Nature Notes - Summer 2019

nature notes SUMMER • 2019

CENTRAL COAST STATE PARKS ASSOOCIATION

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oneybees, as I was reminded recently with a new hive added to our “farmstead,� provide a wonderful example of how nature has modeled community and working together. As summer approaches, everyone in parks is busy like bees preparing for the onslaught of visitors to our beaches and parks.

Staff Directory Kristin Howland Executive Director ed@centralcoastparks.org (805) 548-0391 Kristin Howland

As a former park ranger, I look back fondly on the hectic transition from spring to summer. There are so many things to get done: weed abatement, trail work, picnic and fire pit repair, placing lifeguard towers and hiring and training seasonal staff members.

And what about behind the scenes? The Adventures with Nature calendar and programing at the Morro Bay Museum and Oceano Visitors Center is no small feat. I am amazed on a daily basis by the community of docents that work with State Parks staff to provide amazing programing to our park visitors.

Here at our CCPSA hive, our newly acquired interns are busily assisting us with event planning, social media posts, processing inventory and of course, data entry. As we get them trained up and moving forward with projects, we are relieved to feel like we are making headway on some of the many items in our queue.

We are thrilled to have a new membership structure which includes family and corporate membership levels! Some new custom items will be showing up in the stores just in time for summer. We are excited to partner with Harmony Creamery to host an Ice Cream Social at Montana de Oro. Our new website is being developed. And of course the Wild and Scenic Film Festival planning is in full swing.

It takes the support of many bees to help the hive thrive. We all have our part to play in making CCSPA successful. It will be an amazing year thanks to the support of our members, sponsors, State Parks staff, docents, volunteers and interns!

Keep Happily Buzzing,

Kristin Howland Executive Director Central Coast State Parks Association CCSPA is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit. We are one of 85 similar cooperating associations across the state who work in partnership with State Parks. Tax ID #: 51-0198869. Cover photo by Dan (catching up) | Flickr

Alissa Maddren Membership and Events Coordinator membership@centralcoastparks.org (805) 548-0384 Ryan Hughes Retail Operations Coordinator store@centralcoastparks.org (805) 548-0392 BOARD MEMBERS Marylou Gooden - Board Chair Hannah Romo - Secretary Bob Priola - Treasurer Asit Rairkar - Vice Chair Elaine Rosenfield - Docent Council President STATE PARKS LIASONS Danielle Bronson State Park Interpreter II Oceano Dunes District Eric Hjelstrom Superintendent III SLO Coast District www.centralcoastparks.org

MAKE A DIFFERENCE Are you ready to make a difference? CCSPA is looking for new board members and volunteers! Contact us at: ed@centralcoastparks.org

181,783 Your dollars helped support programing for 181,783 visitors to our local State Parks.

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e are looking ahead to a summer filled with plans for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival and building bridges in our community with new membership levels to encourage families and businesses to support our parks.

NEW MEMBERSHIP LEVELS

We’ve updated our membership program to include a Raft of Otters level, geared towards families who love and want to support our parks. Members at this level and above will receive an Explore Parks Passport booklet with discounts at participating businesses. A new Keystone membership level is aimed at corporations and businesses who want to make a meaningful impact in our community. Check out the back page to see some other membership revisions we have made.

SEA OTTER EXPERIENCE

The Sea Otter Experience is a program designed to inform the public about the otters, and to also let people know how to protect them while enjoying watching the various aspects of their seemingly lazy lives. This pro-

Peter Miller | Flickr

ThiloG | Flickr

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters | Flickr

NEWS And updates

gram occurs on Saturdays and Sundays throughout July and August out at Target Rock by Morro Rock. Docents will be there from 11 am - 3 pm, showing the visitors the otters through spotting scopes and binoculars and answering questions about their lifestyle. You otter come!

WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL

Wild & Scenic Film Festival takes place September 19th 22nd. Don’t miss the first-ever CCSPA gala Butterfly Ball on September 14th! Tickets go on sale in July; members receive a 10% discount on tickets, which will be available through My805tix. You can keep up with plans for the event by attending a committee meeting - email events@centralcoastparks.org to find out the next meeting date. Sponsorships are still available - please share with any businesses or individuals you may know who would like to see their name listed on the big screen as a proud supporter of our local State Parks.

STAY IN TOUCH

If you are not following us on Facebook, you are missing out!

