WiLD Blog

Seasonal dead zones threaten wildlife from the Washington coast down to California. “The undersea plague appears to be the symptom of global warming…low oxygen waters have extended north into Washington and crept south as far as the California state line…they appear to be as regular as the tides, a lethal cycle that has repeated itself every summer and fall since 2002” (Weiss, 2008).  Dead zones are areas of the ocean where the oxygen has been so depleted, that all life has essentially been suffocated.  The seasonal dead zones that have been forming off our coasts are thought to be caused, again, by global warming.  The atmospheric conditions which produce the nutrient rich California Current are changing.  The California Current’s productivity is driven by the upwelling of nutrient rich waters from the deep, a phenomena made possible by wind. As soon as this nutrient rich water hits the surface and is exposed to sunlight and oxygen, phytoplankton bloom, which is the main food source for many of the world’s small fish and shellfish, which are in turn food for larger marine life, thereby creating a healthy oceanic food web.

The dead zones are produced through the alteration of this natural process.  In increasing the ambient air temperature, “warm, rising air over the land makes the upwelling more frequent and more intense” (Bakun, 2008)   The upwelling is therefore prolonged and phytoplankton populations are in surplus.  Because of this prolonged phytoplankton production, access phytoplankton which are not consumed by fish die and float down to the sea floor where they rot, thereby producing noxious gases such as hydrogen sulfide.  This problem is further exacerbated by the affects of over fishing which cuts down on the natural number of fish who would be potentially feeding on this surplus of phytoplankton.  These anoxic zones are found from June through September and in 2006 covered an area the size of Rhode Island. 

Julie Novak

The proposed 241 private toll road that would have destroyed 60% of San Onofre State Beach Park was the subject of a very monumental hearing February 14. As the California Coastal Commission anticipated a colossal turnout at the very critical toll road hearing, the usual Oceanside City Council Chamber location was substituted for the huge space of the Del Mar fairgrounds. Just after 11pm and nearly 14 hours of presentations from members of the Save Trestles campaign, the TCA and personal testimonies from the public, the California Coastal Commission voted 8-2 against the proposed 241 Toll Road extension deciding that certain aspects of the project failed to meet California’s coastal regulations. Their vote prohibited transportation officials from creating the first toll-way to run through a state park.

It is estimated that more than 3,500 people rallied to defend the park. It was the largest turnout for any meeting in the commission’s 36-year history for what we are calling the Woodstock of our Save Our Coast movement. People of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds swarmed in and around the hall decked out with slogan-riddled t-shirts and rally signs.

Surfline quoted former world champ Pete Townend stating that it was great to see “these real people who recognize San Onfore State Park’s true value in their lives, not just a bunch of paid sign holders in orange shirts who look like they’ve never seen the beach.” Here Townend was referring to the small number of road workers that were forced to support the 241-extension by their union. Similar surf celebrities could be found scattered throughout the crowds showing their support to the park such as Greg and Rusty Long, CJ and Damien Hobgood, and Evan Slater just to name a few.

This victory is deserving of huge thanks to the Save San Onofre Coalition for doing such an awesome job in this long-time building movement to defend San Onofre’s scenic views, endangered species and world-class breaks. Partners involved include: the Surfrider Foundation, Sierra Club, Wildcoast, Natural Resources Defense Council, Endangered Habitats League and countless other magnificent organizations.

Thomas Margo, the TCA’s chief executive officer, said he will appeal the commission’s decision to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. However, this is definitely the greatest victory we have seen yet, which has provided a great deal of hope for making the park’s protection permanent.

Cory Keen

Recently the Washington Post published an article which highlights the increase of claims to privatize public lands in the Western states such as Colorado, Utah, Arizona, California and New Mexico. As more and more natural landscapes are being protected and utilized as recreation areas and tourist destinations, others are being bought to protect mining rights…and the border between these areas is awfully small. A study conducted by a nonprofit organization found that in the last five years claims to public lands have increased by 80% in Western states. There exist 815 claims to mining rights that lie within five miles of the Grand Canyon. In California 869 mining claims are within five miles of Joshua Tree, Death Valley, and Yosemite National Park.

What allows this new surge of privatization? An outdated law governing mining that has been unrevised since 1872 when it was written to encourage settlement in the West. The Washington Post emphasizes the societal changes since this law was written by noting that the light bulb had not yet been discovered at the time the law was enacted. The law says that metal mining has priority over recreation, ranching, and conservation in utilizing land. In addition, mining companies, foreign and domestic, pay no royalties and claim holders are allowed to purchase land for $5 an acre and build as they wish.

