Elkhorn Slough Foundation

TO CONSERVE AND RESTORE ELKHORN SLOUGH AND ITS WATERSHED, AND TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN WAYS THAT INCREASE APPRECIATION AND MOTIVATES THE PERPETUAL PROTECTION AND CARE OF ELKHORN SLOUGH.

THE TIDAL WETLAND PROGRAM- TWP IS A MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THE MOST CRITICAL ECOLOGICAL CHALLENGE FACING THE TIDAL PORTIONS OF ELKHORN SLOUGH. HISTORIC MODIFICATIONS OF SLOUGH HYDROLOGY HAS LED TO THE DRAMATIC LOSS OF VEGETATED MARSH LAND. IN COLLABORATION WITH OVER 100 SCIENTISTS, RESOURCE MANAGERS, LOCAL RESIDENTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, THE TIDAL WETLAND PROGRAM LED AN ECOSYSTEM BASED MANAGEMENT APPROACH TO ARREST THIS LOSS OF HABITAT AND RESTORE A MORE NATURAL FUNCTION TO THE SLOUGH SYSTEM. THE RESULT OF THIS IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MORE NATURAL TIDAL FLOW TO THE PARSON'S SLOUGH COMPLEX ON THE ELKHORN SLOUGH NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE WHICH PROTECTED OVER 450 ACRES OF TIDAL WETLANDS IN THE ELKHORN SYSTEM. ONGOING WORK IS FOCUSED ON THE RESTORATION OF WETLANDS THROUGH THE BENEFICIAL REUSE OF CLEAN SEDIMENTS TO REBUILD SUBSIDED MARSHES AND LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN THESE RESTORED TIDAL MARSHES. THE HESTER MARSH RESTORATION IS AN INITIATIVE RESTORING 150 ACRES OF DIKED AND DEGRADED FORMER MARSH. THE SUBSIDED MARSH PLAIN HAS BEEN ELEVATED BY ADDITION OF SOIL TO THE UPPER END OF THE TIDAL FRAME SUPPORTING MARSH VEGETATION. THE ELEVATION OF THE PLAIN WILL ACCOMMODATE PROJECTED SEA LEVEL RISE INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.

RAM - THE RESEARCH AND MONITORING PROGRAM ON THE ELKHORN SLOUGH NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE (ESNERR) IS THE PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR CONDUCTING THE WATER QUALITY MONITORING, HABITAT MONITORING AND BIOLOGICAL MONITORING ON THE RESERVE AND THROUGHOUT THE ELKHORN SLOUGH WATERSHED. THE RESEARCH AND MONITORING TEAM HAS ALSO BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PUBLICATION OF A SERIES OF PEER REVIEWED SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS, LISTED ON THE WEBSITE: WWW.ELKHORNSLOUGH.ORG. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION. ELKHORN SLOUGH FOUNDATION ADMINISTERS THESE FUNDS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ESNERR AND SLOUGH CONSERVATION IN CONCERT WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.

LAND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM- THIS PROGRAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ONGOING RESTORATION, MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF OVER 4,200 ACRES OF LAND IN THE ELKHORN SLOUGH WATERSHED. THIS PAST YEAR, THE STEWARDSHIP TEAM AGAIN ENGAGED DOZENS OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST WITH A WIDE ARRAY OF CONSERVATION ACTIONS, INCLUDING THE REMOVAL OF TONS OF TRASH AND DEBRIS, CONTROL OF EXOTIC INVASIVE WEEDS, MONITORING KEY LANDS AND SPECIES, MAPPING NATURAL RESOURCES, COLLECTING, GERMINATING, GROWING AND OUT-PLANTING THOUSANDS OF NATIVE PLANTS. THIS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO TRANSFORM HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF DEGRADED WORN-OUT SAND HILLS INTO VITAL, HEALTHY HABITAT AT THE SAME TIME IS SUSTAINS INTACT NATURAL AREAS OF THE SLOUGH.