Dear Friend,

February is here bringing some nice rain with it. Feb. 2nd is World Wetlands Day and this year's theme is all about how human life and wetlands are interconnected. We sure love our Bolsa Chica wetlands! We also love our generous donors who continually support us in our work to make Bolsa Chica even better! You can now find an events calendar on our website and the full 2024 calendar of BCLT public event dates for your scheduling needs. No more guessing when our free tours are or when we have public volunteering days.

Happy World Wetlands Day, V-day, and Presidents' Day this month!

“Wetlands and Human Wellbeing” is the theme for World Wetlands Day 2024. 

This year’s campaign spotlights how interconnected wetlands and human life are — with people drawing sustenance, inspiration and resilience from these productive ecosystems. Importantly, the theme for 2024 underscores how all aspects of human wellbeing are tied to the health of the world’s wetlands. It calls on each of us to value and steward our wetlands. Every wetland matters. Every effort counts.

Bolsa Chica is a coastal salt marsh type of wetland. The Pacific Ocean flushes in and out of the Bolsa Chica bays and full tidal basin with each low and high tide. It acts as a buffer between the ocean and the surrounding housing communities. It can purify water and can play an important role in our ocean-based economy from fishing to whale watching. It is also an important place for humans to reconnect with nature, a place for exercise, and so much more. These are just some of the direct benefits that wetlands and Bolsa Chica give to humans.

What makes Bolsa Chica valuable to you? Happy World Wetlands Day.

A great big thank you to everyone who donated to our year-end fundraising campaign! Your donations are a critical part of our successful work at Bolsa Chica, big and small.

Everything from educating school children, planting native plants, supporting valuable scientific research, to tirelessly working with State and Federal agencies to bring the larger preservation projects to fruition all depend on donations from people like you. Your donations allow the staff to focus on the important work we do for Bolsa Chica and the community instead of having to worry about whether the lights will turn on or the volunteers will have the supplies they need.

So, thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!

Free tours, community-based volunteering, and even our seasonal beach clean-ups with all the dates for the entire year in one place. You can find the full flier with all this info to download and print on our website.

Not only that, but we also now have an events calendar on our website where you can add our public events directly to your own digital calendar! Now you won't forget when the next free tour is occurring, or when our next restoration volunteer day is happening.

*Events are subject to change or be cancelled due to rain or other circumstances

February's Bird of the Month: Blue-winged Teal

The male Blue-winged Teal has unique and beautiful markings with white crescents across his cheeks, violet-gray head, and its breast and underparts are bronze with black dots. The female has camouflage plumage to protect her young ducklings from predators, so her colors blend in with the habitat. Both sexes have sky-blue patches and green patches on their wings which can be seen in flight. Blue-wings are dabbling ducks with a diet of aquatic vegetation, snails and insects.

15.5” long; 23” wingspan; 13 oz.

photo: Brian Goebel

Reminders When You Visit Bolsa Chica

Here are some things to remember during your visit:

• Please stay on the trails. Not only could you disturb nesting birds, but snakes are often not far off the trails.
• Enjoy the flowers, but please do not pick them.
• Do not feed the animals.
• Do not litter. Please pack out your trash, including food scraps.
• No bikes or ebikes.
• No dogs.
• No drones.
• Enjoy being with nature!
• If you see any BCLT Stewards working along the trail, say hi! We are happy to answer any questions.

Support Bolsa Chica Today!

Questions? Email us at Info@BCLandTrust.org or call (714) 846-1001

Photo Credits:

Brown Pelican banner- Robin Hoyland, landscape- E. Chin, prickly pear- Jane Lazarz, Stewards in volunteer, sunset- Bequi Howarth, Miracles docent with kids, outreach table- Jeff Rokos, volunteers on beach- Mike McMahan, Blue-winged Teal- Brian Goebel