OUR WORK: PROGRAMS, PROJECTS & EVENTS
HABITAT MONITORING
OC Habitats offers a variety of activities and events (in-person and virtual) to connect with our community and protect our environment. Habitat monitoring, education and outreach, and restoration are the focus of our team efforts.
COASTAL DUNE HABITAT SURVEY
Where it all began. OCH trains all monitors to be able to correctly identify all shorebirds on the Orange County Coast. Once trained, our monitors survey over 20 segments of beach each month and share their data with local agencies and nonprofits. Using the combined data of OCH and others, those organizations then work to ensure the protections of these habitats and species.
TERN PERSERVE
The Tern Preserve Program is hosted by California State Parks and located at Huntington State Beach near the Santa Ana River outlet. OCH has partnered with State Parks to help monitor and survey the California Least Terns and Western Snowy Plovers during their breeding season, from April to August. State Parks and OCH provides training to all volunteers. Some of the benefits of the Program is that monitors get to enjoy a beautiful beach and also get a free State Parking pass for the remainder of the year!
EONS
Eyes on the Nest Site (EONS) program hosted by Bolsa Chica Conservancy (BCC). OCH has partnered with this nonprofit to help with the data collection that supports the continued protection of California Least Terns and Western Snowy Plovers (both federally listed species). This is a short term project each year that runs from April through August, the tern and plover breeding season. BCC and OCH train all volunteers to help survey and monitor the EONS site on the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
HABITAT EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Our Habitat Educator Team will come to your school or a nearby natural environment (local park, beach, etc) to teach about the local habitat and use curriculum based information to support in-class standards. We offer programs from kindergarten through high school! Click below to learn more and reserve your Habitat Program Today.
HABITAT TOURS AND CLEANUPS
We offer habitat tours for schools, corporations, and small groups. We meet at a specified habitat location, discuss all the aspects of that environment, and do a clean-up as we explore.
HOMESCHOOL PROGRAMS
OCH provides hands-on experiential learning to homeschool students and groups. Our programs include all habitat types within Orange County and topics can vary from vernal pools in Costa Mesa to Mountain Lions in Cleveland National Forest. Our programs are broken into three corresponding categories: K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 grades. This program is currently paused due to COVID-19 regulations, so stay tuned for updates. .
RESTORATION PROJECTS
RESTORATION PROJECTS
OC Habitats Restoration Projects are varied from wetland to coastal sage scrub habitats and everything in between. We are currently working with the following groups to restore areas around Orange County due to human encroachment or recent fire damage. We have weeded, planted, watered, and maintained these areas to help protect existing habitats and restore them to their native glory and provide much needed habitat for the variety of species that rely on them. Our goal is to provide one restoration event per month throughout the year. We invite our regular volunteers, our OCH NextGen Groups and any individual who would like to help our efforts.
-
OC Parks - Santiago Oaks Regional Park, Irvine Regional Park, and Peter's Canyon Regional Park
-
Fairview Park Restoration (Costa Mesa) - ICRE
-
Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy
-
Newport Back Bay - Project Grow
PARTNERS AND FRIENDS
US Fish and Wildllife Service
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Wetland and Wildlife Care Center
Pacific Marine Mammal Care Center
Orange County Society for Conservation Biology