It is important that the media draws attention to the harmful effects of antiquated legislation. The good news in this case is that Congress is taking action and legislation has been initiated to modernize the law in order to ensure that mining is done within parameters that meet legal and environmental standards of today. Under the new Act mining companies will have to pay royalties and establish a fund to deal with hundreds of thousands of abandoned mines that have left landscapes gutted. And in the end, if all goes well, the new law will end priority of mining over conservation and recreation.
As always, there is opposition from fans of the mining industry (allies in Congress) who will inevitably argue that the revision will ‘threaten our national security’ as well as ‘weaken our economy’. The fact is that if unregulated mining continues many of our remaining natural landscapes will be contaminated through chemical seepage, land displacement, and cleared of native flora and fauna due to neighboring mines.

As land rights all over the world are being sold to private and corporate buyers, it is important to protect natural lands and the ecosystems they support. At WiLCOAST we are working to protect land in Baja California, as it is being sold to American tourists as well as corporations at an alarming rate. Through buying land and establishing conservation easements we are ensuring that the coast that is home to many endemic species is preserved and protected from mass development and resource extraction. 

Corina Marks

Gray whales are being threatened again. Their yearly 12,500-mile migration brings them up and down the coast of North America, as they feed in the waters by Vancouver and Seattle during the summer and migrate down to breed in Baja California during the winter months. Scientists have discovered that the grey whales are arriving in their calving grounds thin and exhausted.

Scientists believe this is due to a lack of food for the whales when they are in their traditional feeding grounds. Consequently they are forced to look for food when they should be breeding.

The source of the problem is unknown but the consequences could be devastating. The gray whale is symbolic of Mexico’s natural heritage as Baja California is home to the world’s last undeveloped calving ground, San Ignacio lagoon. This problem has not only consequences for the future of the gray whale species but for the economic wellbeing of the tourism industry in both Baja and California.

Lack of food in their traditional feeding grounds is a serious threat to the survival of gray whales.

To WiLDCOAST, the grey whale has a special place in the organization. In our offices, on the walls are various articles relating the struggles and successes the grey whales have been through. WiLDCOAST has been heavily involved in the preservation of the coastal environment and protecting species such as the grey whale. The Baja California coast and lagoons are unique in being the last undeveloped calving sites of the gray whale. In addition the presence of the gray whale brings in tourists willing to spend money to see the whales. Not only do people enjoy whale watching in Baja California, but also in California, whale-watching tours are very popular during the winter months.

But economics are just a small part of the immense value these whales have to human beings. These whales are economically valuable to us for a deeper, intangible reason. It is impossible to put economic value on the sense of excitement and wonder when people spot these whales and the memories and impact they have on us. The beauty and excitement these whales bring to our lives reminds us that we are simply one part of the natural world, and that we also share the same world. Our actions can have consequences for these amazing animals that have been repeating their yearly migrations before humans even arrived on this continent. That is why it’s crucial to support conservation, ecotourism and conservation efforts to protect these whales.

-Calvin Lee

The bad news is here, but in California, the potential for sea level rise isn’t even an issue. Maybe that would create a whole new generation of beachfront property. Wasn’t that the story of the Lex Luthor’s plan in the first Superman movie. Sea level rise is going to happen and it seems bizarre that the U.S. government is planning to spend tens of millions of dollars on dumping sand on beaches in California. All of the sand would wash away during the first winter rains. Serge

Scientists Say Millions Could Flee Rising Seas

November 10, 2006 — By Daniel Wallis, Reuters
NAIROBI — Nations must make plans to help tens of millions of “sea level refugees” if climate change continues to ravage the world’s oceans, German researchers said on Thursday.

Waters are rising and warming, increasing the destructive power of storms, they said, and seas are becoming more acidic, threatening to throw entire food chains into chaos.

“In the long run, sea level rises are going to be the most severe impact of global warming on human society,” said Professor Stefan Rahmstorf, presenting a report by German scientists at a major United Nations climate change meeting.

Warming could melt ice sheets and raise water levels, and the report said nations should already be considering making a “managed retreat” from the most endangered areas, including low-lying island states, parts of Bangladesh or even the U.S. state of Florida.

A report by international scientists who advise the U.N. has predicted a sea level rise of up to 88 cm between 1990 and 2100.

He’s gone. Richard Pombo–the Darth Vader of Mother Ocean was kicked out of the U.S. Congress by voters in his Tracy, California district. Pompo, along with new North San Diego County Congressmen Brian Bilbray thought that offshore oil driling in California was a great idea. Now he’s gone.

Thank god.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune

The California rancher deemed by some as the nation’s biggest threat to environmental conservation has lost his seat in Congress and must cede control of the House Resources Committee.





Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, was a chief antagonist of the Endangered Species Act in the House of Representatives. He also supported offshore oil exploration and oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.



Pombo was defeated 53 percent to 47 percent Tuesday in California’s 11th Congressional District by Democrat Jerry McNerney, a wind energy expert who aims to wean the nation from fossil fuels.