Interpretive Center

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS Bolsa Chica Conservancy Interpretive Center at Warner Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway features marine aquarium and displays about wetland plants, invertebrates, fish, birds, reptiles, mammals, ecology and restoration. The center is free and open to the public and school groups from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, and from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Service Day is the last Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon at the Interpretive Center on the north lot. (714)

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS Bolsa Chica Conservancy Interpretive Center at Warner Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway features marine aquarium and displays about wetland plants, invertebrates, fish, birds, reptiles, mammals, ecology and restoration. The Center is free and open to the public and school groups from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday. (714) 846-1114. The Bolsa Chica Conservancy needs volunteers during nesting season when they cannot pick up trash at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands, but they can volunteer to help with a sand dune restoration project.

For being in Congress for 22 years, what has Rep. Dana Rohrabacher done? (?Rep. showed grace,? March 26) Nothing. Legislation introduced, passed and enacted. Nothing. We have taxation without representation from do-nothing-Dana. He deserves to be snubbed. Milt Dardis Huntington Beach ? Trust, Amigos need say in interpretive center Paul Arms? commentary (?Collaboration needed for center,? March 26) was right on the mark. The conservancy board consists of the builders of homes on the Bolsa Chica, Hearthside homes and others who have not been in the trenches for the last 20 years as have the Bolsa Chica Land Trust and the Amigos de Bolsa Chica.

??Amigos de Bolsa Chica offers free public tours from 9 to 10:30 a.m. the first Saturday of each month at the pedestrian bridge at the Bolsa Chica wetlands on Pacific Coast Highway across from Bolsa Chica State Beach. (714) 840-1575. ? ?? The Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy , a group of private citizens dedicated to saving and restoring the wetlands, needs volunteers to help with plant removal and general clean-up of the wetlands in south east Huntington Beach from 9 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of every month.

Ellen McCarty Family status: Married to Flint Morrison for 40 years, with two adult children and three delightful grandchildren, ages 11, 4 and 3. Age: 55+ and holding Education: B.A. in education from California State University of Long Beach and I have done post graduate course work. Past offices held: President of Huntington Beach Coordinating Council; vice president of Programs, Huntington Harbour Republican Women's Federated; Executive Director Amigos de Bolsa Chica; Secretary of Governor Wilson's Wetlands Consensus Committee for two years.

Visitors to the Bolsa Chica Wetlands may encounter more rules and regulations, along with more educational material, in the near future, as a coalition of environmental groups is planning to fill the nature area with more signage. The Bolsa Chica Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring and preserving the wetlands, called a meeting of representatives from the state, the county and other nonprofits June 18 to discuss ideas for the new signs. The current signage on the wetlands, Executive Director Grace Adams said, is old and outdated, and newly restored areas on the wetlands are in need of interpretive panels.

Wednesday’s Earth Day observance should have encouraged every one of us to leave adequate natural resources for our children and grandchildren by making needed changes in our driving, our shopping, our recycling and our diet. Yes, our diet. A 2006 report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization blamed meat production for 18% of the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. That’s more than automobiles! Carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, is emitted by burning forests to create animal pastures and by combustion of fossil fuels to operate farm machinery, trucks, refrigeration equipment, factory farms and slaughterhouses.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved an option agreement and lease that will be used to construct a permanent interpretive center at the Harriet M. Wieder Regional Park. The interpretive center has been a longtime goal of the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, said board Chairman Mark Gaughan. The organization, which was established in 1990, has operated a temporary center in the wetlands since 1994, and has educated hundreds of thousands of people to date. “When we established the conservancy nearly 20 years ago, we firmly believed in investing in our youth as the future leaders of our community, and we also believed that a public-private partnership like the conservancy was essential to making it happen,” said Wieder, the park’s namesake, in a news release.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a two-part series about the coming year.   Good morning and Happy New Year. Instead of the traditional summary of events of the past year, Lou and I want to take a look forward to some of the changes we expect to come to Huntington Beach in 2009.   Dredging at B.C. Sometime in 2009, a dredging operation will begin at Bolsa Chica. The reason is that the new inlet at the south end gradually accumulates sand that washes in from the beach.

??Amigos de Bolsa Chica offers free public tours from 9 to 10:30 a.m. the first Saturday of each month at the pedestrian bridge at the Bolsa Chica wetlands on Pacific Coast Highway across from Bolsa Chica State Beach. (714) 840-1575. ? ?? The Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy , a group of private citizens dedicated to saving and restoring the wetlands, needs volunteers to help with plant removal and general clean-up of the wetlands in south east Huntington Beach from 9 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of every month.

People seem to be enjoying the outdoors even more this year than last. The Friends of Shipley Nature Center report that they've had 5,377 visitors so far this year, versus 4,900 for all of 2006. If you haven't been in a while, you'll be shocked at how much the plants have grown. There are always plenty of flowers in bloom, and there are even a group of newly-fledged Cooper's hawks to enjoy. To accommodate the increased interest in the nature center, the Friends of Shipley Nature Center are opening the facility in Central Park on Thursdays during July through August from 4 to 8 p.m. so people can enjoy the habitats in the cool of the evening.

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS Bolsa Chica Conservancy Interpretive Center at Warner Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway features marine aquarium and displays about wetland plants, invertebrates, fish, birds, reptiles, mammals, ecology and restoration. The center is free and open to the public and school groups from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, and from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Service Day is the last Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon at the Interpretive Center on the north lot. (714)

The Bolsa Chica Conservancy serves thousands of visitors a year who take its tours, feel sea creatures in its touch tank, and learn about wetlands ecology in its many classes. But a recent remodel to its Interpretive Center cost a lot, as will a planned bridge to get visitors there more safely. That's why county officials have come to the rescue. The conservancy and the Orange County Board of Supervisors announced a $400,000 grant to the organization last week. The money will fund improvements to the recently reopened Bolsa Chica Interpretive Center and help build a pedestrian bridge across Warner Avenue.