Field trip with Dan Fontaine and Darwin Richardson.

Saturday, December 3, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Participation is limited to 25.
Advance registration required at synature@west.net or 805 693-5683.
Member registration begins: August 16. Non-member registration begins: August 26.
Members free/non-members free.

This trip will explore the Devereux Slough ecosystem, our western most large estuary on the south coast. Lower Devereux slough is part of the Coal Oil Point UC Reserve and is designated by the Audubon Society as an important bird area. We will see many of our region’s winter shorebirds and other coastal species as we explore the beach, dunes, salt marsh and upper reaches of this diverse estuary with trip leader Dan Fontaine. Dan is an expert naturalist who has conducted avian field work with the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other organizations, and is executive director of the Wilderness Youth Project.

This trip also will explore the exciting restoration of the historic upper portion of Devereux Slough, planned to begin this fall. In the 1960’s a golf course was built here by filling in the upper portion of the slough. The golf course is no longer active and the property is now owned by UCSB. Darwin Richardson will give us a tour describing plans to restore the upper extent of this estuary in what will be one of the largest restoration projects undertaken in our region.  Darwin is a restoration ecologist with UCSB’s Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration.

Photo : © Callie Bowdish