We list Adventures with Nature, updates about the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, plus lots of other interesting information. If you are on Instagram, you can post your pics to @ ccspamembership and they will show up in our Facebook feed as well. We love to see what’s happening in the parks! | SUMMER 2019 - 3

POLLINATORS OF THE PARKS

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alifornia possesses some 1600 native species of bees (none of these produce honey or live in true social colonies with a single queen, as do European Honeybees). The California bees typically have a relatively short flight period timed to a particular floral resource, and a long pupal development without any adult attendance, lasting until the next spring. Adults emerge soon after. California’s solitary Mason Bees live along muddy stream banks. They establish and provision larvae in hollow stems of reeds or

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Honeybees were brought to California during the Gold Rush. elderberry twigs. They lay a succession of eggs in the reed, each individually provisioned and sealed with a cap of collected mud. The metamorphosed adults emerge from the reed the following spring, chewing their way out through the mud caps. Our native Mason bees can be semi-domesticated in the home garden by bundling reeds or straws in a shelter.

Bumblebee queens overwinter by burying themselves deep in forest duff or mounds of fallen lichen. When the Manzanita flowers in the early spring they first emerge to found small colonies, often in small (measuring cup) size cavities in the dry duff at the base of forest trees. Flowering currant (such as seen along Coon Creek), forms an important spring forage for the queens. The coastal bumblebees seem especially attracted to flowers that open facing downward. | SUMMER 2019 - 4

Bumblebee colonies are small aggregations of sister queens, some nectar is stored in bowl like cups, and the growing larvae mature in similar cups, fed on collected pollen by their mothers and aunts working together. Bumblebees produce castes of unfertile worker daughters to nurse the larvae.

Pollen collecting bees use the protein rich pollen as the source of nutrition for their young.

Many native bee pollinators excavate underground nesting burrows, and open soil surfaces with a loose consistency can produce enormous colonies of these solitary nesters. I have seen these dense colonies in open “soil slicks” on the Estero Bluffs, the pencil sized entrances to their burrow rimmed with a small collar of mud. The bees emerge and disappear quickly, seemingly unconfused as to their exact “home” burrow among the thousand entrances in a colony. Maintaining and protecting this open soil surface areas from human trampling protects the colonies.

Squash bees are an example of soil-nesting native bees common in many gardens. Pollen of the squash family plants (pumpkin, melon, zucchini) is heavy, sticky, and clumpy.

The pollen is difficult for non-specialized bees to collect, but the squash bees feed on the pollen exclusively. The male drone squash bees sleep in aggregations in the squash blossoms, often unexpectedly surprising gardeners (and the female bees) as the big zucchini flowers open each morning.

Honeybees are not native to North America, but are feral throughout, and well established in wildland cavities in San Luis Obispo. Honeybees were brought to California during the Gold Rush. In the mission period, beeswax for religious candles was imported as a precious commodity via Philippine galleons, one of which famously wrecked on the coast of Oregon, was washed inland, and has been archeologically documented, the beeswax still intact. The original California imports were of a dark northern European variety,

which was replaced by a lighter “Italian” strain by escapees from agriculture in the 20th century. Since the mid-1990’s, queen bees with Africanized genetics have been present in San Luis Obispo county, more common in the hot interior than on the coast. The Africanized bees appear to be disadvantaged by the coastal foggy climate and the colder winters, as they have not replaced the Italian strain completely in the San Diego and Los Angeles region.

Unlike most native specialized pollinators, honeybees are generalists and will forage on a diversity of flowers. Thus honeybees have a perennial life history. They must collect nectar and pollen throughout the summer and fall drought periods in California, and winter in colonies clustered in the core of the comb, shivering to maintain metabolic warmth.

Honeybees are disadvantaged by their lack of adaptation to the California climate.

Honeybees forage on the Sages (Salvias) made famous by the studies of Vern and Ava Grant, but they only make the light and fragrant Sage honey in the years with sufficient rainfall to fill the deep, and otherwise unreachable, flowers to the brim with a nectar reward.

ted the experimental extirpation of the honeybees on the island.

Varroa kills honeybees by injecting virus into the growing brood while it feeds and reproduces on developing bee pupa. The virus (termed Deformed Wing Virus) is cosmopolitan (co-hosted by ants and bumblebees), but the particular strain propagated by Varroa infection is especially virulent – and risk has increased to native bumblebees as the deadly honeybee parasitic strain has spread into the wild. The impacts of the Varroa parasite is the predominant cause of mortality in domestic honeybee colonies.

Pesticide kills of honeybees are less frequent today than decades ago, as more stringent regulations and safer formulations have taken hold. For example, the region’s strawberry fields formerly were treated with “micro-encapsulated” Methyl Parathion (PenCap M). Strawberries are not normally bee pollinated, but the bees encountered the poison, mimicking the size and shape of pollen grains which they gathered and carried back to their colonies, resulting in hundreds of colony losses in our region. PenCap M registration has since been withdrawn.

