| April/May 2002 issue: Boardwalk Trail Guide Now Available by Pat Brown Through the joint efforts of a hard working committee,a guide with nineteen points of interest has been prepared. The guide includes a map of the boardwalk and general information about S.W.A.P. It was produced in cooperation with San Luis Obispo County Parks and was funded by the county's Environmental Fund. The intent of the trail guide is to help educate Elfin Forest visitors about this wonderful, rare environment and increase their sensitivity to the importance of respecting and protecting this natural area. The fragile nature of the oak groves is discussed along with S.W.A.P.'s revegetation efforts. Stenciled numbers on the boardwalk rail mark the points of interest. The guide highlights three native plant communities that are traversed by the boardwalk, starting with Coastal Dune Scrub and progressing through Pygmy Oak Woodland and Maritime Chaparral. Many plants of the Elfin Forest are featured in the guide, as well as some of the fauna. You can pick up a copy of the Trail Guide from a dispenser located at the intersection of the main boardwalk with the 16th street boardwalk, where it can be returned when you are done.
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| June/July 2002 issue: SWAP Stabilizes Two Disturbed Areas by Pete Sarafian, Conservation Chair Thanks to hard work from SWAPšs new conservation contractor, Josh Carmichael, two new areas of the Elfin Forest were fenced off and stabilized from eroding. One of them, an impromptu trail down to the salt marsh below Bush Lupine Point, had resulted in deep, soft sand on a slope, which is a prime candidate for erosion. Without controls in place, the sand would wash into Morro Bay with the winter rains each year. After fencing off the trail, Josh laid down biodegradable matting to stabilize the soil. This matting is thicker and more substantial in appearance than the old, loosely woven jute matting used in the past. The matting also was used with straw to make wattles (rolled up material used as dams). The wattles hold up water and allow it to be absorbed into the sand rather than running down hill and causing erosion. About two dozen native plants were planted in an effort to restore the area to the previous coastal dune scrub habitat. A new watering technique is being tried as well. DRiWATER biodegradable watering cartridges were installed near some of the plants to provide up to three months of water. The area being revegetated is too far from the boardwalk irrigation piping to allow directly water these new plants. The second site is at Sienašs View boardwalk viewpoint. The area long has been a favorite play area for children, but the constant use and abuse resulted in denuding the surrounding ground. The area is directly above a steep slope down to Morro Bay and thus another candidate for erosion control. The area was fenced off and the soil was stabilized with the same type of matting and wattles as the first area. Because of archeological concerns, revegetation was postponed. An archeological monitor must be present to supervise any excavations in this area. |
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