Now in its third incarnation, A Great Day in the Stoke, the largest gathering of Black surfers on the planet, returned to the Huntington Beach Pier on Saturday, September 14. The brainchild of Nathan Fluellen, the event first got underway in 2022 as a way to bring Black and African American surfing communities together. Today, it’s turned into a full movement that attracts hundreds of surfers and offers so much more than just a another surf contest.
Created in the aftermath of the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, along with other race-based issues, A Great Day in the Stoke was intended to get people together and bring something positive to the beach. Inspired by A Great Day in Harlem in 1958 and a Great Day in Hip Hop in 1998, the initial running of A Great Day in Stoke saw over 500 people show up.

​A little bit surf contest, a little bit beach party, as well as part health and wellness festival and community gathering, there really was something for everybody going down at A Great Day in the Stoke. On the surf side, there were events for shortboard, longboard and groms.
​Hawaii’s Julian Williams was on hand to successfully defend his shortboard title, and won the longboard title. Sahara Faye won the women's longboard, edging out last year's winner, Farmata Dia and Monik Santos won the shortboard. Logan Moss won the boys grom.
There were free surf lessons for anyone looking to dip a toe in the water for the first time, beach yoga and a double dutch competition.

For more information: click here

​For almost a century, the automobile has been much more than a mere mode of transportation, but rather an extension of its owner's personality with its style and panache.  The auto makers sought to capitalize on America's thirst for style and power in providing sleek and faster cars which pandered to the public's desire to have their car reflect their own self image.  Ever changing designs, brighter colors and engine size contributed to the symbolic nature of the automobile for its owner.

​As an extension of the goal of making your car an extension of your personality or self-image is the specialty license plate.  Usually connected to a charity or state agency, the specialty license plate provides the quintessential "win win" dynamic in that the vehicle owner can both help a legitimately good cause and own a license plate make a social statement to those who see it, or maybe just look cool with its colors and design.

​In California, a new specialty plate has been approved which boldly touches all of those bases.  It is the Endless Summer specialty license plate, which incorporates the theme from Bruce Brown's iconic Endless Summer movie from the 1960's.  The exquisite design of the plate, with its bright yellow background and setting sun, evokes imagery of California's pristine beaches, beautiful sunny days and sport of surfing and embraces the California state of mind.  Because funds from the sale of this specialty license plate help fund California's Coastal Conservancy, which promotes and protects the public's access to California's beaches, anyone who purchases the plate not only gets to display the beautiful and radiant plate on their car, but also promotes the many goals of that wonderful state agency.

The legacy of Endless Summer is that it is more than a movie of youth, oceans and the pursuit of the perfect wave.  It is symbolic of an optimistic state of mind reflecting sunny days, summer breezes and beautiful vistas.  You can help preserve California's coast and project a sunny and optimistic statement for your car or motorcycle.    For more information as to how you can register for the presale, click here.

The proposed Endless Summer license plate has been awaiting final visibility testing by CHP for over 3 months.
California Code of Regulations, 13 CACode of Regs, 160.04, requires:
(4) The design must meet the following standards after testing by the Department of California Highway Patrol (CHP):
(A) The registration number must be clear and legible to a person with 20/20 vision in daylight from a distance of 75 feet, and in darkness with low-beam headlamps from 75 feet; and
(B) The registration number must be able to be accurately perceived by Automated License Plate Reader technology in use in California from a distance of 35 feet at daytime, dusk and nighttime.

​In 1966, footage of Mike Hynson walking atop his longboard debuted in theaters across the world. Alongside Robert August and filmmaker Bruce Brown, Hynson’s globe-trotting in 'The Endless Summer' helped establish a precedent of surf exploration that has lasted nearly 60 years later.

The San Diego surfer and shaper enjoyed a different kind of trek when he became inducted into Huntington Beach’s Surfing Walk of Fame, along with Surf Pioneer Bing Copeland, Surfing Champion Felipe Pomar, Local Hero Jeff Deffenbaugh, Surf Culture Doug Warbrick & Brian Singer (Rip Curl Founders), and Woman of the Year Sally Fitzgibbons.
To commemorate the induction, John van Hamersveld, who designed 'The Endless Summer' poster, was commissioned to produce a work of art.

