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Central Coast State Parks Association | CCSPA Central Coast State Parks Association | CCSPA
  • Who we Are
    • Mission and Vision
    • Board & Staff
    • Join Our Team
      • Job Opportunities
      • Board Service
      • Internships
      • Volunteering
    • Transparency
    • Partnerships
    • Sponsor Recognition
    • Contact Us
  • What We Do
    • Our Impact
    • Programs
      • School Groups
      • Traveling Museum Exhibits
    • Press & Publications
      • Podcast
      • Blog
      • In The News
    • Nature Notes Newsletter
    • Awards
  • Events
    • Event Calendar
    • Adventures With Nature
    • CCSPA Movie Night
    • Mind Walks Lectures
    • Butterfly Ball
  • Visit
    • Parks We Support
      • Cayucos State Beach
      • Harmony Headlands State Park
      • Hearst San Simeon State Park
      • Estero Bluffs State Park
      • Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve
      • Montaña de Oro & Spooner Ranch
      • Morro Bay State Park & Museum of Natural History
      • Morro Strand State Beach
      • Oceano Dunes & Oso Flaco Lake
      • Pismo State Beach
    • Nature Stores
    • Local Resources
  • Support
    • Become a Friend of CCSPA
    • Business & Corporate Giving
    • More Ways To Give
  • Store
  • Donate

Environment

Central Coast State Parks Association | CCSPA / Environment / Page 4

Nature Nooks: Morro Bay

https://soundcloud.com/user-210939374-242894923/nature-nooks-morro-bay Most days the beach is blanketed in fog in Morro Bay. It's this gloomy atmosphere that keeps the crowds down and the beach calm. For others like experienced surfer... read more →
  • April 28, 2021
  • Marcus Cocova
  • No Comments
  • Beach, Environment, Lifestyle, Outdoor Recreation, Photography

Don’t Bust the Crust: Biological Soil Crusts

from the National Park Service In an environment like sand dunes, soil stabilization is a great priority for organisms that live there. While much of dune stabilization occurs through plants... read more →
  • April 21, 2021
  • Jaden Husser
  • No Comments
  • Environment, Flora and Fauna, Outdoor Recreation

Hiking the San Simeon Creek Trail

How lucky are we to have an abundance of gorgeous hiking trails in our State Parks and surrounding areas? Hiking is one of my favorite ways to explore our parks... read more →
  • April 8, 2021
  • Monica Rutherford
  • 1 Comment
  • Botany, Environment, Flora and Fauna, Habitat, Lifestyle, Outdoor Recreation, Species Identification

Secrets of the Tide Pools, Part 1

One of my favorite things about living on the Central Coast is the accessibility to and beauty of our beaches. I love being able to easily drive from any part... read more →
  • March 31, 2021
  • Monica Rutherford
  • No Comments
  • Beach, Environment, Flora and Fauna, Invertebrates, Lifestyle, Outdoor Recreation, Species Identification

Wild and Natural

Sand Spit doesn't sound like much of a name for a beach with miles and miles of wild, natural beauty. Sounds more like something ugly or dangerous. And it probably... read more →
  • March 25, 2021
  • Renne Gardner
  • No Comments
  • Beach, Environment, Habitat, Outdoor Recreation

Ice Plant- The Iconic but Destructive Piece of California Coastal Landscape

This plant is quite iconic to the California Coast; along highways you see bright green carpets stretching wide next to the glistening ocean. You often see spots of hot pink,... read more →
  • March 18, 2021
  • Jaden Husser
  • No Comments
  • Beach, Botany, Environment, Flora and Fauna, Habitat, Outdoor Recreation

Nature Nooks: Montaña De Oro

https://soundcloud.com/user-210939374-242894923/ccspa-wots-1 Forest trees, sandy dunes, and ocean water all meet at Montaña De Oro State Park. It is this diversity in landscape that draws out nature enthusiasts like Cal Poly... read more →
  • March 12, 2021
  • Marcus Cocova
  • No Comments
  • Beach, Environment, Lifestyle, Outdoor Recreation, Photography

Dune Plant Adaptations

Red Sand Verbena with leaves sticking up Wherever we find ourselves, we may be in situations where we need to adapt. From an unexpected confrontation to a new job, some... read more →
  • March 4, 2021
  • Jaden Husser
  • No Comments
  • Beach, Botany, Environment, Flora and Fauna, Habitat

Central Coast State Parks Coffee Blends: Coffee Roasted Locally

The idea for Coastal Peaks Coffee, a local coffee roasting company and wholesale distributor, emerged a little after 1989 when owner Mike Knight started a small coffee business called simply... read more →
  • February 26, 2021
  • Maureen McNamara
  • No Comments
  • Advocacy, Business, Environment, Lifestyle, Meaningful Merchandise

Mud Stories, Part 1

Windy Cove, below the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History, contains a mud flat within Morro Bay.  This mud flat can be very extensive on a low tide, especially if... read more →
  • February 9, 2021
  • Faylla Chapman
  • No Comments
  • Beach, Environment, Flora and Fauna, Habitat, Invertebrates, Marine Biology
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Recent Posts

  • From Coast to Mountains: The Western Monarch’s Annual Migration September 30, 2025
  • Estero Bluffs State Park August 5, 2025
  • Prescribed Burns on the Central Coast July 30, 2025
  • Moonlit Wings and Wild Things: Nocturnal Life in SLO’s State Parks June 27, 2025
  • Dog Rules on the Central Coast: Where Your Furry Friend Is Welcome in State Parks June 20, 2025

Contact Us

202 Tank Farm Road (Suite H2) San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Phone: 805.548.0390 E-Mail: info@centralcoastparks.org Web: centralcoastparks.org

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