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Orange County Coastkeeper is proud to announce its newest staff member, Wes Colvin. He has been hired by the organization to work on several new projects including the Coastkeeper Gardens and Nursery Runoff Program. Wes comes to Coastkeeper with a wonderful background in both the laboratory and field setting.

This newsletter highlights his background and our WHALES education program.

As a reminder registration for our Rigs to Reefs Conference is well underway. If you haven't registered I would encourage you to do so -- it will be a fabulous event. Follow this link to register now.

Welcome Wes!

Wes Colvin is currently a UC Santa Cruz (UCSC) Environmental Studies doctoral candidate, whose degree will be conferred in March. Prior to his PhD program, he received an Associate of Arts degree in Biology and Environmental Science and then a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and Environmental Studies. While in school he assisted with the instruction of a myriad of courses including but not limited to: Restoration Ecology, Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture, Environmental Field Methods, Ethnobotany, General Ecology, and Introductory Soil Ecology.

Upon graduation, he worked for the Natural Sciences Division at Fullerton College where he gained extensive experience running an academic laboratory before returning to graduate school. In 1988, Wes became certified as a NAUI certified SCUBA Instructor which lead to research diver certification at UCSC and coursework in kelp forest ecology.

As a Natural History Field Quarter (NHFQ) student at UCSC, Wes was introduced to Santa Cruz Island, where he managed the 17-year old NHFQ Fennel Project, an invasive plant management investigation, for a decade. He also comes with
extensive experience evaluating the impact of various fennel eradication techniques on the conservation and restoration of native flora and fauna for the University of California - Natural Reserve System, The Nature Conservancy, and Channel Islands National Park.

A native to Orange County, and Wes is now looking forward to making a positive contribution towards resolving many of the environmental problems facing the County.</p>

Welcome aboard Wes! We are glad to have you as a
part of our team!

Its "WHALES" Watching Time

January and February have been busy months for Coastkeeper's WHALES education program, and the word is out! Two news articles featuring WHALES field trips appeared in the Riverside Press-Enterpise and Orange County Register last week.

As our program has doubled in size from last school year, more students in Orange County and even the Inland Empire are exploring their watershed with Coastkeeper. From water testers to weed pullers, and sewage science to marine biology, our WHALES students have played valuable roles in protecting their local environment, and along the way they met "Watershed Heroes" from public agencies. Below are some highlights from our most recent field trips:

"Wetland Stewards" from Corona High joined Coastkeeper for a day of service learning at the Prado Wetlands. Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science students learned about the importance of wetlands for water quality and habitat, and then got to work! While Coastkeeper and Inland Empire Waterkeeper helped students test water quality, biologists from Orange County Water Distict and Santa Ana Watershed Association (SAWA) led students in habitat restoration. By the end of the day, Ms. Anguiano's 18 students (all girls) had planted over 80 native mulefat, a native plant used by the endangered least Bell's vireo, removed dozens of pesky tumbleweeds, and tested water quality. Autumn Dewoody, Interim Director at Inland Empire Waterkeeper, looks forward to expanding their education efforts to reach more students in Riverside and Corona.

"Orange High's Muckrackers" learned about biodiversity first by teaching it to fifth graders at Cambridge Elementary School in Orange. In the afternoon, these AP Environmental Science students ventured into a stream at Mason Park in Irvine to investigate the diversity of life in the stream bed. By identifying the various insects and worms found in the muck, our students could find a water quality rating.

"BMP Detectives:" Students from Santiago High School and Rancho Alamitos High School learned about Best Management Practices (BMPs) used to protect water quality in the City of Garden Grove. As employees at Garden Grove Public Works walked our students through their facility, they challenged students to spot BMPs that prevent pollution from entering storm drains, and think of how they can use BMPs in their everyday lives. This was a great opportunity for these Garden Grove students to explore water-related career opportunities, and see what their own city does to improve water quality.

Please visit the WHALES webpage to view pictures and upcoming events, and see how you can get involved in this exciting education program.

Thank you for continued interest in Orange County Coastkeeper and Inland Empire Waterkeeper.

Sincerely,

Garry Brown
Orange County Coastkeeper