Our History

OUR HISTORY

2022

  • Six beaches are added to the program through the San Diego Chapter of BeachCOMBERS

2020

2019

  • Training: 6 new volunteers trained for the North Chapter, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
  • BeachCOMBERS 20 year report (1997 - 2017)

2018

  • Training: ~10 new volunteers trained for Central Chapter, Morro Bay Natural History Museum
  • Cencoos data portal - BC data to be available on a public website
  • Award: MBNMS volunteers of the year award – Scott Benson and Karin Forney
  • Collaborative work with Long Marine Lab Marine Mammal Stranding Network - "Enhancing Stranding Response on the Central California Coast" - Prescott Grant

2017

  • Training: 10 new volunteers were trained for Southern Chapter, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Service.
  • News in the Carmel Pinecone
  • Bulletin in the Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Southwest Region

2016

  • Training: 8 new volunteers were trained, MLML.

2015

  • Training: 5 new volunteers were trained, MLML
  • News: KION “Local Beach COMBERS survey Central Coast beaches: June’s survey the first since Santa Barbara Oil Spill”

2013

  • South Chapter instated: 13 new beaches between Morro Bay and Los Angeles designated for monthly surveys
  • News: Santa Cruz Sentinel
  • Radio: KUSP 88.9

2012

  • Award: MBNMS volunteer of the year award – Sharon McGuire & Chris Miller
  • Award: Certificate of Congressional Recognition, Senator Sam Farr – Sharon McGuire & Chris Miller
  • Training for South Chapter Principal Investigators and volunteers - Ventura California

2010

  • North & Central Chapter new volunteer training sessions held at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

2008

  • Training: Bird identification in the field, Team Ocean, May 10, 2008

2007

  • News: Monterey Herald 2007
  • Training: 22 new volunteers were trained, MLML
  • Training: Team Ocean, MBNMS, May 2007

2006

  • Volunteer appreciation: Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Reflection awards, Monterey Marriott, March 3, 2006. Volunteers of the year: Glen Seiler & Pamela Kearby.
  • Training: “Life Beneath the Surface” presentation of sanctuary research, H. Nevins August 16, 2006.
  • Training: Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
  • Training: Team Ocean, MBNMS

2005

  • Award: MBNMS volunteer of the year award – Glenn Seiler & Pam Kearby, March 3, 2005
  • Training: Volunteer refresher course, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, June 4-5, 2005
  • Outreach/Education: Migration Festival, Seacliff State Park, February 12, 2005, Aptos, CA

2004

  • Award: NOAA Environmental Hero, April 2004
  • Award: Certificate of Congressional Recognition, Senator Sam Farr, April 25, 2004
  • Meeting: Beach Survey Program (BeachCOMBERS) and oil spill response (OSPR): data sharing and communication, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, January 9, 2004
  • Meeting: CDFG Oiled Wildlife Response Plan, Yolo Wildlife Area, Davis, CA, May 3, 2004
  • Training: NOAA B-WET Teacher Enhancement Workshop, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, July 27, 2004.
  • Training: Team Ocean, Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Monterey, CA, May 25, 2004

2003

  • News: “Unusual debris: glass fishing floats and whisky bottles”
  • Meeting: CDFG-OSPR regarding oiled wildlife response plan, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, December 29, 2003.
  • Training: “Murre aging & sexing” with BeachWATCH program, 17 participants, Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care & Research Center, Santa Cruz, CA. November 15, 2003
  • Training: refresher course 3 Cambria volunteers, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, December 3, 2003
  • Enrichment: 6th Anniversary Potluck, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, August 14, 2003
  • Training: Team Ocean, Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Monterey, CA, May 2003

2002

  • Award: June 8, 2002. Star of the Sea. Presented to the Beach COMBERS Volunteers at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Volunteer Appreciation Event.
  • Added 5 New Beaches: Sand Dollar, Big Sur; Castle Rock, Santa Cruz; 4-mile, Santa Cruz, spilt beach 11 (11N-Waddell/11S-Scott’s); Del Monte, Monterey is resumed
  • May 2002: Completed training class for 22 new + 4 sanctuary volunteers.
  • Outreach/Recruitment: 10th Anniversary Celebration Ocean’s Fair, Monterey
  • Outreach/Recruitment: 10th Anniversary Celebration, San Simeon, CA Table (volunteers Phil & Carol Adams) Sept. 5, 2002.
  • Outreach/Education: “Seabird Ecology” unit of Explorations in Marine Science – MLML & John Hopkins University, 44 students. November 2, 2002.

2001

  • May 2001: Added 6 new beaches to the program in the southern region of MBNMS. Two day training class for 17 new volunteers.

2000

  • Award: March 2000. MBNMS Citizen Award. Presented to Scott Benson at the MBNMS Sanctuary Currents Symposium by the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG).
  • Award: March 2000. Best Thematic Poster, MBNMS Sanctuary Currents Symposium. Presented to Scott Benson, Andrew De Vogelaere, and James Harvey

1998

  • News: “Beached creatures tell tales: counters keep grim but vital tally.” February 5, Californian, Salinas, California.
  • News: “Combing the beach a learning experience.” February 1, Press Democrat, Santa Rosa, California.
  • News: “Beach COMBERS record beaches’ dead.” February 1, The Bryan-College Station Eagle, Texas.
  • News: “Walking a grisly patrol: BeachCOMBERS record beaches’ dead.” January 9, Monterey County Herald, Monterey, California.
  • MBNMS Newsletter: “Beach COMBERS take to the sands!”
  • Award: June 12, 1998. Volunteer Recognition Award at the National Ocean Conference in Monterey, California: Presented to Beach COMBERS.

1997

BeachCOMBERS program begins