California Naturalist Certification 2022: Catalina Island Conservancy

 

2022 Naturalist Capstone Project: "Amending state law in The Environmental License Plate Fund to include the Catalina Island Conservancy and in creating the Catalina Island Special Environmental License Plate"

  UC California Naturalist Program (CalNat)
2022 Catalina California Naturalist

Presented on Tuesday, April 27, 2022

Capstone Project Title:

 "Amending state law in The Environmental License Plate Fund  to include the Catalina Island Conservancy and in creating the Catalina Island Special Environmental License Plate"

Thank you Hillary Holt, Instructor

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): Blue Cavern Onshore State Marine Conservation Area (No-take SMCA) Santa Catalina Island (Pimu)

Friday, April 8, 2022, 10:00 am; Moon phase: Waxing Crescent 43% illuminated; Low Tide

 Description:

The Blue Cavern Onshore State Marine Conservation Area (herein referred to as Blue Cavern Onshore) size is about 2.61 square miles and spans the shoreline by about 2.2 miles with depths from 0 to 892 feet. The habitat composition is 2.50 miles of sand/mud; 0.09 square miles of rock; and 0.02 miles of other.

 

Protected Area:

The Blue Cavern Onshore SMCA goal is to protect the sandy seafloor, surf grass, kelp forest, caverns, marine life, and the rocky reef habitat near shore There is No-fishing and No-collecting with anchoring restrictions.

 

On Friday, April 8, 2022, at about 10:00 am, I made field observation from

Blue Cavern Onshore by hiking 2 miles from Two Harbors along the access road down to the beach access onto Fisherman’s Cove adjacent to Wrigley Marine Science Center.

Adjacent to a helipad are two concrete benches and a sign describing the MPA titled “Conserving California’s Coastal Treasures”.  The sign describes California’s leads the nation in MPAs and displays the boundaries of the Blue Cavern Onshore and Offshore SMCAs.

 

Upon entering the launch/boat ramp down to shore, it is easy to notice the large boulders of blue schist rock by its color: blue.  The rock was formed when cold ocean crust was forced (subducted) into the earth’s interior, where high pressure transformed it into a new metamorphic rock.  Other metamorphic rock is scattered along the shore of the beach.

 

Entering into the water plant life starts immediately. Various small turf like miniature of about 1/8-1/4-inch-high bushy shrubs carpeted the bottom in shades of brown and green. As I ventured deeper the plants become bigger and contained fern like stalks that whisked with the ocean current.

 

Fish life was abundant with garibaldi, opal eye, male sheepshead, calico bass, kelp bass, anchovy and others. Unlike fishing areas these fish were calm and free moving. Usually, calico bass are the fastest and skittish fish I’ve interacted with in the ocean.  They were calm and swam with me observing without fear.  Do fish know that they are in a No-take SMCA?  These did.

[fish]

 

The most beautiful sight was that of the yellow-brown Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) growing to the ocean surface ranging from 7 feet to 12 feet tall. The stalks/stipes were thick with an abundant amount of fully grown healthy blades. The kelp provided a protective habitat for various fish with many emerging from among the density of the kelp blades to take a gander on what is a big slow swimming human.  Among them was a large male sheepshead with dark/black find and red center. 

[Giant Kelp]

 

Among the seafloor plants is a purple fern like plant standing at about 8 inches high waving in the ocean current. Brilliantly purple.  At this moment a juvenile garibaldi emerges from behind the sea fern dazzling with its brilliant blue/purple spot against its orange/blue body. Amazing!

[Purple Fern]

 

It is obvious that this MPA has maintained and protected marine life especially compared to Two Harbors shoreline.  Two Harbors shoreline is void of this great diversity of plant and animal life where boats frequently anchor and dump their waste discharge.  Fish fight for their lives and survival is much tougher in Two Harbors than the rich protected ocean environment of the Blue Cavern Onshore State Marine Conservation Area. Spectacular Beauty!

[ I need to work on identifying ocean plants, as my two Audubon California Guides are lacking]

Tongva Cultural Site Field Experience: Mainland Tongva Cultural Location: Santa Fe Springs Heritage Park - Tongva Exhibit

#2 - Tongva Cultural Site Field Experience

Mainland Tongva Cultural Location: Santa Fe Springs Heritage Park - Tongva Exhibit

04/02/22 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm [Weather: Overcast; 67F
12100 Mora Drive, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 (2.1 miles from my house)



Heritage Park - Tongva Exhibit is home to one of California's largest traditional Pow Wow held annually in the first week of November in its twenty-third year. I've attended the last twenty years as an active participant and know the park well.

The Exhibit is a reproduction of what a village may have looked like as their were Tongva villages nearby. The village here named " Chokiishingva" Chokiish for short would have been a village located in the nearby hot springs of now the City of Santa Fe Springs adjacent to the now named San Gabriel River would have bene an ideal location.


Upon entering the entrance to the village guest are greeted by a large willow tree with a thick trunk that splits into two at about five feet braching out to thick branches and various subbranches. The branches then branch out to small branches and long green leaves about half an inch long and 1/4 inch wide. The smaller branches and leaves whisper and wave in the light breeze as a gentle and kind welcome to visitors. Behind the willow tree is a stream winding its way down toward the village giving off a tranquil sound of streaming water going over rocks and crevices delighting the listener.

Waling along a concrete path about ten feet past the willow is the entrance to the village winding its way down gradually about five feet. The view opens up to the village with a circle of tree stumps that make up the ceremonial dance area called a "Harochot" with an entrance and an exit covered at the circle edges with fragrant trees waving in the breeze, again welcoming its guest. One can imagine this circle being used daily for ceremonial dances where the elders teach the young and with joyful passing of stories occurring. To the right of the circle is the large living quarters of a hut called a " Kiche" covered by locally gathered reeds. The kiche stands about ten feet tall and oval shape with enough room to house over twenty people with room. The reed roof keeps the inside cool and aerated.

Beyond the circle harochot and behind the kiche stands a made and ready ta'itreed boat used in rivers with the redwood version used for seafaring to Pimu (Catalina Island). Also present is a "sehiech" sweat lodge and "kwar kiche" storage granary for acorns all covered in local river reeds.

I have had the pleasure to be here during a Native American pow wow that fills this village with spirit. One can hear the ancestors welcoming guest with good felling and fellowship. I take off my shoes to ground myself with mother earth for the first time in the village. However, the ground is more of a replica than actual native ground as it is course with sharp tiny stones so i put my shoes back on but the thought was good. I sit on top of a two terrace amphitheater structure that curves it way in the corner of the village giving its visitors a good overview of the village. With the trees whispering in the wind, birds chirping in joy, and the squirrel looking for an easy handout, it easy to imagine what life was like before the arrival of the Europeans. A time where humans, animals and plants were in harmony and balanced. As a life long camper and naturalist, I yearn for the days of old where daily life was spent on food, sustenance and fulfilling basic needs. The City of Santa Fe Springs has paid great respect to first nation people by this exhibit, many do the contrary. I also reflect on the duality of my heritage, Native American Apache (Arizona) and Spanish who arrive here in 1769. More specifically, my two ancestors, Antonio and Andres Cota father and son team of Spanish soldiers who escorted Father Sierra, Father Crespo and members of the Portola Expedition where in Father Crespo's journal made a notation of having arrive at the foot of the now San Gabriel River about two miles where I stand. I thank my native grandfather for mentoring me and instilling the values and virtues of being Native without which I would have not, perhaps, have had a deep appreciation for all Natives, especially the Tongva today.

Gary Mendez, CA Naturalist

Journal Entry