I woke up Saturday morning ready for some sort of adventure, although one which did not require a tremendous amount of exertion. My final quarter at UCSB is winding down, and I was in need of some outdoor activity to get me out of the library.
After spending the last four years living in Santa Barbara — and no more then half a mile from the Coal Oil Point Nature Reserve — it occurred to me that I really knew nothing about it. So I signed up and headed out on one of the monthly guided tours around the Lagoon and along the beach.
Despite overcast conditions, a group of about 20 people amassed in front of the Reserve building at Coal Oil Point, more affectionately known as Devereux. Our fearless leader for the next two hours was to be Theresa Russ, an English department grad student.
The reserve was created in 1970, and has since functioned as a research site for UCSB and the University of California Natural Reserve Service. Despite such an official sounding title, the area is virtually wide open for public use and exploration.
Since this winter was one with relatively low rainfall, much of the water in the slough had already drained out, and there were not too many birds around. Yet we were able to see some Blue Herons and of course the infamous Snowy Plover. The slough plays host to many migratory birds as well as the endangered Tidewater Goby.
I am sure many of you have explored the area once or twice in the past, but if you are anything like me, you had no idea about all the hard work that has gone into restoring the habitat to its pre-European condition, as well as past history. The reserve offers trails for the public’s enjoyment, as well as once monthly organized tours and self-guided walks. The tours are about three miles in length and last just over two hours.
The tours are given the first Saturday of the month, and are free (although there is a suggested donation of $5 to the Reserve) and it is possible to set up a special tour for a group (Scouts, a Class, etc). More information on exact dates and times can be found here.
