On April 20, we held our annual Earth Day Fun Day at Lake Merritt Channel Park, in partnership with the Oakland Museum of California and the City of Oakland Environmental Services. This year, we did a deep dive into understanding estuaries - where fresh water meets ocean water. Did you know that Lake Merritt is an estuary? That means it’s connected to the ocean! One longtime volunteer told us, “You are totally blowing my mind right now!” after learning that the tides affect Lake Merritt and observing for herself the difference in water levels and current direction at the beginning of our day vs. at the end.
We also played a game, “That Critter was seen Where?!” as part of our discussion of animals that live both in Lake Merritt and in the ocean... including bat rays and leopard sharks!! Estuaries are incredibly productive places, with abundant food and shelter for many animals. Trash and pollution in estuaries, like Lake Merritt, can end up in the ocean, and can affect the health of the many animals that depend on the estuary.
Armed with a deeper understanding of why our efforts matter, we then carried out various habitat restoration projects and trash removal at Channel Park. Thanks to the Whale Tail Grant from the CA Coastal Commission for helping us make this day possible!
