Amigos de Bolsa Chica is a non-profit volunteer organization formed in 1976 by a group of Huntington Beach residents to protect the Bolsa Chica wetlands from development. Concerned about the statewide loss of coastal wetlands, the Amigos de Bolsa Chica pledged to protect, preserve and acquire the Bolsa Chica and surrounding open space. We achieved major reductions to the development plans and spearheaded an effort that increased the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve to 1400 acres of wetland and upland. Biodiversity immediately increased upon completion of a large portion of a major restoration project in 2006. The Amigos have been offering educational programs to inform the public of the importance of preserving coastal wetlands since it began. Trained volunteer Naturalists lead several hundred students and scouts through the wetlands each year. The Amigos also offer a Community Science based program, Follow and Learn about the Ocean and Wetlands (FLOW) that provides education about the relationship between the ocean and the coastal wetlands. FLOW Community Scientists conduct weekly water quality testing and analysis, and host field trips for schools during the school year.