| Salt Marsh | A low coastal grassland surrounding an estuary which is frequently overflowed by the tide. The water flow is slow and sediments can accumulate, creating a muddy environment for salt-tolerant plants and protected waters for the nursery of tiny animals. |
| Estuary | An area in which the river and ocean meet, creating a mix of fresh and salt water. |
| Wetland | A lowland area, such as a swamp or marsh, that is saturated with either fresh or salt water regularly. |
Web Resources
Access USGS San Francisco Bay and Delta: Wetlands
Biological Resources Division : U.S. Dept of the
Interior & U.S. Geological Survey (search
their web)
A Case Study of Biological Invasions
of the San Francisco Bay and Delta
Coastal Research Projects
Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine Biology
California Rivers
Assessment (CARA)
California Environmental Resources Evaluation System
(CERES) search
California Wetlands Information System
California
Watershed Projects Inventory (CWPI)
Cache
Wetlands (Egyptian Middle School) and Bald Eagles (V.I.T. Elementary
School) of Southern Illinois (Virtual Museum displays)
Clean Water Action (specific
S.F. info from David Chatfield via E-mail: dchatfield@cleanwater.org)
Constructed
Wetlands Bibliography National Agricultural Library
Coastal Marsh Project University
of Maryland College Park/NASA
Earth Island Institute (search their web)
Educating Young People About Water
Environmental Resources Center (search
by water topic)
An Ecosystem
Approach to Fish and Wildlife Conservation: National Wildlife Refuge System
Endangered
Mollusks: Images
Environmental Defense Fund search
Environmental Documents (UC Berkeley
Digital Library)
Estuary-Net Project National Estuarine
Research Reserve
Exploring Salt Marshes, a virtual field
trip for kids (from Tramline Web Tours)
Give Water a Hand
Leetown Science Center (Federal
fishery research facility)
National Estuary Program (Office of
Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds - EPA)
National Estuarine Research
Reserves National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: U.S. Dept of Commerce
National Marine Sanctuary Program:
Office of Water: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (search their web)
REGIS GRASSLinks is a
geographic information system (GIS) display and analysis tool to facilitate data sharing
& cooperation Restore America's Estuaries
Run the Wetlands Simulation
Saltmarsh
Harvest Mouse (species under threat in the Bay area)
San
Francisco Estuary Project
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
The Tragedy of the Coastal
Commons
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (search
their web), Pacific Region, National Wetland's Inventory
The Water FAQ
Water Tidbits: Questions and
Answers, U.S. Geological Survey search
The Wonders
of Wetlands. World Wildlife Fund search
Wetland Ecosystem Team
University of Washington, School of Fisheries
Wetlands -- An
Endangered Ecosystem Biodiversity and Ecosystems Network (BENE).
Wetlands: Characteristics
and Boundaries National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences
Wetlands Reserve Program: Wetland functions and Values
Wetlands
Roundtable EE Link; Environmental Education on the Internet
| Bay Institute 415-721-7680 625 Grand Avenue - Suite 250 San Rafael, CA 94901 E-mail: bayinfo@bay.org |
Advocacy to protect and restore San Francisco Bay including wetland and marsh restoration, monitoring of toxic drainage and monitoring of freshwater diversion from the Bay/Delta. |
| Bay Model 415-332-3871 2100 Bridgeway Sausalito, CA 94965 |
Research and environmental education facility operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Hydraulic model of the San Francisco Bay is used to examine issues such as oil spills, salt water intrusion and pollutant dispersion. Videos, interactive exhibits, tours. |
| California
Coastal Commission 415-904-5200 45 Fremont Street - Suite 2000 San Francisco, CA 94105-2219 |
Plans and regulates development in the coastal zone according to the California Coastal Act. Offers Save our Seas, a publication of K-12 conservation-oriented curriculum of hands-on activities, supporting Adopt-A-Beach Program. |
| Center for Marine Conservation 415-391-6204 580 Market Street #550 San Francisco, CA 94104 E-mail: oceanaction@igc.apc.org (hotline) chabotw@sf.mhs.compuserve.com (SF Director) |
Pacific Region Office dedicated to the protection of marine wildlife in Monterey Bay, Farallones, National Marine Sanctuaries and Pacific's marine fisheries; restoration of water quality, prevention of offshore oil drilling and establishment of safe shipping channels along the California coast. |
| Coyote Point
Museum 415-342-7755 1651 Coyote Pt. Drive San Mateo, CA 94401 Ask a Marsh Mucker |
Dedicated to educating and inspiring people of all ages to act
responsibly from an informed awareness of and respect for the environment and the
