The State of the Shoreline in LC, Nov. 6

The state of Oregon’s ocean and shoreline will be the theme as the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition holds its annual membership meeting on Nov. 7, 1:30-5 p.m. at Lincoln City’s The Eventuary (560 S.W. Fleet St.). A reception immediately follows, catered by culinary students from Taft High School. The event is free and open to all. There has been a change in the previously announced line-up of speakers. Oceanographer Bill Peterson will still lead off with his talk surveying The State of Oregon’s Ocean. However, replacing a presenter who had to cancel will be two speakers who together will address The State of the Shoreline. Chenchen Shen, a PhD candidate studying marine ecology at Oregon State University, will speak on rocky shore ecology. Her talk will touch what we have learned from the sea star wasting syndrome episode and the ongoing recovery. She will discuss other new research on rocky shores, and wind up with her own studies on how ocean acidification may be affecting algae and the creatures that graze on it in intertidal areas. Fawn Custer, CoastWatch’s volunteer coordinator, will follow by surveying the state of our beaches, with a special emphasis on some of this year’s unusual observations, from salps to “purple water” to the massive by-the-wind sailor wash-up. Dr. Peterson’s presentation will consider the dramatic changes that have been observed recently in the marine environment, including the current El Nino, the mysterious “Blob” occupying much of the northern Pacific, ocean acidification, and many other striking and perhaps troubling changes we are seeing in the Pacific Northwest’s nearshore ocean, and the global ocean beyond. Bill Peterson will speak at about 2 p.m., and Chenchen Shen’s talk will begin shortly after 4. Between the main presentations, there will be short talks on Oregon Shores’ wide-ranging program activities, touching on everything from land use and water quality issues to marine debris and sea stars. (The brief official portion of the annual membership meeting will be held at 1:30. Only Oregon Shores members can vote, but visitors are welcome to sit in during this brief board election and approval of the treasurer’s report.) For more information about the Oregon Shores annual meeting, contact Phillip Johnson, Oregon Shores’ executive director, at (503) 754-9303, phillip@oregonshores.org.