The California State Coastal Conservancy announced more than $39 million in funding for projects to improve public access, climate resilience, habitat values, and inclusion at the coast.

“The Coastal Conservancy’s vision is of a beautiful, restored, and accessible coast for current and future Californians. To achieve this, we fund projects that support the coast’s natural resources, projects that prepare the coast for the challenges of a changing climate, and projects that help more people enjoy the coast.” said Amy Hutzel, Executive Officer of the Coastal Conservancy.

Among the awards were several projects that will expand the Californians’ ability to access and enjoy the coast:

$1,104,736 was awarded to eight non-profit organizations for Coastal Stories projects that will create storytelling installations, murals, or interpretive materials that represent diverse communities’ perspectives that historically have been excluded from narratives of California’s coast and publicly accessible lands. This is the second round of funding through the Conservancy’s Coastal Stories grant program.
 
The Big Sur Land Trust was awarded $2,750,000 to acquire the 84-acre Hiss Parcelin the City of Monterey for natural resource conservation, California Native American tribal cultural resource conservation, habitat connectivity, California Native American tribal access, and public access.
 
Orange County Coastkeeper was awarded $250,000 for the Beach and Coast Accessibility Program to provide grants to nonprofits, public entities, and tribes for beach wheelchairs and other equipment to increase accessibility to California’s beaches and coast in coastal counties statewide.

Sustainable Conservation was awarded $270,300 to augment the Conservancy’s existing grant of $620,000 to advance adoption of, and conduct outreach to facilitate the use of, programmatic permits for aquatic habitat restoration and water quality improvement projects.

Defenders of Wildlife and Sea Otter Savvy were awarded $174,400 to implement two separate projects to aid in the recovery of the southern sea otter.
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION on the awarded projects CLICK HERE.

​Coastal Conservancy has announced the availability of grants to public agencies, federally recognized tribes and California Native American communities, and nonprofit organizations for programs that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore California’s spectacular coast and San Francisco Bay shoreline through Coastal Conservancy's Explore the Coast Grant Program.

Applicants may request a grant amount of up to $100,000. Approximately $800,000 is available for this grant round. Approximately $134,000 of the $800,000 is available for participants to go to the San Francisco Bay shoreline. The remaining $666,000 must be used to bring participants to the outer coast.

​The application deadline is January 31, 2024 by 11.59pm. Applicants should apply for projects that aim to start in late 2024 or early 2025 and aim to be completed by December 2027. The Conservancy will base the size of the award on each project’s needs, its overall benefits, and the extent of competing demands for funds.

More information on the RFP and how to apply can be found here. 

​The California State Coastal Conservancy is pleased to announce the availability of grants to public agencies, federally-recognized tribes and indigenous communities, and nonprofit organizations for programs that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore California’s spectacular coast and San Francisco Bay shoreline through our Explore the Coast grant program.

The ocean, coast, and beaches have long been recognized and used as spaces of joy, relaxation, and healing for many Californians. The ability to experience the coast without fear of physical barriers, feelings of not belonging, or financial challenge is crucial to how individuals cultivate their lifelong connections with the coast. The Explore the Coast grant program seeks to provide enjoyable coastal experiences for people and communities who face challenges or barriers to accessing or enjoying the coast (“ETC Priority Communities”).

Projects should also meet one or more of the following priorities:
 - Provide an enjoyable experience at the coast or bay shore.
 - Reduce economic, physical, operational, or societal barriers to accessing or enjoying the coast or bay shore.
 - Inspire ongoing coastal resource stewardship ethic through active learning and interactive activities.
Approximately $1 million is available for this grant round. Applicants may request a grant amount of up to $100,000.00.

Applicants should apply for projects that could start in late 2023 or early 2024 and aim to be completed by January 2026. 

The application deadline is Monday, February 27, 2023.
For more information, click here.

