WildPlaces’ Volunteer Celebration & Open Office - October 25
The public is invited to WildPlaces’ “Open Office” night on Saturday, October 25, in the historic Elster Building in Springville. This year’s event will combine the non-profit organization’s annual volunteer appreciation party with an “Open Office” at WildPlaces’ new location. The evening will include art, music, light refreshments and informative multi-media presentations on WildPlaces programs and projects.
The public is invited to stop by anytime between 6:30 -8:30 p.m. to the WildPlaces office, located upstairs in the Elster Building, 35625 Hwy 190, #203. There is no admission to the event, although donations will be accepted.
Special guest artist Lilia Valencia from Mexico City will create a mandala made from local materials and honoring youth. Materials for the mandala will be collected from private forest land on October 24. The public is invited to help collect materials. Call (559) 539-5263 or e-mail mehmet@wildplaces.net for more information.
The evening’s program is also planned to include presentations and information on WildPlaces’ programs and projects including Immersed in the Wild, Rio Limpio and Sequoia Forest Days.
“This event is held to show appreciation to our members and tell stories about the work we are doing.” said Ian Herdell, Program Coordinator for WildPlaces.
“It’s free, informative and completely open to all members in the community. We want feedback, discussion and interest. We want to discover our common interests in the environment”, said Mehmet McMillan, Director of WildPlaces.
WildPlaces is a community based non-profit organization located in Springville, California in the foothills of the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Their mission is to preserve, support, and protect California's natural and rural places and the people of these landscapes through volunteer-driven habitat restoration, natural and cultural education, and career development.
WildPlaces Leads Students in “Immersed in the Wild” Event October 10-12
Ten students from La Sierra Continuation High School in Porterville will participate in an “Immersed in the Wild” camping and outdoor education event on October 10-12 at Dome Rock in the Giant Sequoia National Monument. The event is sponsored by the Springville-based non-profit group WildPlaces.
The activities and program of each Immersed in the Wild event are designed with input from the participating groups. The La Sierra students will participate in adult-led hands-on activities including Tule River clean-up (as part of WildPlaces’ Rio Limpio program), top-roping team and leadership skills, maintenance of the Giant Sequoia seedlings previously planted at the Trail of 100 Giants by WildPlaces’ volunteers, exploring the night sky with telescopes, plant and observation and drawing techniques. Additional critical-thinking sessions will involve the students in discussion about gangs, community responsibility and action.
Individuals or groups wishing to sponsor a student scholarship may contact Ian Herdell, Program Coordinator, at (559) 539-5263 or ian@wildplaces.net. The event is also funded in part by Save-the-Redwoods League, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and the Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council.
The Immersed in the Wild program was founded by Springville-based WildPlaces to provide single and multi-day outdoor programs that engage youth of diverse ages, backgrounds, and communities throughout California in land stewardship.
“Most of the students who participate in Immersed in the Wild have never had the opportunity to learn from and enjoy the wild lands that make up so much of California. It’s great to see the excitement that comes from a broader understanding of the world they are part of,” said Ian Herdell.
Previous Immersed in the Wild events in 2008 have involved students from Los Angeles and students from the Lamont, Arvin, and Weedpatch areas of the Central Valley.
WildPlaces is a community based non-profit organization located in Springville, California in the foothills of the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Their mission is to preserve, support, and protect California's natural and rural places and the people of these landscapes through volunteer-driven habitat restoration, natural and cultural education, and career development.
The Save-the-Redwoods League is an organization that, since 1918, has been dedicated to the protection of the California’s Redwood Trees.
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy initiates, encourages, and supports efforts that improve the environmental, economic and social well-being of the Sierra Nevada Region, its communities and the citizens of California.
The Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council protects and enhances watershed lands and uses, and invests in efforts to improve the lives of young Californians through connections with the outdoors.
Final Rio Limpio River Clean Up Event Scheduled for September 27
The closing event in the "Rio Limpio" Tule River clean up series for 2008 is scheduled for Saturday, September 27, 2008. Volunteers are needed to help remove litter from several popular areas along the Tule River and to help educate the public on how to help care for these public recreation areas. The event coincides with National Public Lands Day, a nation-wide event of activity and celebration of volunteers taking care of America's public lands.
