By Southern California Volunteers Dave and Jean Merrill
Editor's Note: Be sure to look at the photo gallery at the end of the article to see more great photos of our beloved Merrills and many beautiful images of birds we saw this day at the wetlands.
Our Ocean Defenders Alliance (ODA) Team visited the Seal Beach National Wildlife Reserve (SBNWR) on the 25th of March to continue removing debris that routinely flows in from Huntington Harbor.
Our team visits this site each month! If you’re in Southern California, we’d love it if you would join us.
We (Dave and Jean) have been volunteering with ODA for over 13 years now, and we regularly participate in the monthly cleanups at the Reserve to mitigate the trash that is caught there by tides and winds.
In today’s throwaway society, it’s a never-ending task to work to reduce the amount of trash carelessly tossed aside by so many. Because of this we strive to be dedicated caretakers of the earth.
About this Vital Wetlands
SWBNWR is an approximately 920-acre salt marsh and upland habitat located entirely within the boundaries of Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach. The refuge constitutes one of the few remaining natural, undeveloped coastal areas of Southern California.
The Seal Beach wetlands provide an important habitat for many endangered bird species. The refuge is managed specifically for the protection of two of them. The California least tern nests on a man-made island which was formally used for rocket testing during the Apollo space program. The light-footed ridgeway's rail nests on special man-made rafts, which are constructed and maintained by Fish and Wildlife Service personnel with the help of many local volunteers. Other endangered and threatened species who call SBNWR home include the California brown pelican, the peregrine falcon, and the Belding’s savannah sparrow.
Beldings savanah sparrow - they're hard to spot because they blend so beautifully with the environment!
For both of us, the Southern California coast has been our playground for a large part of our lives. In our effort to “give back,” we take every opportunity to participate in coastal area cleanups to help protect the habitat and wildlife that live in our wetlands, estuaries, and tidal areas.
Amazing Crew & Their “Catch of the Day”
This day’s dedicated cleanup crew consisted of: Kent Morris, Blake Storie, Lisa Taylor, Steve Tyler, Captain Kurt Lieber, and us (the Merrills).
Estimated trash hauled was 400 pound – 9 bags at 30 pounds each. There was another 130 pounds of miscellaneous (unbagged) debris.
We truly believe that all efforts should begin at everyone's homes and neighborhoods to properly dispose of trash so that the reserve will be safe and clean for the wildlife that resides there and migrates through each year.
(Credit Wikipedia and the WPNSTA Seal Beach)
Mark your calendar! ODA’s next visit to the Seal Beach Reserve is scheduled for April 22, 2026, so email us if you’re interested in joining.