A deadly parasitic mite (Varroa) invaded America’s honeybees in 1987, and spread across the country, decimating feral honeybees, and requiring extensive treatment on the domestic colonies. It was the deliberate introduction of the mite to previously naive Santa Cruz Island which permit-

So when you are out watching your garden or walking the hills, look not only for the lovely honeybees, but for some of the native bees that might be visiting and pollinating your flowers. - John Chesnut; bee photo by Toshihiro Gamo | Flickr

CANYON VIEW TRAIL

by hikers, equestrian and cyclists. The most important design elements that make it multi-use are long lines of sight and a shallow average grade of 5%. Moreover, the tread is 40 inches wide. The trail is designed to require much less maintenance than most trails at MdO. The low average grade and frequent grade reversals mean that less water has less opportunity to run down and erode the trail surface. Also, all turns are banked and have substantial drains at the top and bottom to reduce erosion and damage caused by horses and bikes and to eliminate the need for yearly repairs. Best of all Canyon View provides spectacular views of the Pacific, Islay Canyon and three nearby meadows.

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he recently opened multi-use Canyon View Trail in MdO State Park is a great example of volunteer and Parks partnership. The 2 mile trail which connects Hazard Peak Trail with Reservoir Flats Trail, took three years to permit, design and construct. It is meant to connect trails on the north and south sides of Islay Creek and to provide a shorter loop trail experience for campers and other users.

Each of the three partners, State Parks, SLOPOST (equestrians)

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- Greg Bettencourt

Canyon View Trail is specifically designed to be shared by hikers, equestrian and cyclists. and the Central Coast Concerned Mountain Bikers provided key components: Parks provided environmental review, permitting, supervision and a heavy equipment operator; SLOPOST provided approximately $35,000 for a mini-excavator support for volunteers; and CCCMB provided nearly 1,000 hours of volunteer time for design and construction.

Canyon View Trail is specifically designed to be shared | SUMMER 2019 - 5

summer solstice This year’s annual Solstice SATURDAY, JUNE 29 event will be held at the Mor11 a.m. ro Bay State Park campground picnic area on a Saturday, June 29th from 11 am to 2 pm.

The event features a variety of guest organizations and presenters with an ecological or natural history theme, activities and informational tables and even live animals. Activities and displays will be family friendly, fun and informative. We ask that the public park outside the campground at the State Park Marina or along lower State Park Road and walk in. Disabled individuals and those with mobility limitations may drive in or be dropped off.

litter getters Children can also earn a ONGOING prize by participating in the Year-round Litter Getter program to help keep campgrounds and trails clean. Materials are available at the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History and the Oceano Dunes Visitor Center.

summer fun days National Park Service

junior rangers Program

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unior Rangers is an edu- ONGOING cational and fun program, June - August held at State Parks throughout the state for youth 7-12 years old. Topics vary and are related to Natural and Cultural Resources. Jr. Rangers receive a logbook which they can keep for visits to other State Parks, a badge and other awards when they return.

No need to register, just show up and events are free. In the Coastal Sector Parks (Morro Bay, Montana de Oro and Morro Strand) these programs are held from mid-or late June through the end of August on weekends, holidays and other busy times. In the Oceano Dunes District (including North Beach Campground, the Oceano Dunes Visitor Center and Oceano Campground), programs are about 30 minutes long and will be held at the Oceano Campground Campfire Center, Thursday through Sunday beginning at 10:30 a.m.

More exciting events are popping up in the Oceano Dunes SATURDAY, JUNE 22 10 a.m.

District. State Parks Staff and Docents put together family-oriTHURSDAY, JULY 4 ented programs to teach about 1 p.m. the different areas and provide some WOW! moments for ev- SATURDAY, JUNE 22 eryone involved. Summer Fun 10 a.m.

Days will be held at the Oso Flaco Lake from 10-12 on June 22, at the Grand Ave. entrance station to Oceano Dunes from 1-3 on July 4, and at the North Beach Campground in Pismo Beach from 10-12 on August 3.

little rangers PRogram Little ones aged 2 to 6 are inTUESDAY, JUNE 18 vited to learn, play, and have 10:30 a.m. fun in nature during the Little Rangers Program this June 18th at 10:30am. Activities are camping themed and include a craft, games, tent to explore, sing a-long, and read-a-loud. To attend this FREE program, please meet outside the Oceano Dunes District Visitor located at 555 Pier Avenue in Oceano. | SUMMER 2019 - 6

Mike Baird

HIKE THE SAND SPIT

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oin State Park docents in a leisurely walk through the dune scrub plant community to the beach.

Then walk along the beach investigating whatever the day offers. The walk has no set destination.

