Beach Naturalist Program

The Rosario Beach Naturalist Program is a collaboration between Washington State University Island County Extension and Deception Pass State Park designed to promote interpretation and conservation at the Rosario Beach Tide Pools.  If you like people, enjoy being on the beach, and are passionate about marine education; consider becoming a Rosario Beach Naturalist.

• Rosario Beach Naturalists serve as stewards and educators at the Rosario Tide Pools.
• Volunteers receive Beach Naturalist training on topics including intertidal invertebrates, marine mammals, pollution in the Sound, and more!
• Classes are each Wednesday of March from 7-9pm at Deception Pass State Park.  There are also two weekend field trips during low tides.
• Classes are free.  The only payment required is 50 hours of volunteering.
• A schedule of classes can be viewed below.

If you have questions or would like to register, please email Deception Pass Interpretive Services at sam.wotipka@parks.wa.gov or call (360) 675-3767 ext. 31

Wednesday classes will be held at the West Beach Meeting Room.  Weekend field trips will be at the Rosario Tide Pools.  Please click here for directions.

• In the news: Island County Marine Resources Committee names Rosario Beach Naturalist Instructor Sammye Kempbell the 2011 Jan Holmes Island County Coastal Volunteer of the Year.

[Show as slideshow]

2012 Rosario Beach Naturalist Class Schedule

1^st Class  (March 7th)

• Snacks and getting to know you time.
• Welcome!!!  Introductions!!
• Guest speaker from the Samish Tribe.
• Rosario slide presentation.  Outdoor classroom.
• Getting to know you activity.
  
• Nearshore and how it affects our waters. 

2^nd Class (March 14th)

• Are our waters clean?
  
• Plastics and chemical pollution.
• How the salmon and marine mammals are impacted by what we do.   
• Beach etiquette.
• Introduction to phyla/tidal zones.
• Marine Biology – PowerPoint – Sammye (Rosario specific).
• Importance of plankton (70% of our oxygen is produced by upwelling plankton in our oceans).  
• Video: Return of the Plankton (27 min).

3^rd Class (March 21st)

• Explanation of the tides. Guest speaker will be Deception Pass Park Manager Jack Hartt.
• Seaweeds and algae at Rosario.  Guest speaker Mary Jo Adams.
• Introduction to the Rosario Tide Pool Trail.
• Rosario Beach set up(shed, ropes, signs, hours chart).
• Education table set up.
• How to greet people.
• Questions people ask.
• Good books and web sites. 
• Equipment needed as a naturalist:EZ id guides, vests, jeweler’s loops, name tags, cell phone, whistle,notebook-clipboard, counters, journal.

4^th Class (March 28th)

• Marine Mammals.  Guest speakers-Sandy Dubpernell & Jill Hein, Orca Network.
• Wrap up with questions.
• Schedule for spring school classes.
• Schedule for summer with the public.
• Celebration!!!

Two Weekend Field Trips (TBD)

For those who are unable to attend some/all of the Wednesday classes, a make-up class is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, March 31st starting at 9 a.m.