Education and Outreach

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The Morro Bay estuary is a national and state treasure; its heath affects our health and the vibrancy of our community and economy. The Morro Bay National Estuary Program helps residents and visitors learn how to keep Morro Bay clean and healthy through community outreach as well as formal and informal education efforts. Well-informed public participation combined with the best science available is essential for effectively preserving the Morro Bay estuary.

Measureable Results
  • Establishment of a free, public Nature Center focused on the Morro Bay estuary and watershed that welcomes more than 25,000 visitors each year.
  • Ongoing formal education programs that reach more than 575 students each year and involve students at all schools within the Morro Bay watershed.
  • Ongoing distribution of dozens of different educational reports, brochures, pamphlets, and other publications focused on the Morro Bay estuary, including 20,000 Morro Bay Watershed Visitor Maps with environmental stewardship information.
  • Twelve years of successful management of the Mutts for the Bay Program, which provides more than 350,000 free dog waste pickup bags through over 30 dispensers across the watershed each year. (That’s more than 4 million bags since 2008!) Each dispenser includes educational messaging that shows thousands of  residents and visitors the environmental and health benefits of picking up after our pets.