Sometimes we head north toward Morro Rock and sometimes south toward Hazard Reef. If the tide is low enough, we explore the rocks and tide pools at the reef. With higher tides we walk north, watching the action on the wide beach and dunes. Once we found a stray baby elephant seal and were able to call for its rescue. Sometimes we come upon turkey vultures feeding on a dead creature. Other times we find many sand dollars. The sharp-eyed walkers may spot snowy plovers. Everyone will see shorebirds working along the water’s edge. And, we never know what the waves may have deposited on the shore for the beachcombers among us.

“Hike the Sand Spit” begins at the Sand Spit Parking Lot in Montaña de Oro. This Adventures with Nature free-form walk has no set interpretation, but the docents have a range of knowledge about shore life, marine mammals, geology, and local plants. For more info, please visit the events page at: www.centralcoastparks.org > events

ASK A NATURALIST “Wow, what happened to the sandy beach? What’s going on?”

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f you are a beach person you may have noticed that over the year the look and feel of the beach changes quite a bit, some beaches more than others. First of all the sand you see is the product of erosion. The materials are either weathered from the shoreline by pounding waves or moved into the sea down rivers and by wind. Moving water carries particles and the faster the water movement, the larger the particles that can be carried. On our open coast where the water is constantly moving, the larger particles settle out and become a sandy surface, maybe mixed with some fine gravel of feldspar and quartz. The larger the average waves, the larger the beach particle size. Along the open coast there is very little mud because the water movement and waves carry away the tinier silt particles.

Beaches change continuously as waves move the sand and rework the beach. In summer when waves tend to be more flat and gentle they deposit sand on the beach platform. This forms a broad, sandy slope. The first large erosional storm

waves of winter, usually late December, start carrying sand away from the beach and depositing it offshore, creating sandbars. By winter, the beach may be only the rocky platform of the coastline and/or cobblestones too large to be moved far by the winter storm waves.

Look at the two photos: Before the storms on Dec. 3, 2018 there was much deposited sand around the rock and a relatively flat, sandy beach. After the first storms in later December, most of the sand is gone, the rock is almost fully exposed and the hard substrate of the coastline is showing.

Amazing change in just one month!

The waves along the coast are constantly reworking the beach. Think about what that means to the animals that live there. - Claudia Freitas, Sand spit photo by Mike Baird 12-23-18

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Central Coast State Parks Association PO Box 445 San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 (805) 543-0390 centralcoastparks.org

BECOME A NEW OR RENEWING CCSPA MEMBER All members receive a copy of Nature Notes quarterly newsletter, a 10% discount on Wild and Scenic Film Festival tickets and discounts at participating Public Lands Alliance Stores. Additional benefits include: $50 Otter

$25 Hummingbird

$75 Raft of Otters

$100 Coyote

H Two vouchers for

H Free admissions for two

Family Membership that includes two adults and unlimited kids 17 and under.

All benefits of Raft of Otters membership, plus:

H 10% discount at all

H Four vouchers for

All benefits of Otter membership, plus:

Cream Social at MontaĂąa de Oro

admission to the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History CCSPA nature stores

adults to the Mind Walks Lecture Series

admission to the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History

H 10% discount at all CCSPA nature stores

H Invitation to the Ice

H 15% discount at all CCSPA nature stores

H Explore Parks Passport discount coupon book

$250 Monarch $250 Monarch

$500 Gray Whale

$1,000 Oak Grove

All benefits of Coyote membership, plus:

All benefits of Monarch membership, plus:

All benefits of Gray Whale membership, plus:

H Invitation to Afternoon

H Invitation to Martini de

H Invitation to a behind-the-

with the Monarchs at Pismo Monarch Butterfly Grove

Morro

scenes tour of Hearst Castle

H An exclusive holiday

shopping night at the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History

Membership level: _____________________ Membership amount: $ _________________ I would like to make an additional donation to CCSPA in the following amount $ __________ Total enclosed: $ ________ Name (to be displayed on membership card(s)): ___________________________________ Street: ____________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _____________________________________________________________ Phone: _________________________ Email: _____________________________________

$1,500 Keystone (Corporate Sponsorship)

H Logo and link on website H Free small ad in Nature

Notes newsletter (option to upgrade) H Free small ad in the Explore Parks Passport discount book H Logo displayed on screen as Keystone Member at all Wild and Scenic Film Festival events

I would like to receive the Nature Notes newsletter via mail I would like to receive the Nature Notes newsletter as an e-newsletter (digitally)

Please make checks payable to CCSPA and mail to: CCSPA, PO Box 445, SLO, CA 93406.

You can also pay online at: http://bit.ly/CCSPAmembership