COSMO - Community Oyster Science Monitoring Opportunity!

Join us for a COSMO! A fun and educational opportunity to learn about oyster monitoring and their importance in our community!
About this Event

Join the Wild Oyster Project for a hands-on oyster experience at Point Molate! Get ready to learn about oyster habitats, conservation efforts, and participate in some oyster monitoring. This event is perfect for anyone interested in marine life or looking to learn more about our local Bay ecosystem. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to wade into the world of oysters with fellow community members! Sea you there!

wildoysters.org

What it is: A low tide transect survey of native Olympia oysters. A keystone species of our Bay ecosystem.

What you should bring: Water, sunscreen, hat, your sense of scientific inquiry!

What you should wear: Clothes you can get dirty, shoes you can get both dirty and wet. Rain boots or hiking shoes are preferable.

Event considerations: We will be walking over terrain that is uneven and slippery, including a bit of a scramble to get down to the beach. You will be stooping and standing for long periods of time. This event is entirely outdoors with no bathroom access so please plan accordingly.

You will get a sense of what field work is like for marine scientists.

Agenda

🕑: 07:00 AM
Gather

Info: We will be meeting at the parking lot off of Stenmark Drive. Please see the google map image in the description. Stenmark Dr is the last exit before the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge. Please aim to arrive at 7:00 am to give us enough time to check everyone in, do introductions, and provide information on monitoring etc. Our goal is to start monitoring right at the low tide so we can see oysters!

🕑: 07:15 AM - 07:45 AM
Set up

Info: We will walk to the tide line, lay out our transects, walk through the monitoring protocol, and go over species identification and datasheets. We will start at the lowest transect and work our way up as the tide moves back in.

🕑: 07:45 AM - 09:45 AM
Survey!

Info: We will be counting and measuring wild Olympia oysters as well as estimating abundance of other organisms

🕑: 09:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Wrap up

Info: Collect gear and data sheets, and return to parking area. At parking area, we will do a short debrief and discussion of what we found before concluding the event.