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OLLI Classes

Coastal Resilience

Tues., Oct. 20, 2-4 p.m.

Time: 2-4 p.m.

Location: In person: Arcata

Cost: $60

With Justin Legge, Stewardship Director & Restoration Manager, Friends of the Dunes

Join Friends of the Dunes for a behind-the-scenes look at dune restoration at the Humboldt Coastal Nature Center. We will begin the day with a short presentation to familiarize you with local dune ecology, history of the property and key flora and fauna. Then we'll walk through unrestored and restored dunes towards the ocean while deepening our understanding of these restored dunes are the first line of protection from sea level rise.

We will follow a dune profile distinguishing habitats from one another by their geology, elevation, and plant and animal communities. By the end of the class session, you will have learned how a dynamic dune ecosystem increases biodiversity and supports coastal resilience.

Participants need to be able to walk in sand. It is not a strenuous hike, but walking in sand and uneven ground can be unsafe for some participants. Using hiking poles or walking sticks is encouraged, but not required.

Justin Legge

Justin loves all things about the natural resources of Humboldt! After graduating from HSU, he worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Lake Tahoe. While there, he realized how much he loved the Humboldt Redwood Coast, and had to return.

Justin formerly worked as restoration volunteer coordinator with Friends of the Dunes in 2012. In recent years, he has been working in the vacation and tourism industry as a property manager and private naturalist guide.

Justin is very excited to return to the non-profit sector, and take on the role of restoration manager to complete the foredune restoration along the Friends of the Dunes property!

Justin has developed, coordinated, and led a diverse range of outdoor programs for people of all types and ages, in every ecosystem in Humboldt County. His love is to help other humans find a positive, and meaningful connection with nature and one another. Justin believes that by demonstrating authenticity, passion, and gumption, he can help inspire others to give back and live compassionately.