Yaquina Bay: Photo by Rena Olson with support from Lighthawk
Audubon Society of Lincoln City (ASLC) and Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition are co-hosting a webinar on shaping the future for the Yaquina Bay Estuary and how community members can be involved.
Wednesday, June 28, 2023 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Estuaries are the mixing of seawater and freshwater where an outflowing river meets the ocean tide. The Yaquina Bay Estuary is a cornerstone to our area's cultural, ecological, and economic future. With the cities of Newport and Toledo along its shores, the bay is home to 15,000 people who live, work, and play on this magnificent estuary. Yaquina Bay and the surrounding area have been home to the Alsea people since time immemorial. It is also home to an amazing diversity of fish, wildlife, and plants that are uniquely adapted to living within the brackish waters of an estuary.
Lincoln County is currently updating the Yaquina Bay Estuary Management Plan (YBEMP). This plan, now 40 years old and no longer adequate, guides where and how the estuary’s natural resources are to be protected and defines the appropriate level of development and uses within the estuary. Local residents and others concerned about the estuary can weigh in on their hopes for the future of Yaquina Bay.
The event will feature panel presentations and discussion. Panelists include Laura Brophy, Director of the Estuary Technical Group at the Institute for Applied Ecology in Corvallis, Oregon. For over 20 years, she has provided leadership in science-based decision support for estuary restoration and conservation in the Pacific Northwest and U.S. West Coast.
Ethan Brown of Willamette Partnership will also be on the panel. He is a planning consultant developing the YBEMP update for Lincoln County and the cities of Newport and Toledo. He thrives on cultivating partnerships among local organizations, residents, and public agencies as they work together to provide safe, clean, sustainable water quality solutions. Also speaking will be Annie Merrill, Oregon Shores Land Use Coordinator, along with Kent Doughty of ASLC who will explain how to get involved and comment on the draft plan.
The webinar will explain how the public can be involved in decisions concerning the future management of the Yaquina Bay Estuary. Speakers will share about what an estuary is, significance of the Yaquina Bay Estuary, why we need an updated management plan, and how citizens can comment on that plan. There will also be an opportunity to ask experts about the Yaquina Bay Estuary. Visit https://www.yaquina-emp.org/ for more information on the process.
All are welcome to register for this free live online webinar here:
For more information on this event, contact Annie Merrill, annie@oregonshores.org; or Kent Doughty, kentd@lincolncityaudubon.org