Public access to the Moss Landing Wildlife Area in Monterey County will be restricted between Oct. 15 and Dec. 20, 2011, to accommodate habitat enhancement work on the site. During the closure, the Highway 1 parking lot, salt ponds and trail access through to Seal Bend will be off limits to the public to ensure the work can be completed on time. Boat-only access to the balance of the wildlife area north and east of Seal Bend will still be available.

Planned project work includes construction of shallow water depressions in the pond bottoms and a new public access observation platform overlooking Elkhorn Slough. Located along the north shore of the slough, this enhancement project will benefit a host of water birds, from the endangered western snowy plover to wintering waterfowl. The site upgrades will also help Department of Fish and Game (DFG) staff access the site and will provide the public with additional wildlife viewing opportunities.

The project was created through a cooperative partnership between DFG and Ducks Unlimited, while funding was provided by the Wildlife Conservation Board and the Packard Foundation. Point Reyes Bird Observatory staff also contributed to the project design, as they have studied snowy plover at this site for many years.

During the closure period the neighboring Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (ESNERR) will be open to the public Wednesday through Sunday for hiking and nature study. For more information on ESNERR, please call (831) 728-2822 or visit their website at www.elkhornslough.org.

To learn more about the partners involved in this habitat enhancement project, please visit the following websites:

DFG: www.dfg.ca.gov
Ducks Unlimited: www.ducks.org
Wildlife Conservation Board: www.wcb.ca.gov
Point Reyes Bird Observatory: www.prbo.com