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A trip down to the southern Oregon coast!

In August 2015 the IAE Conservation Research crew traveled down to new territory: Coos Bay on the southern Oregon coast! We were investigating the status of both Point Reyes bird’s beak (Cordylanthus maritimus spp. palustris) and Western marsh-rosemary (Limonium californicum). Point Reyes bird’s beak is listed as a federal Species of Concern and Western marsh-rosemary is listed as Bureau Sensitive by the Bureau of Land Management. Here is a photo documentation of our experience on this trip to coastal estuaries.

COMAPA2015_comapa — *Cordylanthus maritimus* spp. *palustris* up close. Although the same species, there are purple and white flowers. Photo credit: Ceci Welch

COMAPA2015_Limonium californicum 4 — *Limonium californicum* up close. Photo credit: Ceci Welch

117 — A transect in our first study site on Bureau of Land Management, Coos Bay District property. Photo credit: Hannah Gilbert

COMAPA2015_Protected 1 — Our second study site was right along the beach and even though we didn’t find much COMAPA or LICA, it was great being right on the bay. Photo credit: Hannah Gilbert

Comapa 006 — We surveyed using one large (meter) quadrat to assess the habitat type. If either *Cordylanthus* or *Limonium* were present, we used one randomly placed small quadrat within the large to count all of the two species occurring within. Those data were applied to the whole plot. Photo credit: Sara Newman

COMAPA2015_Transect surveying 3 — Sara and Hannah sampling along a transect using the monitoring technique pictured above. Photo credit: Ceci Welch

COMAPA2015_Salicornia depression 2 — An example of what a “Salicornia depression” habitat type looks like. Inundated by *Salicornia depressa*, this habitat occurs in wet depressions in the landscape. Photo credit: Ceci Welch

COMAPA2015_Distichlis Jaumea — *Distichlis spicata* (the grassy one) and *Jaumea carnosa* (the succulent-like one) were two other commonly occurring plants in our study sites that grow together. Photo credit: Ceci Welch

Denise talking to a local Oregon Youth Corps group about our research and the work we do at IAE. Always time for a little outreach and getting folks excited about science! Photo credit: Ceci Welch

The layout of one of our study sites. If you look closely, you will be able to see small pin flags laid out everywhere. While we were surveying plants, Denise was mapping out all the habitat boundaries with a GPS unit. Photo credit: Ceci Welch

Sunset (2) — A stunning sunset from a lookout near our campsite at Sunset Beach State Park. A great end to a great trip! Photo credit: Hannah Gilbert

COMAPA_pretty picture — A beautiful view down the waterway from our study site. We hiked in this route everyday. Photo credit: Ceci Welch

A trip down to the southern Oregon coast!

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