CITY FOCUS:Tide pool program a success

Ocean Laguna Foundation concludes in a recent report that the tide pool education program introduced this summer at the Treasure Island seashore adjacent to Montage Resort & Spa has been a great success in educating visitors about the importance of preserving the tide pools.

From June through August, Ocean Laguna Foundation’s Tidepool Educators observed nearly 10,000 visitors to the Treasure Island and Goff Island tide pools and approached more than 6,000 to remind them of “good tide-pool rules.”

Docents provided 1,033 educational brochures to interested visitors and 151 tide-pool coloring books to young children, the organization reported.

“The Ocean Laguna Foundation is pleased to find that the increase in the number of hours devoted to tide pool education at the Treasure Island Seashore is warranted and has produced the result we were hoping for,” said Fred Sattler, chairman of the Ocean Laguna Foundation.

Before the Tidepool Education program was launched at Treasure Island seashore, volunteer docents spent about 60 hours per month at the site.

In response to a $55,000 donation by Montage Resort & Spa in April 2006 to facilitate increased docenting at Treasure Island, Ocean Laguna Foundation created one full-time position and two part-time positions to provide extra help during peak summer hours.

In all, the number of tide-pool educator hours devoted to the Treasure Island seashore nearly tripled to about 166 hours per month, or 500 hours total for the months of June, July and August.

“The majority of individuals who came to explore the tide pools already had a working knowledge of the area and its protected status,” said Jeffrey Rosaler, consulting education and research coordinator for the Ocean Laguna Foundation.

Many who were unaware of the tide pool rules were informed by the Tidepool Educators about the organisms and ecology of the intertidal ecosystem and the rules of the marine protection areas, he added.

James Bermingham, general manager of Montage Resort & Spa, said the tide pools are a frequent destination for resort guests.

“Treasure Island Park and its tide pools have become a popular attraction for residents and visitors,” Bermingham said. “We fully support Ocean Laguna Foundation’s efforts to expand public awareness of the local marine ecology and protect these important tide pools.”

Ocean Laguna Foundation has also provided training to Montage Resort & Spa associates about six times a year to give them the background with which to educate guests and beach-goers.

The Montage Resort donation also supports the expansion of Ocean Laguna Foundation’s presence at other Laguna Beach coves and beaches, as well as its Intertidal Resource Education Activities, including publication of brochures.

Founded in 2003, Ocean Laguna Foundation has trained more than 150 volunteer docents who share their knowledge of Laguna Beach’s tide pools with the public.

In June 2006, Ocean Laguna Foundation started the Tidepool Educator program, with a donation from Montage Resort & Spa, to inform and educate the beach-going public about the life and natural processes occurring in the Treasure Island Intertidal ecosystem.

For more information about Ocean Laguna Foundation or to volunteer, contact Candice Burroughs at tidewaterdocent@earthlink.net