Celebrate San Diego Wetlands

On a calm stretch of Mission Bay, where salt marsh meets city, scientists, students, families, and volunteers gather each February to celebrate one of San Diego's most important, and often overlooked, ecosystems.

Love Your Wetlands Day takes place at the Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve, one of the last remaining coastal salt marshes in the region. The annual event brings together local researchers, conservation groups, and community members for a day of learning, exploration, and hands-on stewardship focused on the wetlands that quietly support wildlife, water quality, and coastal resilience.

Hosted by the UC San Diego Natural Reserve System in collaboration with the San Diego Bird Alliance and regional partners, Love Your Wetlands Day reflects the depth of environmental work happening across San Diego — from university research and habitat protection to community education and volunteer action.

Throughout the day, participants join guided walks through the marsh, learn from scientists studying native plants and migratory birds, and take part in stewardship activities that help care for this unique urban ecosystem. It’s the kind of event that feels distinctly San Diego: outdoors, collaborative, rooted in science, and deeply connected to place.

Kendall-Frost Marsh itself is a reminder of what makes the region special. Surrounded by a growing city, the reserve continues to provide vital habitat while offering opportunities for education and discovery — proof that conservation and community can coexist side by side.

Love Your Wetlands Day is just one example of how environmental stewardship is practiced and celebrated across San Diego. Through events like this, the region’s sustainability story is told by the people and organizations doing the work.