interdependence of people and nature. Programs and services which focus on the estuary and
local salt marshes include: Marsh Muck exploration of a salt marsh ecosystem and its inhabitants (grades 4-8, 2 hrs.) and Teacher Marsh Orientation to qualify educators to rent salt marsh equipment for use with their students (educators, 3 hrs.). In-house library and School Services Coordinator to help educators. |
| Don Edwards San
Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center 510-792-0222 (Fremont) Environmental Education Center 408-262-5513 (Alviso) P.O. Box 524 Newark, CA 94560 E-mail: margaret_kolar@mail.fws.gov |
The Environment Education and Visitor Center contain wildlife exhibits,
observation decks, auditoriums, classrooms and bookstores. Located at the southern end of
San Francisco Bay, the refuge includes 21,000 acres of salt marsh, tidal sloughs,
mudflats, uplands, salt ponds and miles of walking trails. Hands-on educator-led field
trips are held at both sites, to teach students about wetlands, endangered species, and
migratory birds. Video lending library, curriculum materials (The Salt Marsh Manual), and educator workshops. |
| Environmental Defense Fund 510-658-8008 5655 College Avenue Oakland, CA 94618 |
Oceans Program develops policy and advocacy strategies on major problems affecting the ocean. Local Public Information Coordinator. Search the EDF web. |
| Estuary
Education Program 510-286-0769 P.O. Box 791 Oakland, CA 94604 |
Provides outreach program to classrooms tailored to teachers' focusing on wetlands, watersheds, or habitats of the San Francisco Bay - Delta region. Offers field sessions for 2, 3 or 4 hours to local habitats and offers teacher workshops to provide curriculum material on specific habitats. Educational materials available through the San Francisco Estuary Project. |
| Farallones
National Marine Sanctuary (415) 556-3509 Fort Mason Building #201 San Francisco, CA 94123 E-mail: gfnms@ocean.nos.noaa.gov |
The sanctuary includes nurseries and spawning grounds for commercially valuable species, at least 26 species of marine mammals, and 15 species of breeding seabirds. One quarter of California's harbor seals breed within the sanctuary. The Farallon Islands are home to the largest concentration of breeding seabirds in the continental United States. The sanctuary boundaries include the coastline up to mean high tide, protecting a number of accessible lagoons, estuaries, bays, and beaches for the public. Habitat, searbird population , pollution and oil spill monitoring. Programs, teacher training and curriculum development. |
| Friends of the Sea Otter 408-373-2747 2150 Garden Road, Suite B-4 Monterey, CA 93940 E-mail: seaotter@seaotters.org |
Educational, scientific and research programs to ensure that the sea otter population remains vigorous. |
| Golden Gate
Audubon Society 510-843-2222 2530 San Pablo Avenue, Suite G Berkeley, CA 94702 E-mail: 71642.65@compuserve.com |
Preservation and enjoyment of seabirds and their food chain. Leads field trips to Farallone Islands. |
| Marine Mammal Center 415-289-SEAL Marin Headlands, GGNRA Sausalito, CA 94965 E-mail: com@tmmc.org |
Rescue, rehabilitiation and release of marine mammals along California coast and Bay Area shoreline. Public education programs at Marin Headlands and Pier 39. |
| Marine Science Institute 415-364-2760 500 Discovery Park Way Redwood City, CA 94306-4715 E-mail: 102153.1625@compuserve.com |
Discovery Voyage takes students aboard an 85 ft. research vessel to
explore the fish, bottom-dwelling invertebrates, plankton, physical oceanography and water
quality of the San Francisco Bay Estuary. South Bay Monitoring Program collects data in
open water, mudflat and wetland habitats and tracks status and trends of fish and
invertebrate populations, fluctuations in salinity, O2, temperature and quality of the
water. Outreach: Marine Sciences Mobile Aquarium brings live fish and invertebrates, slide shows and assembly programs to schools. Estuary Expedition (teacher's workshop) and Wetland Exploration (project-based kit) Publication: Waves |
| Natural Resources Defense Council 415-777-0220 71 Stevenson Street #1825 San Francisco, CA 94105 E-mail: nrdcsf@nrdc.org |
Scientists and lawyers working to protect coastal and marine resources and to reduce polluted runoff into coastal waters through advocacy, education and outreach. |
| Oceanic Society 415-441-1106 Fort Mason Center - Bldg. E San Francisco, CA 94123 |
Field research, education and eco-tourism to protect marine environments and mammals. |
| Pacific Coast Federation of
Fishermen's Associations 415-332-5080 P.O. Box 989 Sausalito, CA 94966 E-mail: fish4ifr@aol.com |
Protects river, bay, estuary and ocean water habitats and resources in the course of protecting the livelihood of fishermen. |
| Palo Alto
Baylands Preserve 415-329-2506 Embarcadero Road (end) Palo Alto, CA |