​The purpose of the Strategic Plan is to provide an overall vision for our agency and quantified objectives to measure the effectiveness of our work. The Strategic Plan articulates our view of the future of the California coast and its watersheds over the next five years—including the opportunities to improve resilience to climate change and to promote environmental equity and justice.

The Coastal Conservancy has been guided by a five year Strategic Plan for the past twenty years. The current plan was adopted in November 2017 and set goals and objectives for 2018- 2022. It is now time for the Conservancy to adopt a new Strategic Plan for the five year period of 2023-2027.
The Strategic Plan update creates an opportunity for the Conservancy to hear from our partners – nonprofit organizations, tribes, local governments, community groups, state and federal agencies, private landowners, conservation organizations, other conservation funders, and the public – about their vision and priorities for our work.
The plan can be found here.  SCC welcomes your comments on this draft between now (August 15, 2022) and October 1, 2022.  Please use the form here to submit comments.  Comments can also be emailed to StrategicPlan@scc.ca.gov.

• Draft 2023-2027 Strategic Plan
• Form to submit comments on the draft plan

The Conservancy hosted a webinar on March 28, 2022 to kick off the strategic planning process.  The webinar discussed the process of developing the plan for 2023-2027, the Conservancy’s role, and the resources that may be available to us in the next five years.
The recording of the webinar can be found here.
The Conservancy held several listening sessions and Focus Groups in April, May, and June to get input from partners on specific topics or focal areas.  Over 1,000 individuals participated in these sessions.  A report on this process and the key themes that emerged can be found here. ​

​California beaches had excellent water quality in summer 2021, according to the thirty-second annual Beach Report Card that environmental nonprofit Heal the Bay released today. Heal the Bay assigned “A-to-F” letter grades for 500 California beaches in the 2021-2022 report, based on levels of fecal-indicator bacterial pollution in the ocean measured by County health agencies. In addition, the group ranked water quality at 35 freshwater recreation areas in Los Angeles County for summer 2021 and shared findings from the third annual River Report Card.

The good news is 94% of the California beaches assessed by Heal the Bay received an A or B grade during summer 2021, which is on par with the five-year average.
Even so, Heal the Bay scientists remain deeply concerned about ocean water quality. Polluted waters pose a significant health risk to millions of people in California. People who come in contact with water with a C grade or lower are at a greater risk of contracting illnesses such as stomach flu, ear infections, upper respiratory infections, and rashes. Beaches and rivers usually have high-risk water quality following a rain event. Less rain typically means that reduced amounts of pollutants, including bacteria, are flushed through storm drains and rivers into the ocean. Last year, rainfall across coastal counties in California was 24 percent lower than the historical average. Only 66% of California beaches had good or excellent grades during wet weather, which was a little above average, but still very concerning.
“A day at the beach and the river shouldn’t make anyone sick,” said Tracy Quinn, President and CEO of Heal the Bay. “It is wonderful news that most beaches in California have good water quality for swimming. But there are areas with poor water quality that need improvement and infrastructure upgrades. We can’t forget that our marine ecosystems are still threatened by the climate crisis and other pollution sources, and we need solutions to address these pressing issues as well. We expect people to increasingly seek out ocean shorelines and freshwater swimming holes to cool off as temperatures rise, so safe, clean, and healthy water is needed now more than ever.”
Heal the Bay’s Beach Report Card and River Report Card provide access to the latest water quality information and are a critical part of our science-based advocacy work in support of strong environmental policies that protect public health.

The full report can be downloaded here.

California’s sea otters need your help, and there’s an easy way to do it by making a voluntary contribution on line 410 of your state income tax return (Form 540).
By contributing any amount over one dollar, Californians can support the California Sea Otter Fund. Donations are tax deductible on next year’s return.
“The voluntary contributions Californians make at tax time are incredibly helpful in efforts to save the cherished California Sea Otters,” said Sam Schuchat, executive officer of the State Coastal Conservancy. “The money raised through tax donations helps pay for essential research and recovery efforts to assure the conservation and survival of this extraordinary resident of our central coast.”
Created in 2006, the Sea Otter tax check off provides essential funding to help state scientists better understand and trace the causes of sea otter mortality, identify factors limiting population growth, and collaborate with other organizations to prevent the pollution of California’s nearshore ocean environment.
According to the most recent survey, there are fewer than 3,000 sea otters in California waters. This small population is vulnerable to oil spills, environmental pollution, predation by sharks, and other threats. Many sea otter deaths have been linked to pollution flowing from land to the sea, including road and agricultural run-off, parasites, and chemicals from coastal land uses. The California sea otter is a Fully Protected Species under the state law and is listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

