Newport Bay Conservancy

To preserve and protect the Upper Newport Bay and its watershed through education, restoration, research, and advocacy.

The Upper Newport Bay is truly a one-of-a-kind treasure. One of the few remaining natural estuaries on our coast, it's where fresh water and sea water meet to create a special habitat for fish, birds, and other wildlife. It is home to nearly 200 species of birds, including several endangered species, and numerous other animals and plants. Thousands of migratory birds arrive during the fall to spend the winter months here. The Bay and its surrounding bluffs and open space are a valued resource for a wide range of recreational activities including kayaking, paddle boarding, biking, hiking and birding, and are used by tens of thousands of local residents and visitors throughout the year.

The Newport Bay Conservancy, a nonprofit organization, traces its origin to the Friends of Newport Bay who campaigned to save the Bay from development in the 1960s. Our mission today is to preserve and protect this remarkable asset through education, restoration, research, and advocacy. To fulfill this mission, every year the Conservancy provides:

• Hands-on learning experiences for more than 4,000 young people, many from under-resourced areas.
• Interpretive tours, on land, kayaks and outrigger canoes for thousands of individuals reaching over 3,000 people.
• More than 1,000 hours of restoration work by our trained Naturalists and other volunteers, ranging from trail improvement and invasive plants removal to the restoration of nesting habitats for endangered species. 
• Seminars that bring together leading experts to find solutions for various challenges to the health of the Bay.
• Coordination with the City of Newport Beach, the County of Orange, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to insure the best management of the Bay's resources. 

For nearly fifty years, the Newport Bay Conservancy has been the leader in protecting the Bay and expanding its resources.