Friends of Ormond Beach

04/10/2025

If you can submit written comments against the extension please do, and if you can zoom in and speak even better! 47 has issued 2 EOs that could extend this outdated polluting once-through cooling gas powered plant another 20 years. This is our last chance to try to get this shut down. Oxnard.

04/09/2025

📣Calling All Ormond Beach Enthusiasts:

You and your friends and family are invited to join environmentalist and documentarian Janet Bridgers on Saturday, April 26 @ 2:00 at the Oxnard Library to watch her latest documentary on Ormond Beach. Learn about all the local hands that have touched Ormond Beach over multiple decades in an effort to preserve its sensitive wetlands. Discover the rich history of all the local efforts that have gone into saving the wetlands from neglect and blight. Find out what you can do to support efforts to restore the wetlands and make it a thriving habitat.

🦆💚

04/20/2024

Happy 🌎 Day Ormond Beach & Lagoon♥️

Thanks City of Oxnard, Surfrider, and Coastal Keepers for organizing this cleanup! Over 100 volunteers came out today, and a large number of those volunteers were kids and youth.

The focus on education about Ormond’s made it special—scores of kids participated in the flora and birds scavenger hunt.

The Coastal Keepers organized a raffle and one of the prizes was a children’s book from a local author.

A special shout out to Eric Hummel (city of Oxnard), Ally Alejo (Surfrider), Peter Dixon (TNC), and Steven Gama (Port Hueneme city council member) for their community outreach and organization of today’s cleanup.

Janet Bridgers (Ormond Beach documentarian) of Earth Alert! flew out from out of state to capture the progress taking place on Ormond Beach, so a special shout out to her as well.

⭐️⭐️And dear children and youth⭐️⭐️You are the stars today! Your interest in the environment and in taking care of the planet brought out smiles in all of us adults. You rock!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎

04/20/2024

02/23/2024

https://www.kclu.org/2024-02-23/yet-another-sewage-spill-reported-in-the-tri-counties-in-the-wake-of-this-weeks-big-storm. 🤢

02/18/2024

Shout out to port Hueneme Public Works! A little physics and rigging and they were able to get this large foam, rock, and metal monster off Ormond beach while they were setting out dumpsters for a cleanup with other things found during the Saturday cleanup: SeaDoo seat, couch, suitcases, motor oil, and lots and lots of plastic

02/08/2024

This from the National Weather Service 2/8/2024:
…tides will continue to build. Observed tides are
running much higher than predicted (0.5 to 1.0 feet), and our
tide models continue that bias through the week. As such, the high
tides have the potential of peaking in the 7.5 to 7.8 feet range
(7.8 feet would match the highest on record). With the combination
of these tides and the high surf expected, there is a risk for
Coastal Flooding for west facing beaches during the morning high
tides (7am to 9am) through at least Friday. This morning carries
the highest risk with the best combination of the highest surf and
highest tides. While the flooding will likely not be as severe as
what occurred in December 2023, there is a risk of widespread
flooding of beach areas including bike paths, parking lots, and
vulnerable roads like near Oceano Dunes and Ventura.
Fortunately Ormond and Port Hueneme Beaches are south facing but there could be some impact.

02/02/2024

Happy World Wetlands Day! You can help celebrate by joining a cleanup of the Ormond Beach Wetlands by joining Coastal Keepers for a cleanup Friday February 2nd at the end of Perkins Road Oxnard or Surfrider VC Saturday February 3 at lot C Port Hueneme. Wetlands are crucial to the future of humanity for several reasons:

1. Biodiversity: Wetlands support a rich variety of plant and animal species. They act as nurseries for fish, provide habitat for birds, and house numerous amphibians and insects, contributing to global biodiversity.

2. Climate Regulation: Wetlands store large amounts of carbon, helping mitigate climate change by preventing carbon dioxide release. They also act as natural buffers against flooding and storm surges, protecting communities from extreme weather events.

3. Water Purification: Wetlands filter and purify water, removing pollutants and excess nutrients. This natural filtration system enhances water quality and ensures a sustainable supply of freshwater for drinking and agriculture.

4. Sustaining Livelihoods: Many communities rely on wetlands for fishing, agriculture, and ecotourism, providing jobs and food security. Preserving wetlands is essential for these livelihoods.

5. Cultural Heritage: Wetlands often hold cultural and historical significance for indigenous peoples. Protecting wetlands also means preserving cultural heritage and traditional practices.

6. Education and Research: Wetlands offer valuable opportunities for scientific research and education, contributing to our understanding of ecosystems, climate change, and sustainable resource management.

Wetlands play a critical role in maintaining the health of our planet and are essential for the well-being of present and future generations. Protecting and conserving these ecosystems is vital for the future of humanity.

01/25/2024

If you live in or have visited the Port Hueneme Beach Park you may have seen the signs by parking lot C that describe the Western Snowy Plover that lives and nests on Ormond Beach. The signs were part of a project-an initiative of the MERITO Foundation in their first year as a corporation awaiting their non-profit status. The Foundation was awarded a grant from the California State Coastal Conservancy and The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation was their fiscal administrator.

The project title was MERITO Academy 2013-2014, and the main focus was ocean education & stewardship for children in Title 1 schools in Hueneme and Oxnard. They trained the teachers who instructed the use of their marine science curriculum. They then took the students out to explore the coast, and before the end of the school year students designed four signs: one on snowy plover natural history and protection; two on prevention of urban runoff, and one on tide pool etiquette (this last was never fabricated). 

Rocio Lozano-Knowlton of the Merito Foundation reached out to Cynthia Hartley of Ventura Audubon Society (VAS) searching for feedback and proof of the accuracy of the snowy plover sign. Cynthia approved the sign and asked permission from the City of Port of Hueneme to place it.
The city installed the signs and has maintained them, removing graffiti every so often.

Recently the English version was scratched, burned, and relocated to the top of a sand dune. This vandalism was reported to the City, the Merito Foundation, and VAS. What to do? The original artwork could be used to make a new sign, but
Mario Juarez, city Facilities employee, was able to clean the sign up and it was replaced to its original position.
Thanks to the City-James Vega, Fred Camarillo, Mario Juarez, and others-residents and visitors can access information about one of the endangered species that call Hueneme and Ormond Beach home.

12/27/2023

📣Call to action!! The recent rainstorm brought plenty of trash down the waterways to Ormond Lagoon and on to Hueneme and Ormond beaches. Join Steven Gama for the Saturday cleanup or consider doing a solo cleanup even a short time helps! Low tide at the lagoon is a perfect time to get lots of stuff that would otherwise flow out to the ocean.

12/21/2023

Photo of where the lagoon breached. Lots of trash as expected. Perhaps a solo solstice cleanup is in order! Photo creddit VCPW camera Surfrider Foundation - Ventura County Surfrider Foundation - Ventura County Chapter

12/20/2023

Does your New Year resolution include helping the environment, learning something new, and getting outside more? Join for a day of education and helping the environment! January 27, 2024 end of Perkins Road.