Certified Amigos Volunteer Naturalists teach students and adults about the history, ecology, birds and all the other amazing facts of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. The Amigos de Bolsa Chica offers a variety of opportunities for our Naturalists to teach people of all ages about the wonders of the Bolsa Chica. Registration closes Monday, January 12, 2026.

Help keep the waters of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve clean! Join us on the last Sundays of the month - November 2025 through March 2026, 9:00-10:30 AM - to clean up trash, plastics especially, from the area around the south parking lot and footbridge.  Tools, gloves and buckets will be provided. Please stay on trails - no walking off trail.

Registration is OPEN and REQUIRED by the CA Department of Fish & Wildlife Nest site habitat restoration projects take place the third Saturdays of the month 8:15-11:30 AM. Nest site habitat restoration involves removal of invasive and overgrown plants in areas of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve that are off limits to the public.

In this issue:
Naturalist Training Begins January 15, 2026
Thank You to 2025’s Volunteers and Program Participants
SAVE THE DATE: October 17, 2026 - The Amigos de Bolsa Chica’s 50th Anniversary Celebration
Running is for the Birds Earth Day Celebration 2026
Monthly Wetland Trash Cleanups Resurrected
SAVE THE DATE: January 21, 2026, 6 PM - Educational Meeting with Reserve Manager, Melissa Borde
Plastic Pollution - How Microplastics are Formed
Fall Outreach Event Recap
Pacific Green Turtles Affected by Plastic Pollution
Mel Nutter’s Last “President’s Tern” Column
Hawes Elementary Wetland Tour

For the first time in over a decade, the Amigos de Bolsa Chica, with a generous grant from the Rose Foundation, conducted a trash removal project in the full tidal basin. Watch the documentary to see the results.

Reserve Watch was designed to increase the awareness of the many facets of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve with an emphasis on the importance of the Reserve’s rules and regulations. BCER has a rich history and huge ecological significance, and the regulations protect the wetlands so that we can all enjoy them. Our skilled volunteers help to convey this message to the surrounding community, while also being a resource for visitors looking to enhance their experience.