Bequi’s Story

Written by Bequi Howarth

                Pulling a green wagon down a trail lined with yellow bush sunflowers on a beautiful winter day in Southern California I notice the fresh blue sky still holding puffy clouds left over from the recent storms and I take a deep breath of cool air. The wagon bumps and rattles along as we weave our way past large rain puddles on the trail. UCI Fellow Nicholas and I are headed to a spot above the pocket marsh where a new restoration plot has been cleared and planting has begun. Our task is to check on the newly planted cactus and remove non-native grasses to prepare for more planting. The wagon holds shovels, rakes and other helpful tools for our work.

                As we skirt past a particularly large puddle I look down to see if there’s anything interesting in the water and am surprised to see something small and feathery moving quickly along the bottom. Stopping to squat down along the water’s edge I look closely at what appear to be little fish swimming around. Fish!? Nicholas comes back down the trail to see why I’ve stopped when it suddenly occurs to me… these are Fairy Shrimp!! My excitement takes him by surprise as I quickly pull out my phone and shout with delight, “Fairy Shrimp! These are Fairy Shrimp!” and I start taking photos and video. He catches on that this is a special event and pulls out his phone as well to snap some pictures. As we circle the puddle taking photos, attempting to get an idea of just how many there are, I tell Nicholas that oral historical information indicates that there were vernal pools and Fairy Shrimp somewhere out here on the mesa of the BCER, but exact locations had been lost.

                Originally, I had been hired to manage the archives for BCLT, to sort, scan and otherwise store 30 years’ worth of information including biological surveys, maps, archaeology studies and more. Our Executive Director, Kim Kolpin, asked me to keep an eye out for any mention of vernal pools or Fairy Shrimp in the hopes we could get at least an idea of where to look for them. Then, on this bright January day, I happen to stumble across just what we were looking for! It was an exciting find to say the least.

                A text was quickly sent to the appropriate people and the CDFW Reserve Manager, Melissa Borde, was contacted. Within a few days biologists from San Diego came up to collect specimens, however in our warm Southern California climate the pools had already begun to evaporate and the biologists arrived hours before the last pool dried up. Fortunately, they were able to collect two Fairy Shrimp to take back to the lab for identification.

                So, why are Fairy Shrimp important? In short, they are a part of healthy habitat at Bolsa Chica Wetlands. Vernal pools are critical habitat for many species including Fairy Shrimp, daphnia, water beetles and toads. These animals in turn serve as food for birds and mammals that live at Bolsa Chica, and the pools provide water for drinking and bathing. Finding Fairy Shrimp indicates that at one time vernal pools were an active part of the overall Bolsa Chica Wetlands ecosystem. Restoring and protecting these pools means that we can, once again, increase the biodiversity and come ever closer to bringing back strong, healthy habitat at Bolsa Chica.

                Imagine walking along the mesa trail among fragrant sagebrush, colorful flowers, and a richly diverse ecosystem filled with hundreds of species of reptiles, insects, birds, and mammals. The Stewards of Bolsa Chica Land Trust have been working hard to make this happen, finding Fairy Shrimp gives us yet another opportunity to expand our efforts and build Bolsa Chica back into the glorious place it once was.