​The California Sea Otter Fund consists entirely of voluntary contributions from California taxpayers. The fund has become especially vital during the current economic downturn because other sources of support for sea otter conservation and research have decreased or disappeared entirely. There are no other dedicated state funding sources available to continue this important work.

​The Coastal Conservancy works with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and many others to improve the health of California sea otters. For more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/Tax-Donation

​Ms. Hutzel previously served as the Conservancy’s Deputy Executive Officer and has been with the agency for over twenty years, during which she has been instrumental in many key projects including the restoration of thousands of acres of former salt ponds in the San Francisco Bay, the creation of the Conservancy’s flagship Explore the Coast and Explore the Coast Overnight grant programs to expand coastal access, and establishing the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority. She also led the development and implementation of many of the Conservancy’s equity-focused initiatives: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Guidelines, the ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan, the Beach Wheelchair Grant Program, and the updated Coastal Access Project Standards.

​“The State Coastal Conservancy has had a remarkable impact on the California coast in the last 4 decades.” said Ms. Hutzel, “I am honored to take on this role at a time when our work is so essential. Together with the incredible Conservancy staff, I will work to accelerate projects that work with nature to adapt to climate change impacts and increase equitable access to the coast for all Californians.”
“The Coastal Conservancy plays a vital role in achieving the State’s goals for biodiversity, climate resilience, and equitable access to California’s natural wonders. Amy has proven herself as an exceptional leader at the Coastal Conservancy already and I could not be more excited for her to take the reins at this key agency.” said California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot
Each year, the State Coastal Conservancy issues tens of millions of dollars in grants to non-profit organizations, public agencies, and tribes for projects that restore and protect the California coast, increase public access to it, and increase communities’ resilience to climate change. In addition to its annual appropriations from Natural Resource Bonds, on September 23, 2021, Governor Newsom signed a budget bill that includes a total of $500 million for coastal resilience to be appropriated to the Conservancy in Fiscal Years 2022-23 and 2023-24. The Executive Officer and staff of the Conservancy also manage the work of the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, which allocates approximately $25 million each year for restoration projects on the San Francisco Bay shoreline.
“We’re thrilled for Amy to serve as the Executive Officer at the Conservancy,” said Doug Bosco, Chair of the State Coastal Conservancy’s Board, “The Board and I know Amy as a dedicated and collaborative leader with an exceptional track record of delivering complex projects. She will bring her energy and enthusiasm to this role, and a clear vision for what this agency can achieve.”
Ms. Hutzel has been with the State Coastal Conservancy for over 20 years, serving as Deputy Executive Officer, Bay Area Program Manager, and Project Manager. Prior to joining the Conservancy, she worked at Save The Bay and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

​As Executive Officer, she will work closely with the Boards of the Conservancy and the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, lead the Conservancy’s 70 members of staff, and support hundreds of climate adaptation, public access, and habitat protection and restoration projects throughout the California coast, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and in coastal watersheds. Amy lives with her husband and two children in San Francisco.

The next Coastal Conservancy Public Meeting is on February 03, 2022. Due to the ongoing State of Emergency and pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act and Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-1-22, this Conservancy meeting will be conducted by internet and teleconference, with no public physical location. Members of the public may join by internet with Zoom or dial into the teleconference.
One of the items on the agenda is consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $5,000,000 to the City of Anaheim to prepare preliminary plans, designs, permit applications, and environmental documentation for the OC River Walk, a project to improve and enhance a portion of the Santa Ana River in the County of Orange, including reconfiguring and vegetating the river bank and creating new trail connections.