Bahía Wetlands Field Trip

By: Sloane Aboukhater and Audrey Harris

The seventh grade is going on a field trip to Bahía Wetlands to work with STRAW (Students, Teachers, Restoring a Watershed).
They will be planting native plants to create a vegetated transition zone habitat next to tidal marsh along the Petaluma River. This vegetated upland will greatly enhance the habitat values of the existing marsh and ensure a complete habitat by providing cover for endangered birds: Ridgway Rail and threatened Black Rail. In the last 150 years, about 90% of San Francisco Bay’s tidal wetlands have been lost or seriously degraded. The good news is since the 1970s, more than 50 tidal restoration projects have been completed around the Bay. We need to continue this work because healthy functioning tidal wetlands are very important.

Why do we need to restore this land?

• Diking and draining of wetlands for crops
• The land has sunk
• Tidal flow can’t happen the way it should
• People have filled wetlands for development
• Lots of habitat for native animals and plants lost

 What You Should Bring:

• A well-fed, well-rested body 🙂
• Old, close-toed, sturdy shoes (no sandals!)
• Socks (keep off ticks)
• Long pants (no shorts!)
• Layers
• A hat and sunscreen
• A bag lunch
• A full water bottle
• A backpack to keep lunch, layers, and water bottle in