In otter news…

The reintroduction of sea otters to Oregon waters is a topic of growing interest for people on the Oregon Coast.

On Thursday, Oct. 14, Bob Bailey from the Elakha Alliance will discuss the Oregon Sea Otter Feasibility Study as part of the Lower Nehalem Watershed Council’s speaker series.

This study evaluated the essential considerations around sea otter reintroduction to Oregon including population dynamics, habitat suitability, ecological considerations, social and economic impacts, legal requirements and logistics.

Bailey is the board president for the Elakha Alliance and spent nearly 40 years in coastal and ocean planning and management for the State of Oregon.

The mission of the Elakha Alliance is to restore a healthy population of sea otters to the Oregon Coast and thereby make Oregon’s marine and coastal ecosystem more robust and resilient. Sea otters are a keystone species whose predation and behavior have a profound effect on the mix of species around them. In their absence, Oregon’s marine ecosystem has suffered, becoming ecologically less diverse.

A recording of the presentation will be posted at a later date on the Lower Nehalem Watershed Council YouTube channel.

Prior to the presentation the Lower Nehalem Watershed Council will hold a board meeting, offering an opportunity to hear about the group’s activities.

The board meeting will begin on Zoom at 5 pm, with Bailey’s presentation starting at 7 pm. For more information, go to lnwc.nehalem.org.