Dear Erin,

Save the date September 7th for the Orange County Community Foundation's Protect and Preserve Giving Day! The Bolsa Chica Land Trust is proud to participate in this 24 hour Giving Day. Our goal is to raise $10K to achieve an additional $10K matching donation from a few generous donors; for a total of $20K to restore, preserve and protect Bolsa Chica! Please spread the word, and find the details below. Also in September, is the annual CA Coastal Cleanup Day event on Sept. 17th. CA Coastal Cleanup Day is the largest volunteer event in California each year. Volunteer with us to participate in this annual tradition. Finally, our Summer 'Music from the Mesa' newsletter is now online to read at your leisure. 

If you like our e-newsletters please consider sharing it with your friends and family. You can also follow us on Instagram or Facebook to catch our weekly "Wildlife Wednesdays" and current events as we share with you what we see and find every week!

The Bolsa Chica Land Trust and nine aligned nonprofits will partner with the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) on September 7 for Protect & Preserve, a collaborative online Giving Day to support Orange County’s open spaces and marine protected areas that enrich 52 miles of California’s coastline.

The Orange County community is invited to help protect the county’s natural habitats including its Marine protected areas (MPAs). MPAs are discrete geographic marine or estuarine areas designed to protect or conserve marine life and habitat which cover 26% of U.S. waters. The National Marine Protected Areas Center has a goal to conserve 30% of the nation’s land and waters by 2030. In Orange County, approximately 12 of Orange County's stunning 44-mile coastline are designated as an MPA.

The Bolsa Chica Land Trust's goal is to raise $10,000 during this 24 hour online fundraiser. The donation link can be found on the OCCF Protect and Preserve website. We have a $10,000 donation match for the event thanks to a handful of generous donors. That will be $20,000 towards protecting, restoring and preserving Bolsa Chica!

Please help us reach our goal and spread the word!

Join us Saturday September 17th for the annual Coastal Cleanup Event! Each year the California Coastal Commission hosts the annual CA Coastal Cleanup event on the third Saturday of September. It started back in 1985 and has been growing larger and better every year!

To sign up to join our coastal cleanup event please email Bequi@BCLandTrust.org for more info.

Learn more about Coastal Cleanup Day on the CA Coastal Commission page

What is Coastal Cleanup Day?

California Coastal Cleanup is the third Saturday of September. The cleanup brings awareness to the marine litter problem and provides a community event for direct involvement. Join the movement for an environment where people and ecosystems can survive and thrive. Volunteer alongside your families, friends, coworkers, scout troops, school groups, and service clubs. Plan to spend a day outside connecting with your community to celebrate California!

The event is part of the International Coastal Cleanup, organized by the Ocean Conservancy. California Coastal Cleanup Day is the largest volunteer event in the US and International Coastal Cleanup Day is the largest volunteer event on the planet!

The Summer 'Music from the Mesa' Newsletter is now online on our website. Hear from one of the co-founders Flossie Horgan about the stories that set the foundation for the last 30 years. Read a lovely poem from Kim Kolpin in Notes from the Executive Director, and what the future holds for the Bolsa Chica Land Trust in the next 30 years. Get an update on the Miracles education program and the Stewards habitat restoration program too.

Sept. Bird of the Month: Reddish Egret

The Reddish Egret has two, distinct color morphs - an all-white one and a darker one, seen here with its rust-colored head and neck plumage and its blue-gray body. It has a distinctive, comical dance as it forages for fish and aquatic invertebrates in the marsh. It flaps its wings and runs around in circles. Reddish Egrets are found mainly on the Gulf Coast and Baja California. They were rare at Bolsa Chica until the last decade when a group of them took up residence here to the delight of many birders.

30” long; 46” wingspan; 1 lb.

photo: Brian Bradford

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.
• 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!

Photo Credits:

banner- Carol Calkins, sand dune trail- E. Chin, Stewards- James Huang, Miracle docent with kids, Elegant Terns on beach- Marinka Horack, Reddish Egret- Brian Bradford