Volunteers are invited to meet at 8:30 a.m. on September 27 at the Springville Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Springville. The event will last until noon. Carpools will be organized to various areas along the river, and each area will be supervised by a trained volunteer. Participants should wear long pants and sturdy shoes and bring sunscreen, a hat and water bottle. All other materials will be provided. Bilingual volunteers are especially encouraged to participate, and all volunteers will be invited to voice their ideas and opinions on river-use issues such as graffiti, respect for river, gang activity and litter.
All volunteers who participate in the river clean up will be treated to a free barbeque lunch at Upper Coffee Camp Recreation Area beginning at 12 noon.
The day's events also includes a Hazardous Waste Roundup at Camp Nelson, 17 miles above Springville, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Area residents can drop off the following items to be safely disposed of free of charge: aerosol cans, automotive fluids, auto batteries, garden chemicals/pesticides, gasoline, household cleaners, poisons, paints, pool chemicals, solvents, used motor oil and oil filters, fluorescent lamps and tubes, and household batteries.
"The last Rio Limpio clean up is really a culmination of all of the hard work and time that our volunteers have put into to making these events successful throughout the season. Our volunteer force of close to 200 volunteers were able to collect over 250 bags of trash this summer and our outreach campaign to river users has been very successful. It's been a great season and we look forward to the next year! said Nick Hernandez, Rio Limpio River Coordinator.
"We were very fortunate to have such great volunteers come out to each event this summer and truly become river stewards. They can now take this knowledge and educate others and that is what this project is all about," said Ian Herdell of WildPlaces.
Previous Rio Limpio 2008 events took place May 31, July 5 and August 23. Short videos of those events can be viewed at http://youtube.com/user/WildPlaces93265.
Rio Limpio is a project of the Tule River Partnership, a group formed in March 2008 when two Sierra Nevada Conservancy Grants were awarded to Community Services & Employment Training (CSET) to improve conditions along the Tule River. WildPlaces, CSET
and the U.S. Forest Service formed the partnership to develop activities to decrease river
and associated land pollution through river clean-ups, recycling options, graffiti abatement, and
education.
Participating organizations and sponsors include Tule River Parkway Association, Army Corps of Engineers, California Conservation Corps, Boy Scouts of America, Porterville Art
Association, Spruce Up Springville, Springville Community Club, California Land Management, Consolidated Waste Management Authority, Sierra Trophy, Keep California Beautiful, the Dolores Huerta Foundation, the Comision Honorifica Mexicana y Americana, American Rivers, Tulare Athletic Club and Project 180.
WildPlaces & River Ridge Institute to hold "StarFeast VII" September 23
The public is invited to "STARFEAST VII", an annual dinner, dance, silent auction plus raffle, outdoor film screening and night hike at River Ridge Ranch in Springville , CA . The event will be held on Saturday, September 23 beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the Main Pavilion at River Ridge Ranch, 37794 Balch Park Road in Springville , CA 93265 .
Live bands: The ThriftStore AllStars with Victoria Williams www.myspace.com/thriftstoreallstars and www.creekdipping.com plus Porterville's Awaken the Kraken will provide an excellent musical experience from 7 p.m. until late.
Silent Auction Items include one ton 1979 GMC Stake side/Flatbed, hand woven rugs, Gregory Backpacks, Handcrafted Items, massage certificates, theatre tickets, art, gift baskets, vacation getaways, professionally guided fly fishing trip, Vasque hiking boots and more. (Items on display in Springville at old hardware store).
The raffle will offer art pieces by Ray West of Sequoia Forest Pottery, handcrafted furniture by Jim Deesing and a metal art piece by Dean Diaz de Leon .
Also during the evening, the Academy-Award winning animated film "The Man Who Planted Trees" will be shown on a large outdoor screen. Based on the inspirational story by Jean Giono, the film tells the story of a solitary shepherd who patiently plants seeds and acorns without thought of personal reward, and transforms a barren landscape into a forest of a thousand trees.