Nature Interpretive Center, bird sanctuary, tours on a 1700 acre nature preserve comprised almost entirely of salt marsh and tidal wetlands, a popular stopover on the Pacific flyway, a route most migratory birds follow when travelling over the Western states. |
| Point Reyes Bird Observatory 415-868-1221 4990 Shoreline Highway Stinson Beach, CA 94970 |
From its permanent field station on Southeast Farallon Island and on
scientific cruises throughout the eastern Pacific, PRBO studies climate/ocean patterns,
marine mammals, predators and seabird population dynamics to allow assessment and modeling
of current and future environmental changes. Research applied to environmental problems
like oil pollution and mitigation, threatened and endangered species, climate change, and
habitat restoration. Quarterly magazine: Observer |
| San Francisco
BayKeeper 415-567-4401 Fort Mason Center - Bldg. A San Francisco, CA 92123 E-mail: sfbaykeep@aol.com |
On-the-water monitoring of San Francisco Bay and Delta tributary region to record changes and stop pollution. |
| San
Francisco Estuary Project 510-286-0460 2101 Webster Street, Suite 500 Oakland, CA 94612 |
Serves as a clearinghouse for information on the Bay-Delta ecosystem,
including such topics as wetlands, wildlife, aquatic resources and land use. They publish educational materials including an annual "Evaluation of Estuary Health and manage the Bay Area EcoAtlas, a Geographic Information System (GIS) used to support local and regional environmental planning and management. Estuary Education Program include teacher workshops, estuary outreach, field sessions and the Estuary Restoration Group. |
| Save Our Shores 408-462-5660 2222 E. Cliff Drive #5A Santa Cruz, CA 95062 E-mail: sos@cruzio.com |
Advocacy, education and action to protect the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Santa Cruz harbor. Slide presentations or beach cleanups for schools. |
| Save San Francisco Bay
Association 510-452-9261 1736 Franklin Street 4th floor Oakland, CA 94612 E-mail: savesfbay@igc.apc.org |
Preservation and restoration of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta Estuary. Shore cleanups and field trips for schools. |
| Shorebird
Sister Schools Program 907-786-3367 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1011 East Tudor Rd. Anchorage, Alaska 99503 E-mail: Heather_Johnson@mail.fws.gov |
Provides bird information about habitat (such as wetlands), ecology, and migration of Arctic nesting shorebirds. Using maps, an international discussion group, and daily migration updates from students all along the route, they track the progress of the shorebirds as they migrate along a route called the Pacific flyway which includes the San Francisco Bay. |
| Sierra
Club Coastal Program 415-665-7008 or 415-977-5500 1556 10th Ave. San Francisco, CA 94122 E-mail: markmassara@sierraclub.org |
Protect and monitor coastal resources by participating in coastal land
use and development, pollution and public beach access issues. Offers lecture materials, slide show, Coast Watcher Network, and search of its web pages. Sierra Club Guide to Coastal Protection. Sierra Club California's Legislative Alert and California EcoWatch |
| Surfrider Foundation 415-665-4155 750 LaPlaya Avenue #620 San Francisco, CA 94121 E-mail: claynaomired@earthlink.net |
Monthly beach cleanups, monitoring of water quality at Baker Beach, China Beach and Ocean Beach. |
| Tarlton Institute for Marine Education 415-623-5370 50 Francisco St. #103 San Francisco, CA 94133 |
Outreach programs (UnderWater World at Pier 39, Project Ocean, the
Whale Bus and Sea Camp) for school groups about ocean ecology, freshwater environments and
adjacent coastal, estuarine and riparian habitats. Library of books, videos and curriculum guides on various habitats can be checked-out by educators. |
| Water Environment Studies Program (WESP) 510-682-8000, ext. 4108 Mt. Diablo Unified School District 1936 Carlotta Drive Concord, CA 94519 |
Boat trips (3 hrs. 15 min.) of up to 34 students (gr 5 up) on the
Eastern Suisun Bay. Seven stations on the boat cover plankton, oxygen, carbon dioxide, pH,
conductivity, temperature, Petersen grade, chloride, navigation, fish trawl. Videotapes and Crago Curriculum Guide available |
| YMCA Point Bonita Outdoor Conference Center 415-331-9622 Building 981, Fort Barry GGNRA Sausalito, CA 94965 |
Half-day outings to five-day residential stays designed by Naturalist
staff on Marine Headlands' ocean beaches, rocky tidepools, fresh-water pond and brackish
lagoon, and Marine Mammal Center. Discovery on the Continent's Edge; A Resource and Curriculum Guide to the Marin Headlands |
Books and Pamphlets (on-site
use for educators)
* = Coyote Pt. Museum
+ = Nueva Library
$ = suitable for young children
Bakker, Elna. An Island Called California; An Ecological Introduction to its Natural Communities. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1984.+
Baylands Information Sheets. City of Palo Alto: Department of Community Services - Nature and Science, 1975.
