After days of rain, the sun is out on Saturday morning, and a group of volunteers is restoring native plants at the Marina Dunes Preserve.
" I love the coastal ecosystem, and I'm excited to help out and restore some of the area," said Russ Davidson of Pacific Grove, who has just finished planting some dune buckwheat.
This effort is part of the Habitat Stewardship Project, Monterey Bay’s restoration program, which not only gives people a chance to connect with nature but also improves the ecosystem.
Project manager Samuel Anaya said this helps give species like the endangered Smith’s blue butterfly a place to safely lay their eggs.
"These native plants hold the dunes together and provide food and shelter."
The plants are grown in a greenhouse at Cal State Monterey Bay. Volunteers then plant them around sites in the region, while also helping to clear out invasive species such as ice plants.
The next planting events are on Saturday, Feb. 28, at Fort Ord National Monument and Moss Landing State Beach.
CSUMB student Kiana Lachan hopes more families will join in the restoration fun.
"This is a really cool event for kids to see how restoration happens in their community," she says, "and to be knowledgeable about their local ecosystems and habitats, because this is a really unique area ecologically, and it's so cool."
CSUMB holds the broadcast license for KAZU.