Proceeds from the event will benefit River Ridge Institute and will also be the annual appreciation party for members and volunteers of WildPlaces . Cost of tickets is $25 ($8 for current WildPlaces' members and volunteers, new memebrs welcome) and may be purchased from WildPlaces (559.539.5263) or River Ridge Ranch (559.539.0207). Tickets will be available at the door the night of the event. Members and volunteer tickets are available by contacting WildPlaces at 559.539.5263, at info@wildplaces.net or just come to the office at 35549 Hwy 190, Springville.
Vendors donating food and beverages for the evening include Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Aidell Sausages, Three Sisters Farmstead and Butterfield Stage Winery. The Porterville Optimist Club is handling the cooking. Dinner is included in the price of admission and the event will feature a no-host bar.
This event is handicap and elder accessible.
River Ridge Institute is the non-profit (501C3) arm of River Ridge Ranch; the Institute provides all the programs and events on the unique combination of working cattle ranch, recreation and education guest ranch in oak savannah foothills of the western Sierra Nevada . The environmentally-conscious 722-acre ranch includes the North Fork Tule River and borders the 323,000 acre Giant Sequoia National Monument.
For more information, contact WildPlaces at (559) 539-5263 or info@wildplaces.net or River Ridge at (559)539-0207.
Restoration Events in September
August 24, 2005
WildPlaces continues it's monthly "First Saturday" and "First Sunday" events with three restoration and education programs during the Labor Day Weekend. Area residents as well as Holiday visitors are invited to take part in one or all of these events, designed as an introduction to WildPlaces and restoration opportunities in this region.
Saturday September 3 from 5-6 pm will be WildPlaces' monthly "First Saturdays Wine & Cheese Tour." WildPlaces staff will lead participants on a tour of one of several private properties in our local area demonstrating active restoration in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Participants should wear good walking shoes, sunscreen and a hat. The tour will take approximately one hour with refreshments and discussion following. All ages are welcome. Rangeland property owners and land managers are especially encouraged to attend. Participants should meet at the WildPlaces office, 35549 Highway 190, Springville. Signing up before Saturday is recommended but not mandatory.
Also on September 3, from 8-11am , will be the Monthly Volunteer Work Day. A project at the nursery, restoration site, office or other WildPlaces project location will be chosen based on volunteer sign-ups. Anyone interested in helping restore and protect our rural environment is encouraged to sign up and meet at the WildPlaces office Saturday morning. Sunday September 4 will be a Volunteer Meadow Care & Giant Sequoia Give A-Way. Those attending will participate in the planting & care of trees at Camp Nelson Meadow. Those interested should meet at the John. M. Nelson Meadow, Camp Nelson. at 9 a.m. The event is expected to last until noon. Residents of High Sierra communities including Pierpoint, Cedar Slope, Ponderosa, and Sequoia Crest may also take home a Giant Sequoia seedling to plant on their private property. Planting and Care instructions will be provided.
To sign up or for more information: (559) 539-5263 or info@wildplaces.net Prior sign up is encouraged but not required to participate.
WildPlaces is currently holding its annual membership drive. All private donations through 2005 will qualify WildPlaces for matching funds through a National Forest Foundation Grant.
WildPlaces is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and protection of California's wild and rural places and the peoples who are part of these native landscapes through volunteer-driven habitat restoration, environmental restoration and career development.
WildPlaces & River Ridge Iinstitute Announce 2005 "Starfeast VI"
August 18, 2005
The public is invited to "STARFEAST VI", an annual dinner, dance, and star-gazing party at River Ridge Ranch in Springville, CA. The event will be held on Saturday, September 24 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Main Pavilion at River Ridge Ranch, 37794 Balch Park Road, Springville.
Proceeds from the event benefit River Ridge Institute and WildPlaces. The event will also be the annual appreciation party for WildPlaces, and members and volunteers of WildPlaces can receive complimentary tickets by calling WildPlaces or by coming to the office at 35549 Hwy 190, Springville, or by e-mailing info@wildplaces.net.
Cost of tickets for all others is $25 and may be purchased from WildPlaces or River Ridge. Tickets can also be purchased at Atherton Properties, located at 35543 Hwy 190, Springville. Tickets may also be available at the door.
Live music will be provided by Jill Warren. Members of the Tule River Astronomers will be on hand to provide information on events in the night sky and will assist the public with star and planet-viewing.