Brown-Babcock, Maria. Save Our Seas: San Francisco, CA: Center for Marine Conservation and California Costal Commission, 1993.*
California Coastal Commission. California Coastal Resource Guide. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1987.+
Cantu, Rita. Discovery on the Continent's Edge: A Resource and Curriculum Guide to the Marine Headlands. Sausalito, CA: YMCA Point Bonita Outdoor Center, Building 981, Fort Barry GGNRA, Sausalito, CA 94965, 1986. +
Cohen, Andrew Neal. An Introduction to the Ecology of the San Francisco Estuary. 2nd edn. Oakland, CA: San Francisco Estuary Project, 1991.*
Cone, Molly. Squishy, Misty, Damp & Muddy; The In-Between World of Wetlands. Sierra Club Books for Children, 1996. +$
Conradson, Diane R. Exploring Our Baylands. Fremont, CA: San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society, P.O. Box 524, Newark, CA 94560-0524, 1996.*+
Critical Issues/Critical Thinking Series Experiences for Youth: Wetlands. Leader's guide and poster. Chevy Chase, MD: National 4-H Council, 1995.+
Dawson, E. Yale. Seashore Plants of Northern California. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1966.+
Dewey, Jennifer Owings. Mud Matters. Marshall Cavendish, 1998.
Dunphy, Madeline. Here is the Wetland. NY: Hyperion, 1996. +$
Hedgpeth, Joel W. Introduction to Seashore Life of the San Francisco Bay Region and the Coast of Northern California. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1962.+
Hirschi, Ron. Save Our Wetlands. New York, NY: Delacorte Press, 1994.+
Keep, Josiah. West Coast Shells. Stanford, CA. Stanford University Press, 1935.
Light, S.F., et.al. Intertidal Invertebrates of the Central California Coast. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1954.
Linder, Sandy. Wild California. San Francisco, CA: California Academy of Sciences, 1989.*
Luenn, Nancy. Squish! A Wetland Walk. New York, NY: Atheneum, 1994.+$
Marine and Coastal Educational Resources Directory: San Francisco & Monterey Bay Areas. San Francisco, CA: National Marine Sanctuaries & California Coastal Commission, 1996.*+
McCormick, Anita Louise. Vanishing Wetlands. San Diego, CA: Lucent Books, Inc., 1995.
National Wildlife Federation: Wading Into Wetlands; Ranger Rick's NatureScope. NY: Learning Triangle Press/McGraw Hill, 1997. +*
Niering, William A. The Life of the Marsh; The North American Wetlands. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1966.+
Orr, Robert T. Marine Mammals of California. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1972.+
Pringle, Laurence. Estuaries; Where Rivers Meet the Sea. New York, NY: Macmillan Company, 1973.+
Rezendes, Paul and Paulette Roy. Wetlands; The Web of Life. Burlington, VT: Sierra Club Books, 1996.+
Ricketts, Edward F. and Jack Calvin. Between Pacific Tides. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1968.
Russo, Ron and Pam Olhausen. Pacific Intertidal Life. Berkeley, CA: Nature Study Guild, 1981.
Rutherford, Amy, ed. "What the San Francisco Bay Means to Me..." Poetry and Writings by Children of the San Francisco Bay Area. Redwood City, CA: Marine Science Institute, 1995. +
Ryack-Bell, Sandra. Coastal Issues: Activities for the Classroom. North Dartmouth, MA: Watermarks, 1995.
San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Salt Marsh Manual: An Educator's Guide. Newark, CA: Environmental Education Workshops, 1992.*
San Francisco Estuary Project. Estuarywise: 100 Tips on How You Can Prevent Pollution of Our Bays & Delta. Oakland, CA: Friends of the San Francisco Estuary, P.O. Box 791, Oakland, CA 94612, 1992.*+
Schmitt, Waldo L. Crustaceans. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press, 1965.
Schoenherr, Allan A. A Natural History of California. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1992.+
Shinkle, Jill. Wetland Protectors: Guarding Our Wild and Watery Lands. Santa Barbara, CA: California Aquatic Science Education Consortium.*
Slattery, Britt Eckhardt. WOW! The Wonders of Wetlands. St. Micheal's, MD: Environmental Concerns, Inc., 1995.*
Smith, Howard G. Tracking the Unearthly Creatures of Marsh and Pond. New York, NY: Abingdon Press, 1972.+
Stone, Lynn M. Marshes and Swamps. Chicago, IL: Childrens Press, 1983.+$
Williams J.C and H. C. Monroe. A Field Guide to the Natural History of the San Francisco Peninsula. Berkeley, CA: McCutchan Publishing Corp., 1967.+
Zim, Herbert S. and Lester Ingle. Seashores: A Guide to Animals and Plants Along the Beaches. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1955.+
Debbie Abilock 1996-2004
Kathryn Tsushima
December 15, 1996, rev. 9/9/97