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SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017 LIVE IT UP! 5 I t's easy to let the winter season be a time of laziness, but how about making a com- mitment to move more this season? Here is one way to be active while discovering a new place: visit the Watsonville Sloughs. If you're open to hiking somewhere different from any state park or typical "nature spot" in the local area, the sloughs might be perfect. e trails are paved and five to eight feet wide. "While a fantastic nature experience, they wind through residential and commercial areas too," says Jonathan Pilch, Watsonville Wetlands Watch executive director. Since many are unfamiliar with the Watsonville sloughs, here is some background. As stated on the City of Watsonville's web site, the Wetlands of Watsonville are a system of six freshwater sloughs that provide a home to 23 species listed as endangered or threatened and over 250 bird species (the site currently says 220, but will be updated in the future to reflect the accurate amount). e City of Watsonville and non-profit organization Watsonville Wet- lands Watch work to preserve and enhance 800 acres of wetlands. ere are seven miles of trails that circum- navigate the trails throughout the wetlands. Trails in the city are along Struve Slough and Watsonville Slough. e other parts of the slough system do not currently have trails and have limited public access. A new park and nature trail along the Pajaro River that includes a kayak launch is located behind the city's water recycling facility on Clearwater Lane. e remaining wetlands are accessible through a variety of free tours hosted by Wat- sonville Wetlands Watch. ese tours begin in May and extend through the early fall. "One tour is a complete circumnaviga- tion of the slough system from the mouth of the Pajaro River and the confluence of the sloughs with the Pajaro River to the top of the watershed," said Pilch. e City of Watsonville manages the trail system in partnership with Watsonville Wetlands Watch. Pilch encourages locals to visit oen. "e Watsonville sloughs change throughout the year and season by season," he said. "e trails are a wonderful stand-alone experience, but there is also great beauty in walking them month by month and season by season to see the different cycles of the wetlands." e City of Watsonville's Nature Center offers free, family-friendly bilingual tours Sundays at 1:30 p.m. Cindy Scott, Environ- mental Educator with the city's Public Works and Utilities Dept., highly recommends these guided tours for first-time visitors. "Binoculars are provided," said Scott. "ere is great bird watching, but tours can also be tailored to visitors' interests." It's just under two miles, and lasts about two hours. Attendees meet at the Nature Center (30 Harkins Slough Road, in the back of Ramsay Park). Another option is visiting the Center weekends from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (current seasonal hours which will extend until 5 p.m. March-October). "You can view our exhibits and get some firsthand information to design your own walking tour," said Scott. Exhibits include wetland plants, animals, history and public works conservation programs. Staff are also available by appointment during the week to host guided walks for community groups including seniors. If you're not visiting during weekend hours, you can stop by anytime and get trail map brochures; these are available on the outside of the Center. Most of the trails are flat and therefore easy walking. ere are only a few short hills on some trails. e trail maps tell which are ADA compliant. Because most trails were created aer the City was built, many have a section that is on a street sidewalk. For an easy hike Scott recommends parking in back of West Marine on Westridge Drive off of Harkins-Slough Rd. at the trail- head. "You can have a beautiful, leisurely stroll up and back along Struve Slough," said Scott. is is the most popular hike among visitors. For a longer walk, continue over the bridge and walk on the other side of Struve Slough. If you're looking for something a little more strenuous, park at the Nature Center and start behind it, heading under the bridge and over to Ohlone Parkway. Cross the street in front of the school, and head to the right to pick up the trail that surrounds the Bay Breeze housing development on Struve Slough. Exit at the corner of Ohlone Parkway and Harkins Slough Rd. You can finish the "loop" by walk- ing up the hill on H.S. Rd. and back to Ramsay Park and the Nature Center. "is is the loop we walk for our guided nature walks on Sun- days, nearly two miles long," said Scott. If you enjoy bird watching, you're in for a treat. "e wetlands are like a 'hotel/restaurant' for migrating birds and are critical to their survival on their long journeys up and down the Pacific flyway," said Scott. e Center has many real examples of birds found in the wetlands, and nests and eggs. "We have lots of field guides and binoculars to borrow, plus knowledgeable staff," she added. "We are fast becoming an eco-tourism spot for birders." While hiking in the Wetlands, rare sightings have included American bitterns, golden eagles and bald eagles. "Occasion- ally rare birds are seen in the slough system, such as the common cuckoo that was seen in 2012, that normally migrates through Eurasia," said Pilch. Late February to early March marks the beginning of the bird mating season, so visi- tors will see courtship displays of red tailed hawks, Pied-billed Grebes, and red-winged blackbirds on which the red patches on the wing of males brighten with the mating season. American white pelicans, herons, kingfishers and egrets are seen year-round, and as the waters recede in the fall, migrating shorebirds can be seen. Whether your future includes bird watching, hiking, or both, here's to exploring new territories and having unique experi- ences in 2017! Resources: Watsonville Wetlands Watch, www.watsonvillewet- landswatch.org, 831-728-1156 Watsonville Nature Center, http://cityofwatsonville. org/public-works-utilities/conservation_outreach_ and_education_program/nature-center, 30 Harkins Slough Road, Watsonville, 831-768-1622 HIKING IN WATSONVILLE B Y T A R A F A T E M I W A L K E R C O N T R I B U T E D - L O R R A I N E M A R G O N