Admission will also include food and a no-host bar.
WildPlaces is an ecological restoration and education non-profit group dedicated to the preservation, protection and restoration of California's wild and rural places and the people who are part of these native landscapes through volunteer-driven habitat restoration, environmental and cultural education, political advocacy and career development.
River Ridge Institute is the non-profit (501C3) arm of River Ridge Ranch; the Institute provides all the programs and events.
River Ridge Ranch is a unique combination of working cattle ranch, recreation and education guest ranch in oak savannah foothills of the western Sierra Nevada. The environmentally-conscious 722-acre ranch borders the Tule River and the 323,000 acre Giant Sequoia National Monument.
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WildPlaces Invites Public To Free Tour, Restoration Events
July 28, 2005
WildPlaces will continue its monthly series of tours and restoration events on Saturday and Sunday, August 6 and 7. The public is invited to take part in one or all three events, and all ages and abilities are welcome to participate.
The weekend's events begin with the Monthly Volunteer Work Day on Saturday, August 6. A project at the nursery, restoration site, office or other WildPlaces project location will be chosen based on volunteer sign-ups. Previous work days have included planting oak trees and other native plants, clearing invasive plants, seed collection, and caring for plants at the nursery site. Meet at the WildPlaces office at 35549 Highway 190, Springville, at 8 a.m. The project is expected to last until 11 a.m.
Also on Saturday, August 6, WildPlaces' will offer its "First Saturdays Wine & Cheese Tour." The free tour is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. but early sign-up is recommended in case the time is changed due to the weather. WildPlaces staff will lead participants on a tour of one of several private properties in our local area demonstrating active restoration in the Sierra Nevada foothills. The tour will take approximately one hour with refreshments and discussion following. All ages are welcome. Sturdy shoes, hats and sunscreen are recommended. Rangeland property owners and land managers are especially encouraged to attend. Participants should meet at the WildPlaces office and plan to car-pool the site.
On Sunday August 7 from 9 a.m.-12noon, a Volunteer Meadow Care & Giant Sequoia Give A-Way will take place at the John M. Nelson Meadow at Camp Nelson, 17 miles above Springville. Volunteers will care for previously planted Giant Sequoia trees at the meadow. Residents of High Sierra communities including Pierpont, Cedar Slope, Ponderosa, and Sequoia Crest may also take home a Giant Sequoia seedling to plant on their private property. Planting and Care instructions will be provided.
Prior sign up is encouraged for all events, but is not required to participate. To sign up and for more information: (559) 539-5263 or info@wildplaces.net. WildPlaces is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and protection of California's wild and rural places and the peoples who are part of these native landscapes through volunteer-driven habitat restoration, environmental restoration and career development.
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WildPlaces Announces July Native Youth River Days at Kennedy Meadows
June 30, 2005
The public is invited to participate in a restoration and education event at Kennedy Meadows Campground, on the South Fork of the Kern River, on July 22-24.
The sponsors of the event are WildPlaces, Daughters of Tradition, the Sierra Nevada Alliance, and the Monache Intertribal Association.
The first two days of the event will focus on education and training activities focusing on children. Adults are also welcome. Camping will be available at Kennedy Meadows campground.
On July 24, the public is invited to participate in a restoration event that the youth will help organize and lead.
The sessions will be taught by educators and land management leaders from throughout California. Some of the groups that will participate in the three-day event include the Southern Sierra Research Station, Audubon's Kern River Preserve, and the U.S. Forest Service.
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WILDPLACES INVITES PUBLIC TO FOURTH OF JULY TOURS AND EVENTS
June 24, 2005
The public is invited to three restoration events going on over the 4th of July weekend. Area residents as well as Holiday visitors are invited to take part in one or all of these restoration events, sponsored by the Springville-based non-profit group WildPlaces.
Saturday July 2 from 5-6 pm will be WildPlaces' monthly "First Saturdays Wine & Cheese Tour." WildPlaces staff will lead participants on a tour of one of several private properties in our local area demonstrating active restoration in the Sierra Nevada foothills. The tour will take approximately one hour with refreshments and discussion following. All ages are welcome. Rangeland property owners and land managers are especially encouraged to attend. Participants should meet at the WildPlaces office, 35549 Highway 190, Springville.
