Environmental Justice & Conservation at the Salton Sea
with Audubon
2018-2020
The Salton Sea is the largest body of water by surface area in California and represents a critical habitat for hundreds of species of migratory birds. Apart from gathering much-needed biological data to inform wetland restoration projects, my role saw me develop a community-science program (Eyes on the Sea) in order to engage the local community, build capacity with students, and address environmental justice issues in the region.
In collaboration with
My role
Biological data collection
Capacity building
Educational materials production
Photography
Biological Monitoring
The Salton Sea is one of the most vital bird habitats in North America
About 400 species have been observed in this part of the Coachella Valley. From pelicans to tiny shorebirds, the Salton Sea is a critical rest stop for millions of migrants each year.
The primary function of my work was to collect biological data at the Sea at a time when no other agencies were conducting systematic monitoring.
This data—particularly related to bird populations and habitat conditions—was shared with state and federal agencies operating at the Sea and helped establish a scientific baseline used to support wetland restoration projects and garner funding.
Killdeer stands alert on the pale edge of the Salton Sea.
Desert saltbush scrub occupies the transition zone between open playa and upland desert at the Salton Sea.
This ground-nesting plover adapted to open, exposed landscapes.
Killdeer stands alert on the pale edge of the Salton Sea.
Community Science & Capacity Building
High School Youth
A key component of the Eyes on the Sea program involved organizing and leading community science efforts focused on biological monitoring in the Eastern Coachella Valley. This region experiences some of the highest rates of respiratory illness in the United States, driven in part by the drying of the Salton Sea and the exposure of a lakebed saturated with chemicals from agricultural drainage. When it dries, the chemicals are released into the air, causing public health issues.
I worked closely with the environmental club at Indio High School to provide capacity and skills training to train students to understand, document, and communicate about health impacts affecting the Eastern Coachella Valley.
These same students co-organized a environmental conference with Audubon Salton Sea coalition partners including UC Riverside and a local news affiliate, reinforcing their role in solution-building.
Students learn hands-on monitoring techniques at the Salton Sea.
Students from Indio High participate in field-based biological monitoring.
Supporting elementary school students as they prepare a science fair presentation about the Salton Sea.
Students learn hands-on monitoring techniques at the Salton Sea.
College Students & Community Members
I worked closely with community college students pursuing degrees in natural resources management, biology, and ecology to provide capacity in biological monitoring.
This hands-on experience complemented their academic coursework and supported their progress toward their degrees.
Field days were designed to include not only college students, but also interested community members, leading to shared learning spaces where scientific monitoring became accessible, participatory, and rooted in local stewardship.
Tribal Collaboration and Environmental Stewardship
Cahuilla Wikikmallem (Bird Guide)
In collaboration with the Torres-Martinez Band of Desert Cahuilla Natural Resources Department, I developed a birding guide that centers Cahuilla perspectives on the Salton Sea. While focused on wildlife, the guide situates ecological knowledge within Indigenous histories that long predate European arrival and are often absent from contemporary land management narratives.
The Salton Sea is frequently described as a twentieth-century “mistake,” yet the Salton Basin is a terminal lake system that has naturally filled and dried many times over thousands of years as the course of the Colorado River shifted. Geological evidence documents repeated formations of a much larger lake known as Lake Cahuilla, while Cahuilla oral histories recall periods when the Salton Sink held water long before modern dams and diversions altered the river’s flow.
Recognizing these histories broadens our understanding of the land and underscores the importance of Indigenous knowledge in shaping how we understand—and care for—this landscape today.
