about Alvaro Jaramillo and his tours, research and other work check out: http://alvarosadventures.com

With great thanks to our own Half Moon Bay High school Environmental Science students who lead the CUSD students in this activity, in which the kids build paper airplanes that correspond to the four different major wing shapes, based upon the need of each bird.

Click to learn more about the Junior Land Stewards program

This program is made possible by the generosity of our donors. We greatly thank Tomberg Family Philanthropies and Cabrillo Education Foundation, as well as donations made by people, like you, who value this important work.

Donate to help us continue this program

Marine Mammals of Central California and Climate Change- Recording

Dr. Dan Costa shares an overview of the natural history of the most common marine mammals that can be seen in Central California, and addresses how a changing climate might be affecting their lives and behavior. Dr. Dan Costa is the Director of the Institute of Marine Sciences and Distinguished Professor at UC Santa Cruz. He is an internationally recognized expert on the physiology, ecology, and behavior of marine mammals.

Check out the Costa Lab at: https://costa.eeb.ucsc.edu

These webinars are made possible by the generosity of donors. Donate to help us continue these programs, and to support important land conservation on the coast.

Marine Mammals of Central California and Climate Change- with Dan Costa- Webinar Series

Marine Mammals of Central California and How Climate Change Might Affect Them
 Webinar Series
Presented by Dan Costa

Join us this Saturday, October 24, at 10:00 am PDT, as Dr. Dan Costa shares an overview of the natural history of the most common marine mammals that can be seen in Central California. He will address how a changing climate might affect their lives and behavior. Dr. Dan Costa is the Director of the Institute of Marine Sciences and Distinguished Professor at UC Santa Cruz. He is an internationally recognized expert on the physiology, ecology, and behavior of marine mammals.

This presentation is the first of a three part marine mammals webinar series. Each session will last approximately 60 minutes, with time for questions. Presentations will be recorded and posted to our YouTube channel. All are welcome.

Junior Land Stewards Virtual Environmental Science Program

The Junior Land Stewards has just launched its 2020/2021 Virtual Environmental Science Program for the for the 4th and 5th graders of Cabrillo Unified School District.This virtual program is aimed to educate and connect students to their ecosystem, in the study of the local soil, plants, birds, mammals and invertebrates- aligned with the California NGSS standards. These lessons incorporate local environmental experts, the Half Moon Bay High School environmental science students, along with hands-on activities and reflection. Follow along with us as we post our bi-weekly videos! We hope this might give you a chance to learn a little bit more about this unique and beautiful coastal environment.

Check out this introduction video, aimed at getting us outside to examine the natural world, with John Muir Laws and our own HMBHS environmental science students.

Click to learn more about the Junior Land Stewards program

This program is made possible by the generosity of our donors. We greatly thank Tomberg Family Philanthropies and Cabrillo Education Foundation, as well as donations made by people, like you, who value this important work.

Donate to help us continue this program

The Fascinating World Of the Banana Slug with Dr. Janet Leonard Recording

Dr. Janet Leonard, research associate at UC Santa Cruz, explores the fascinating world of the banana slug, discussing the natural history, reproductive biology, evolution and distribution of banana slugs. Dr. Leonard also answers questions and talks about the research that is being done at UC Santa Cruz, sharing why these invertebrates are so intriguing to scientists.

Dr. Leonard was kind enough to write up responses to questions we didn’t have time for in the webinar. Check out her answers to your plant questions here.

These webinars are made possible by the generosity of donors. Donate to help us continue these programs, and to support important land conservation on the coast.