Elkhorn Slough - One of the Wonders of the Central Coast

Tsunami surges hit the Central Coast on Friday leaving behind a wake of 18 sunken vessels in the Santa Cruz Harbor. Surfers dropped in on some gnarly tsunami waves, coastal residents fled to higher ground, and the Santa Cruz Harbor suffered an approximate $17 million in damages due to the ocean’s post-earthquake force.

Our other area waterways, such as the San Lorenzo River and Capitola River, were far less affected by the force of the ocean that day.

Elkorn Slough, the tranquil, tidal salt marsh just south of Santa Cruz, is known as one of the most relevant and beautiful ecological treasures around the Monterey Bay. Data recorded from the water quality station in Slough Marsh on Friday shows signs of tsunami activity, yet the area was left unscathed by the minor change in conditions.

Which is great news for the hundreds to possibly thousands of species that call the watershed of Elkhorn Slough home. From native plants to birds to mammals, it’s the largest track of tidal salt marsh of its kind in California outside of the San Francisco Bay. The Reserve has a little something for everyone with beaches, marshes, woodlands and even prairies - which means lots of diverse habitats, each supporting a plentiful and diverse array of life all its own.

Aside from habitat, wetlands like Elkhorn Slough play an important role in our environment, and it’s an ecological tragedy that the majority of our area’s wetlands have been dredged, developed, and destroyed here on the Central Coast. Wetlands have the ability to store greenhouse gases, slow soil erosion, filter impurities from the water and reduce the impacts of flooding, all services that we are in dire need of at this point in history.

While we watch the post-earthquake devastation mount in Japan, and as we pick up the pieces in the aftermath of the tsunami on the Pacific Coast, it’s important to take a moment to give thanks for our local natural treasures that still remain intact, like Elkhorn Slough. And why not pay them a visit, too?

On Saturday, March 19, from 10am – 3pm, the folks of Elkhorn Slough are holding a Native Plant Fair and they want you come. Greenhouse staff and volunteers will be on site to share planting techniques, conduct workshops and children’s activities, and help you select the best native plants to transform your yard ‘into a haven for local butterflies, bees and birds.’

And if you’d like to take your appreciation of our area wetlands to the next level, Members of the Elkhorn Slough Foundation enjoy interesting perks throughout the year such as guided birding walks, frog safaris led by local ecologists, sunset walks, and special educational nights for Members only.

 So with Earth Day right around the corner, consider the natural environment around you - you might be inspired to lend a supporting hand for our natural treasures.

The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, the latter of which provides five miles of hiking trails and guided tours to help visitors experience the unique beauty of the area. Hours are Wednesday – Sunday,  9am-5pm.