Patagonia tabling errr table-ing

Last Sunday presented a decent turnout for the SF chapter to rake in the buckaroos. People were stoked on what we're doing currently so the hope is to win the event and hopefully further some of our initiatives this year. I think I may have even found a couple new recruits for the education group this year. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Thanks goes out to Patagonia for making the magic happen. I heart you guys.

Check out this video which was shot on Friday morning, 3/18.  A local resident caught on film a waterspout, a tornado that touches down on water, right off ocean beach.  Meteorologists estimated it's winds at 100 mph.  The waterspout did not last very long, but provided an exciting morning for residents who witnessed it.

Sharp Park Event on 3.31

While organically produced pro-democracy revolutions are sprouting up across Northern Africa and other parts of the Arab world and California is being eradiated by the nuclear reactor meltdown from the terrible events in Japan, there is a great opportunity to see the positive momentum happening with Sharp Park on March 31st!

Brent Plater who spearheads the Wild Equity Institute, has done a tremendous job with this cause. I hope it's a catalyst for the way this country views erosion control and mitigation. As someone who has seen erosion management mishandled time and again, this looks to be like a step in the right direction. So if you want the  inside info on the progress of this effort and have some free time, ch-check it out:

March 31, 2011, 6:30PM Pacifica Library

Photo Credit: Bob Pilgrim

Independent scientists and engineers with unparalleled expertise in Bay Area coastal and

aquatic ecology, hydrology, coastal engineering and ecosystem restoration have prepared a

conceptual plan for the future of Sharp Park.

On

Discussion will include several key points:

March 31st, the authors will present their findings and field questions in a community forum.



Beach preservation – How do we save the beach at Sharp Park?



Flood Control – How do we best protect our communities from flooding?



Sea level rise – How will sea level rise affect Sharp Park?



species?

Species Protection – What is the best way to coexist with the park’s endangered



History – What was Laguna Salada like prior to development?



Cost – What will it cost?

The authors of the report, Pacifica resident

ecologist and former Pacifica resident

present the findings of their year long investigation.

Bob Battalio of the environmental consulting firm ESA PWA, coastalDr. Peter Baye, and Santa Cruz coastal herpetologist Dawn Reis, will

If Sharp Park matters to you, get the facts, separate science from speculation, and share in the

discussion as a community member to help build a better future for the park and Pacifica!

Where: Pacifica Public Library, 104 Hilton Way, Pacifica, CA, 94044

When: 6:30 PM, Thursday, March 31

st, 2011

For more information call us at 415-349-5787 or email at info@wildequity.org

The Future of Sharp Park

Learn About SF Surfrider Local Programs plus Volunteer Opps!

San Francisco Surfrider Foundation has several local programs and we are actively seeking new volunteers for a big push in 2011! Our opportunties cover the whole spectrum from beach cleanups to tabling at live music events, to conducting classroom presentations and beyond! To learn more about ways you can get involved and have fun visit our homepage and see local programs at: http://sfsurfrider.org/programs/index.htm

SPUR Hosts Lunchtime Forum On Sharp Park Thursday March 17th

The San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) will host a educational event this Thursday @ the following place and time:

Time 12:30
Location: 654 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105


This is a great opportunity to learn about the environmental issues surrounding Sharp Park!
DETAILS: http://www.spur.org/events/calendar/future-sharp-park

An Awesome opportunity for student artists to submit original work in the timely theme of TRASH IN OUT OCEANS.  Grade school through college students are encouraged to participate.  Visit http://www.epa.gov/region9/artcontest/ for more details.

World Water Day is March 22nd!

Did you know... Every eight months, 10.9 million gallons of oil runs off streets and driveways and into our nation's waters – equivalent to the amount lost in the Exxon Valdez spill. Each year, approximately 18,000 beaches are closed or posted as unhealthy due to bacterial contamination and/or sewage spills. On March 22nd, join the Surfrider Foundation in celebrating World Water Day. Founded in 1993 by the United Nations, this global observance highlights the need for the care and management of the world’s water resources. This year’s theme, “Urban Water Usage” highlights the ongoing challenges we face as urban populations continue to grow. The San Francisco urban environment faces its own challenges when it comes to water usage and cleanliness. A recent debate has come up about low flow toilets and the effects they are having on our local water quality. A very controversial proposal would have the city dump bleach into our water supply, something that environmental groups and citizens are greatly concerned about! To learn more see an article by SF Chronicle writers Matier & Ross here. To learn more about the Surfrider Foundation's activations for World Water Day, visit Surfrider's World Water Day Website.

Environmental Groups Unite in Effort to Restore Sharp Park Habitat

Most people may never have seen the California Red-Legged Frog, but it's an amphibian at the center of a growing battle over the land at Sharp Park golf course in Pacifica. San Francisco Surfrider Foundation has teamed up with the Center for Biological Diversity, the Sierra Club, the National Parks Conservation Association, and several other groups to advocate restoration of this endangered species' natural landscape.

READ MORE: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/02/BAN61I2L3L.DTL#ixzz1GJE0S3qT

Welcome to the New Blog!!!!!

San Francisco Surfrider's Education Committee is proud to launch our new blog!  Be ready for all sorts of updates, information, program details, and anything else we may choose to post on this informative blog.  We hope to get the attention of schools, educators, students, politicians, activists, and anybody else who believes education is an integral part of protecting our oceans, beaches, watersheds, and waves.  Enjoy!