The latest installment of Wander the Wetlands on Sept. 14, a bi-monthly free outdoor “open house” for the public to explore Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve, will be both bilingual and educational.

Held every second and fourth Saturday, the Sept. 14 event will be from 9-11 a.m. at Kendall-Frost Marsh Field Station, 2055 Pacific Beach Drive. Wander this time around is part of Latino Conservation Week, with events held countywide from Sept. 14-22.

Nature lovers, bird enthusiasts, and everyone interested in learning more about the wetlands habitat existing in San Diego are welcome. Learn about bird species like Ridgway’s Rails, and discover the natural history and restoration progress in Mission Bay. Take in the extraordinary sights found only in protected habitats like this one.

Throughout the event, visitors can meet a wetlands docent at a birding station and learn more about some local bird species. So borrow some binoculars, and get a closer look at what inhabits the marsh.

You can expect to hear from Dr. Drew Tally of USD, who is leading an engaging talk about the fundulus fish, research he’s conducted in the marsh.

Also meet Lesly Gallegos-Stearns, volunteer and outreach manager for San Diego Coastkeeper, an environmental group balancing advocacy, community outreach, education, and science to promote stewardship of clean water and a healthy coastal ecosystem. Researchers will do a deep dive during the event into Mission Bay water-quality monitoring.

There will also be guided mini-nature walks, where visitors are encouraged to contribute to community science by using iNaturalist to document native wildlife and plants. At any point throughout the event, make sure to stop by I Love a Clean San Diego’s booth to learn about watershed protection and stormwater pollution.

“This project is a partnership between the UCSD Natural Reserve System and the San Diego Bird Alliance,” said Cassandra Gonzalez, volunteer coordinator and program leader. She noted Wander the Wetlands “is a docent-facilitated volunteer program that combines experiential learning, positive impact, and being outdoors. This program engages people with wetlands by building knowledge about how valuable wetlands are, as well as a deeper understanding of them. We strive to create a community that welcomes people of all backgrounds and knowledge levels while giving visitors a chance to be connected to Kendall-Frost Marsh and inspired to want to protect it and other natural areas.”

KENDALL-FROST MISSION BAY MARSH RESERVE

Kendall-Frost is part of a 20-acre University of California Natural Reserve System on the northern shore of Mission Bay. It occupies 16 acres of the 40 total acres of wetland habitat that includes the adjacent Northern Wildlife Preserve owned by the City of San Diego.

Administered by UC San Diego, the site is owned by the University of California and managed for teaching and research. In 1952, Lena Kendall and the A.H. Frost estate donated two parcels of the upper marsh to the University of California. In 1965, the site became one of the first seven reserves in the newly established Natural Lands and Water Reserve System, now known as the University of California Natural Reserve System.

The reserve ranges from high marsh to submerged shoreline and includes coastal salt marsh, mudflats, tidal channels, and salt flats. Subtidal habitats feature eelgrass beds that shelter juvenile fish and invertebrates. As one of the few remaining wetlands in San Diego, the reserve attracts many bird species, including some that are rare. The marsh is used by students and scientists to study salt marsh ecology and practice field research techniques. Restoration efforts, such as a project to rid the marsh of invasive species, have helped to improve the functioning of the habitat and improve conditions for native species.