Ecology

Public outreach regarding environmental stewardship. Informational games providing education for protecting the environment.

Learn where mosquitoes come from and how to prevent them! View samples the mosquito lifecycle using a microscope or magnifying glasses in order to learn about where mosquitoes come from. Explore a mock back backyard setup to search for sources that can hold water and breed mosquitoes and learn about what repellent will keep you protected from mosquito diseases.

We will host activities related to various STEM projects at our schools.

Activities will introduce the public to the monitoring that takes place within the Reserve including an exhibit of a data logger, a model of a salt marsh for hands on vegetation sampling, and a salt marsh super heroes interactive for elementary-aged students, and a "fishing" activity which incorporates a simulation of trapping fish and invertebrates.

Visitors will explore animal camouflage through a fun matching activity and examine real animal props such as skeletons, turtle shells, and animal footprint casts. These interactive experiences help participants learn how animals adapt, survive, and interact with their environments in engaging, age-appropriate ways.

The deep sea is the largest habitat on Earth and home to an amazing diversity of animals. Come learn about the biology and ecology of deep-sea animals, which have numerous adaptations to life in the dark (large eyes, cryptic coloration, light organs). This hands-on activity will introduce participants to common deep-sea species (including lanternfishes, dragonfishes, glass squids, and barrel shrimps) and the essential roles these animals play in oceanic food webs and global nutrient cycles.

Welcome to LKW STEM FOUNDATION’s presentation of “Magical Adventures & Illusions in the STEMverse”, a hands-on enrichment experience where science feels like magic and every learner becomes an explorer of curiosity. In this program, students rotate through four interactive “stations” that transform traditional STEM into enchanting, magical adventures. Each rotation invites learners to discover, create, and problem-solve through activities that feel as exciting as they are educational!

San Diego State University representatives from science and engineering will provide engaging and interactive activities for students and families of all ages. Touch live sea animals, code your own bracelet, build neurons out of pipe cleaners, explore the solar system in virtual reality and more! Learn directly from the SDSU researchers and innovators leading San Diego to new heights in STEM.

Hands-on reptile and invertebrate encounters.

*Reptiles, Amphibians, and Bugs! Oh Why?* dares you to imagine a world without the creatures we love to hate. What if the slimy, slithering, or stinging ones vanished? Through thrilling live encounters and storytelling, we uncover how these “creepy crawlies” quietly sustain our planet—balancing ecosystems, cleaning the Earth, and shaping life itself. You’ll never look at them the same way again!