Finale of the Eelgrass Saga

Thought I wouldn’t just leave you all with a cliff hanger. I’m sure everybody is wondering with anticipation if I really found that eelgrass stuff.

Well, I did! My project was a not huge waste of time and Ol’ Wallace Kaufman was absolutely right!

I met up with a local eelgrass expert Jen Hayduk who came out with me on a kayak excursion during the extremely low tide on July 13th. We found quite a bit of it! Here is a map I made documenting that green fettuccine stuff that everyone calls eelgrass:

Reflection 2: Hunting Down Eelgrass

(Photo Credit: Wallace Kaufman)

In case you are just joining me or asking yourself, “What is eelgrass exactly, and why should I care about it?” Here is a sneak peek excerpt from my eelgrass report I’m writing that will, hopefully, answer that question much better than my last reflection ever could:

Reflection 1 6/15/2018: Eelgrass in Lower Yaquina Preserve

My project officially started on June 4th. That is when I got to meet my project adviser Esther Lev and we were able make a plan of attack for my project. My project focuses on researching the possible benefits of eelgrass in The Wetland Conservancy managed Lower Yaquina Preserve. Recently there has been lots of excitement about eelgrass (Zostera marina) because of it’s potential for a multitude of benefits it could provide to ecosystems and people. Add that to the fact that over the course of past decades eelgrass

The Effects of Sea Level Rise On Lower Yaquina Estuary

Having grown up next to the ocean in San Diego, I have always had a deep love for the coast. Coastal estuaries in particular were an crucial back drop to my childhood and adult life. There was a estuary right next to my house that I ended up volunteering at weekly after completing my bachelors degree.  Though they generally aren’t visually grandiose, I find them extraordinarily interesting. These ecosystems provide habitats for so much wildlife, store vast amounts of carbon, protect coastal communities from ocean surges, and provide important economic benefits through fishing. Despite this, coastal wetlands have been largely destroyed over the past century due to coastal development, caused by increasing demand for coastal real estate.