Big Parties This Week Celebrate Oregon Coast Beach Bill

Published 07/03/2017 at 5:24 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Oregon Coast) – A full and heady roster of events is planned in the days after Fourth of July to celebrate yet another landmark moment in American history: the Oregon Beach Bill. On July 6, it will be exactly 50 years since Gov. McCall signed legislation that allowed the Oregon coast to be the pristine attraction that it is today, and the biggest tourist destination in the state.

Environmental stewardship groups Oregon Shores and CoastWatch are putting on many of them. Events happen on the north and south coast, as well as Salem.

Wednesday, July 5, Cannon Beach: Coastal ecologist Stewart Schultz speaks on beach ecology at the Cannon Beach Community Hall at 7 p.m. Learn about the fascinating world beneath our feet on the day before the big beach walk around this north Oregon coast town.

Dr. Schultz (pictured at right) will describe the life found on the shore and within the sands. Tidepools are fascinating to many, but beach ecosystems, while less visible and less well-known, are an equally fascinating realm.

Schultz has wide-ranging experience in studying the Oregon coast, and he has a doctorate in botany as well as extensive studies of marine ecology.

Cannon Beach Community Hall is at 207 N. Spruce St. The event is free and open to all, whether participating in the next day’s beachwalk or not.

Wednesday, July 5, Bandon: Beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Bandon Public Library, Fawn Custer, volunteer coordinator for Coast Watch, will speak briefly on the Beach Bill and what it means to CoastWatch and Oregon Shores. Then, she will turn the evening over to two marine mammalogists, who will explain how citizens can help to track the animals that strand on the shore:
https://oregonshores.org/events/bandon-marine-mammal-talk.

On Thursday, July 6 in Cannon Beach, it's the main event. Everyone gathers at the Cannon Beach Community Hall at 1:30 p.m. for walk on the shoreline, one which celebrates the state's history and where attendees can re-dedicate themselves to maintaining this legacy. After returning to the hall, there are talks and a party with beer and pizza.

This is the actual date of the anniversary of the Oregon Beach Bill, and here CoastWatch is partnering with its colleagues at the Haystack Rock Awareness Program.

Starting out at the Cannon Beach Community Hall (207 N. Spruce St.), everyone embarks on the walk at 2:15 p.m. Along the way, you'll hear about the history of Oregon's public beaches and its natural history, as the group is accompanied by coastal ecologist extraordinaire Stewart Schultz, author of The Northwest Coast: A Natural History, coastal geologist Tom Horning, photographer and renowned conservation leader Neal Maine, and several other knowledgeable guides.

Then everyone loops back to the Community Hall for speakers and a party (beginning at approximately 3:45 to 4 p.m). There, you'll hear from Bob Bailey, now an Oregon Shores board member and formerly head of the state's Coastal Management Program, who will talk on the history of the Beach Bill and of coastal conservation in Oregon.

Also speaking: famed hiking author Bonnie Henderson (Day Hiking: Oregon Coast, Strand and other works), who will discuss the shoreline's long history as a public right-of-way and the ongoing story of the Oregon Coast Trail. Continuing the party, there will be beer and pizza.

Thursday, July 6, Bandon: Join Fawn Custer at Coquille Point at noon for a ceremonial walk, with plenty of opportunity to learn about shoreline ecology and marine mammals: https://oregonshores.org/events/south-coast-beach-bill-beachwalk. For more information, contact Fawn Custer at (541) 270-0027

Saturday, July 8, Salem: State Parks is throwing a Beach Bill bash on the Capitol Mall, and CoastWatch will be there. Swing by and visit with Volunteer Coordinator Fawn Custer and Oregon Shores board member Bob Bailey. There will be activities, booths, and exhibits on the Capitol Mall - and Oregon Shores will have information for party-goers about how we can protect our shoreline for the next 50.

It takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Capitol Mall in Salem. There will be an exhibit about the Beach Bill in the Capitol itself, and special tours all day. The event is free. Oregon Coast Hotels for these events - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

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