Shoreline Education for Awareness classes about the marine environment begin this weekend. The program helps train docents to teach visitors about the coastline. - World File Photo

Shoreline Education for Awareness begins its once-a-month seminar series Saturday to teach area residents about the marine environment.

The yearly educational program runs through May 10. There also will be extra sessions for docents before the ocean interpretive season beginning in mid-April, when volunteers help teach visitors to coastal areas about the ocean.

All seminars are on the second Saturday of each month at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Boathouse Auditorium in Charleston. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

Seminars are $5 per person (free for SEA members). The catered lunch is $6 per person, or attendees are welcome to bring their own bag lunches. Yearly SEA membership is $20 for individual or $35 for a family of two or more living in the same household.

Each year the presenters provide basic information about marine mammals, intertidal invertebrates and birds. Because research is on-going, they also offer any new information that has become available, a press release stated.

Current and past docents are urged to attend, with notepads and pens, to ensure the information they share with the public is up to date.

The Schedule

This Saturday

•  “Local Geology for the Layman” — Dr. Ron Metzger of Southwestern Oregon Community College, and “Native Americans” by Don Ivy of Cultural Affairs with the Coquille Indian Tribe, will show how local tribes were affected by geological events.

Saturday, Feb. 9

•  “Intertidal Life” — Stephanie Miller, an interpretive ranger at Sunset Bay State Park, will give this presentation, which begins at 3 p.m. with a field trip at 4:30 or 5 p.m., from daylight into darkness. Flashlights, warm weather-proof clothing and boots are a must.

Saturday, March 8

•  “Marine Mammals” — Dr. Jan Hodder, of the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, will lead the discussion and take participants on an afternoon field trip to view marine mammals at Simpson Reef.

Saturday, April 12

•  “Oceanography for the Layman” — OIMB professor Dr. Alan Shanks will clarify some of the ocean’s mysteries, such as how waves are formed, currents, rip tides, etc. In the afternoon, Paul Heikkila, of the Oregon State University Sea Grant program, will provide answers to the many questions docents receive from the public, such as, “what are those fishing boats fishing for” and “is it OK for divers to be out there?”

Saturday, May 10

•  “Birds of Our Coastal Areas” — David Ledig, manager, Southern Oregon Coastal Wildlife Refuges, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service will speak. A field trip follows in the afternoon.

Stage fright?

Many people who attend the lectures would like to become docents, but hesitate because they are unaccustomed to speaking one-on-one with strangers. There will be two or three more on-site training sessions for new and returning docents to increase their comfort level and to learn nuts and bolts information.

Want more info?

For more details, those interested can call Bill Binnewies, SEA president, at 260-7770 or Sara Duvall, vice president, at 347-9234 or e-mail: info@sea-edu.org or log onto the Web site at http://www.sea-edu.org.