Marine Life Identifiers Sought, July 21

The public is invited to help track marine biodiversity at Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve during two BioBlitz events Aug. 3 and 4 hosted by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Audubon Society of Portland, Oregon Marine Reserves Partnership and US Forest Service. Both events are from 7:30 a.m. to noon. The Aug. 3 event is at Yachats Ocean Road State Natural Site, just south of the bridge in Yachats. The Aug. 4 event is at Stonefield Beach State Recreation Site, seven miles south of Yachats. Participants should meet in the parking lot and bring waterproof shoes, raincoat, binoculars, water and snacks. Participants will take a walk at low tide to help identify the plants, animals and other organisms in the rocky intertidal habitat along sections of the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve, a protected research area that covers 14.1 square miles of ocean habitat between Yachats and Florence. Data collected will be used to document the rich biodiversity of the area. For information on the events, contact state Natural Resources Specialist Celeste Lebo by phone at 541-563-8505 or 541-272-9008 or by email at celeste.lebo@oregon.gov. Information on the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve is at www.oregonmarinereserves.org/cape-perpetua.