Friends of the Dunes

From pinnipeds to plovers, from lace lichens to the fascinating ethnobotany of our dune flora, the natural and cultural history of our coast holds a world of wonder. Plan to explore it with us in our new Naturalist Notes Webinar Series! Join six dynamic experts as they share stories of the captivating creatures, plants, and people of California’s Northcoast dunes. The Naturalist Notes Series will take place six Wednesday evenings 7 pm to 8 pm, April 21st to May 26th. We are a...sking for a suggested donation of $10 per webinar, or $45 for the entire series. If you are a current Friends of the Dunes member or volunteer you will receive an additional 20% off. Proceeds will fund scholarships for our fall Coastal Naturalist Training. Visit our website for a full description of our webinar talks. https://www.friendsofthedunes.org/naturalistnotes

Enter the magical and mythical world of our dune lichens with Loriel Caverly, Certified California Naturalist, Botanist, and Lichen Enthusiast this Wednesday, May 5th, from 7-8 pm. Whether you are a long-time admirer of lichens or are just learning about these fascinating and beautiful composite organisms, we think you’ll take a liking to this webinar. Click the link below to learn more about our Naturalist Notes Webinar Series. Each week we will be exploring exciting new ...topics on the wonders of our California Coast. https://www.friendsofthedunes.org/naturalistnotes Worried you can't make it to the live events? Webinars will be recorded and the videos will be shared with registered participants to watch at their convenience. : Loriel Caverly #Friendsofthedunes #naturalistnotes #webinarseries #naturalist #lichens #dunes #humboldtcounty #californiacoast

Our Naturalist Notes Webinar Series continues! This week, join Adam Canter and learn about Ethnobotany of Humboldt’s Coastal Environments on Wednesday at 7 pm. The Humboldt Bay, or Wigi (pronounced wee-gee), sits at the heart of Wiyot Country, and the coastal environments surrounding Humboldt Bay support an abundance of plants that have been used for food, medicine, ceremonies, basketry, and building materials since time immemorial. Ethnobotany is the study of the tradit...ional knowledge and uses of plants, and it’s a field that Adam Canter has been studying for 7 years as a Botanist with the Wiyot Tribe. Adam has worked as a biologist on the north coast for 16 years, including as a botanist at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, making him the perfect guide for a botanical journey into the culturally significant plants of the Humboldt Bay area and stories of how the Wiyot Tribe is helping conserve these native species. Learn more about our Naturalist Notes Series and how to join by clicking the link below! Don’t miss out! Friendsofthedunes.org/naturalistnotes : Brodiaea coronaria by Walter Seignund #ethnobotany #wigi #humboldtbay #humboldtcoast #naturalistnotes #nature #webinarseries

An ode to the Earth. #earthday #yellowsandverbena #humboldtcounty #dunes #friendsofthedunes #everydayisearthday

THE MAN THE MYTH THE LEGEND The oldest western snowy plover in recorded history will be turning 20 years old this year!!! That’s right! TWENTY!! Most snowy plovers don’t live past their first year. Learn all about this old man and his incredible plover journey with Ornithologist Mark Colwell, PhD, this Wednesday at 7 pm. ... Click the link below to learn more about our Naturalist Notes Webinars. Bummed you can’t afford the series? Don’t worry, Friends of the Dunes has some freebees to donate. Contact us for more information. : Luke Eberhart-Phillips https://www.friendsofthedunes.org/naturalistnotes #snowyplover #plover #naturalistnotes #nature #webinarseries #friendsofthedunes #humboldtcounty #shorebirds

We are excited and grateful to announce that for the entire month of April, you can donate your change to support Friends of the Dunes through the Seeds for Change Program! Every time you make a purchase at the North Coast Co-op make sure you ask your cashier to round up to the nearest dollar. Every penny raised will go directly into providing coastal environmental education and stewardship programs for the community. #friendsofthedunes #northcoastcoop #seedsforchange #nonprofit #humboldt #coastaldunes

Here’s a friendly FOD reminder to complete your taxes! Play a part in protecting California’s coastal and ocean habitats while doing your taxes. Donate on your CA tax form to the Protect Our Coast & Oceans fund. Friends of the Dunes is thankful to receive grants from this fund in order to support our annual Kids Ocean Day event and our Coastal Stewards Program. To learn more visit the link in our bio: checkthecoast.org... #ProtectOurCoastandOcean #CaliforniaCoast #restoration #friendsofthedunes

Announcing our New Year’s Gift Shop Sale. Get 25% off of Friends of the Dunes frog hats and ALL pelican apparel. This sale will end at the end of this month. Use the code DuneCritters at checkout. Click on the link below. Don’t miss out! https://friendsofthedunes.square.site/shop/apparel/10 _________... Do you see that little critter crawling in the left corner of the mural? If you guessed a ten-lined June beetle on our last post then you were correct!

Can you guess who I am I will give you a couple hints: 1. The first picture is of my belly 2. The second picture is of my top ... 3. I am native to the dunes 4. If I’m a male, I wear two feathers on my head 5. Summer is my favorite season ______________ These pictures were taken using a dissecting microscope. Nobody was harmed in the process! The answer will be featured in our next post. Stay tuned! #guesswho #friendsofthedunes #getoutside #bugsarecool #dissectingmicroscope #humboldtcounty #coastaldunes

Hoppy New Year!! This Pacific Chorus Frog (Pseudacris regilla) was found relaxing underneath a willow tree while our restoration manager removed invasive Pampas grass from our dunes. _____________________________... This little guy is thankful for a restored habitat and is ready to leap into 2021! : @danteadrift #friendsofthedunes #GetOutside #restoration #pacificchorusfrog #frogsarecool #amphibians #coastaldunes #humboldtcounty

We wish you a joyful Winter Solstice to all of you who proudly call yourselves Friends of the Dunes - thank you for celebrating the growing light in the sky, and for believing in tomorrow with us.

Another round of King Tides is upon us! King tides are the highest tides and can only be observed a few times of the year, so go and check them out! Participate in the California King Tides Project by simply taking a picture of the tide at its highest point around Humboldt County’s coast. This data helps climate scientists forecast the potential impacts of sea-level rise. To learn more, click on the link below! california.kingtides.net Please remember to be extra cautious during high tides! Never turn your back on the ocean, listen to your local advisory reports, and stay mindful of resting shorebirds on the beach.

We are so delighted to share with you a creative project sponsored by our partner, the Trinidad Coastal Land Trust a zine about the wonders of the Humboldt Coast! This zine initially started as a student’s Each One Teach One project for the Coastal Naturalist Training. Aspiring artist, naturalist, and program participant Karla Jovel was inspired to produce a zine with the knowledge she gained from her training. The work is a snapshot of the treasures you'll find along t...he Humboldt Coast, highlighting native plants, dune ecology, intertidal zonation, wildlife and more! Purchase a copy! Link below https://www.trinidadcoastallandtrust.org/make-a-purchase.ht 100% of the proceeds will go towards supporting the coastal education programs of the TCLT and artist Karla Jovel.