Since retiring in 2006 from the Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Connor has focused her energy on teaching today’s youth about our government and the court system. Today, retired Justice O’Connor spoke in both Monterey and Watsonville, stopping at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve for a short visit hosted by the Elkhorn Slough Foundation.
Elkhorn Slough is the largest tract of tidal salt marsh remaining in California outside of San Francisco. This ecological treasure at the center of the Monterey Bay coastline provides much-needed habitat for hundreds of species of plants, animals, and birds. The seven-mile slough had been designated a marine protected area and is currently home to the largest concentration of Southern sea otters on the coast.
“The Elkhorn Slough has so much for people to learn, do, and experience,” stated Justice O’Connor. This was not her first trip to the slough. Justice O’Conner had visited a number of times before with her former Stanford University roommate and longtime friend, Diane Porter Cooley, a founding member of the Elkhorn Slough Foundation. “It’s just wonderful.” Justice O’Conner commented.
Mark Silberstein, Executive Director of the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, gave Justice O’Connor a short tour of the Reserve’s Visitor Center. “We’ve hosted a number of dignitaries at the Elkhorn Slough and it is always an honor.” stated Mark Silberstein. “It was extra special to welcome Justice O’Connor. She has had an enormous impact on American history and remains humble with a wonderful sense of humor.” Silberstein continued, “We are grateful to be able to share our little bit of paradise with her.”
Justice O’Connor’s new book, Out of Order: Stories from the History of the Supreme Court, will be released on March 5. The book sheds light on the centuries of change and upheaval that transformed the Supreme Court from its uncertain beginnings into the remarkable institution that thrives and endures today.
Sandra Day O’Connor’s visit to the slough was brief, but like the conservation efforts that occur daily at the Elkhorn Slough, it will not be forgotten soon.
The 1,700-acre Elkhorn Slough Reserve is managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife with additional funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
The Elkhorn Slough Foundation (ESF), the Reserve’s non-profit partner, has spent the past three decades supporting the Reserve and working to protect the Elkhorn Slough.
To learn more about both the Reserve and the Foundation visit www.elkhornslough.org.
Elkhorn Slough Foundation Executive Director, Mark Silberstein, discusses wetlands with retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor while visiting the Elkhorn Slough Reserve.