SCMI started Coastal Ecology Day in the fall of 1994 to survey rocky
intertidal beaches. Since 1994, SCMI has completed 15 Ecology Day surveys along
the local rocky shoreline and has involved over 1,000 students and volunteers.
Students and volunteers are introduced to the ecology of the intertidal zone,
scientific sampling methods, the use of quadrats and transect lines to sample
the rocky intertidal zone, and taught to identify intertidal algae and animals.
Coastal Ecology Day increases community awareness of natural ecosystems in the
coastal zone, monitors coastal environments in order to ascertain changes over
time, helps determine if ecosystem changes may be related to human impacts, and
develops baseline information in the event of a catastrophic pollution
incident.
Previous funding: Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project’s Public Involvement in
Education (PIE) fund, University of Hawaii SeaGrant’s Youth for Environmental
Service (YES) program, Royal Caribbean’s Ocean Fund
Current funding: None
Searchable database of Rocky Intertidal Data (coming soon!)
Products: (Coming soon!)