Orange County Coastkeeper

Education- The Organization interacts with thousands of students and citizens at schools and public outreach events to raise regional awareness about watersheds and marine issues. Currently, in more than 40 schools, the Organization promotes stewardship and environmental careers through its Whales program, which provides in-class and field experience to junior high school and high school students each year.

Advocacy- The Organization collaborates on various projects and advocates for stricter storm water and runoff regulations at regulatory agencies and commissions, as well as state, county, and local governments. The Organization promotes collaborative solutions to enhance coastal protection, including ensure public access to coastal resources, and healthy marine habitats.

Special Projects - The Inland Empire Waterkeeper is a separately licensed waterkeeper program through the Waterkeeper Alliance and is a program of Orange County Coastkeeper. This program covers San Bernardino and North Riverside County and includes most of the Mojave Desert east to the Colorado River. OCCK maintains an office for this program in the City of Riverside. The Coachella Waterkeeper is a separately licensed waterkeeper program through the Waterkeeper Alliance and is a program of Orange County Coastkeeper. This program covers Coachella Valley and South Riverside County.

Research- The Organization conducts numerous monitoring of activities such as its Marine Protected Area (MPA), Santa Ana River Mouth (SAR), Aliso Creek Berm, and collects water samples throughout the region. The data is collected and reports are prepared to assist in public policy decisions. Special Projects include programs to engage residents of the region on specific issues in collaboration with the State. The Organization conducts campaigns to support or oppose specific proposed development projects, permits, utilities, actions that impact coastal or inland waterways.

Restoration- The Organization has restored local marine habitats. In the near shore water, giant Kelp was brought back from Newport Beach to Dana Point. In Upper Newport Harbor and Alamitos Bay eelgrass was planted and it thrives to now, four acres. Next to the eelgrass beds, we installed substrates to restore Olympia Oysters. Restoring eelgrass next to Oysters is part of the California Living Shoreline program and is proving a natural buffer against sediment erosion in sea level rise.