Friends of Mission Bay Marshes will hold its second organizational meeting at 10 a.m. on March 20. Volunteers will gather at the research trailer at Kendall Frost Marsh, located at Crown Point and Pacific Beach drives. “The goals of the group are to promote preservation, education, information and community involvement,” said Jennifer Schubert, community outreach liaison. “It’s important to involve the local community, as they are the ones who most directly feel the impact of the marsh and see its beauty each day.” Schubert, also a graduating senior in environmental systems at the University of California, San Diego, said she was impressed with the turnout at the first meeting in February and hopes to see even higher attendance at this month’s meeting. “We’re going to establish roles in the group and discuss the mission statement and constitution that is being drafted,” she said. “Currently, someone is designing a logo. This is a great opportunity to get involved in the ground floor of a grassroots organization.” The marsh supports a wide variety of life, including flowering plants, invertebrates and birds that include loons, grebes, pelicans, egrets, herons, hawks, swans, geese, ducks, flycatchers, plovers, sandpipers, owls, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, orioles, mockingbirds – even parrots. Schubert said the marsh — used by research scientists to study the ecology, botany and chemistry — deserves protection. “As urbanization occurs, runoff increases,” she said. “The marsh can’t cope with the added stress. In addition, a lease with Campland is coming up in a few years. As more people gain awareness, they can reach out and educate each other.”?For more information, e-mail Schubert at [email protected].
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