Also on July 2, from 8-11am , will be the Monthly Volunteer Work Day. A project at the nursery, restoration site, office or other WildPlaces project location will be chosen based on volunteer sign-ups. Anyone interested in helping restore and protect our rural environment is encouraged to sign up and meet at the WildPlaces office Saturday morning.
Sunday July 3 will be a Volunteer Meadow Care & Giant Sequoia Give A-Way. Those attending will participate in the planting & care of trees at Camp Nelson Meadow. Those interested should meet at the John. M. Nelson Meadow, Camp Nelson. at 9 a.m. The event is expected to last until noon. Residents of High Sierra communities including Pierpoint, Cedar Slope, Ponderosa, and Sequoia Crest may also take home a Giant Sequoia seedling to plant on their private property. Planting and Care instructions will be provided.
To sign up or for more information: (559) 539-5263 or info@wildplaces.net Prior sign up is encouraged but not required to participate.
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PUBLIC INVITED TO OAK TREE EVENT
May 6, 2005
The public is invited to take part in a "Tree Measuring Day" Tuesday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m near the corner of West Castle Avenue and Salsbury streets in the city of Porterville, the site of a centuries-old Valley Oak tree slated to be cut down by Smee Builders as part of their Meadow Breeze Estates housing development.
The tree was last measured in 1997 as part of a Valley Oak survey done by volunteers to map and document the remaining trees in the city of Porterville and surrounding regions. At that time the tree measured 85 feet tall and wide with a breast-height-diameter of five feet, five inches, according to Cathy Capone, a Porterville teacher and owner of Cal Natives Nursery, who led the survey effort.
The Tree Measuring Day is organized by a group of local citizens and groups.
The purpose of the event is to focus attention on the lack of any ordinance protecting Porterville's few remaining oak trees. Organizers also hope to convince Gary Smee, owner of Smee Builders, to modify the development plans to save the giant oak tree, which borders the project and is slated to be removed in order to widen West Castle Avenue on the north edge of the development.
The project plan for the housing development was approved by the Porterville City Council in February 2004, although questions have surfaced since that time on the accuracy of the environmental report completed by Porterville city staff. The report, which is available from city staff, concluded that the site was vacant and contained no natural habitat.
"This is a typical example of why Tulare County and City of Porterville must adopt a preservation strategy, alternatives to and enforceable consequences for destroying oak woodlands and savannas. By doing so, Tulare County will join California in ensuring the future of a western ecological and economic heritage," according to Mehmet McMillan, Executive Director of WildPlaces, an ecological restoration and education nonprofit group based in Springville.
The volunteer citizen group, working under the acronym H.O.P.E. (Heritage Oaks Protection Effort), will also be undertaking to update the 1997 survey, which found fewer than 40 oak trees left in Porterville as large as the one on the West Castle Avenue property.
"We must retain each heritage oak that we can. These trees are over 300 years old. If we cut them down we will never see them in our community again. These heritage oaks grew and matured before Porter Putnam and the other settlers came and sat in their shade. Retaining significant trees improves the liveability of our neighborhoods and retains a little of the grandure of nature that was this land," said Cathy Capone.
For more information, contact Cathy Capone at (559)361-5964 or Mehmet McMillan at WildPlaces at (559)539-5263.
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WILDPLACES WINS TULARE COUNTY WRAP AWARD
February 10, 2005
Tulare County Resource Management Agency, the Consolidated Waste Management Authority and Tulare County Youth Corp announced today that Champion Home Builders Company (Lindsay) and WildPlaces (Springville) were the 2004 Waste Reduction Award Program winners. Each business will receive a $1000.00 Cash Award for their excellence in waste reduction and conservation practices.
Now in its sixth year, the WRAP is open to businesses located in Tulare County and recognizes business practices that reduce waste, reuse materials and send less to landfills. The purpose of the award is to promote and stimulate additional private sector advances in waste reduction, encourage more businesses in Tulare County to voluntarily participate in waste reduction efforts and decrease the amount of waste sent to landfills.
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WILDPLACES RECEIVE $35OO GRANT FROM SIERRA NEVADA ALLIANCE
February 2, 2005
WildPlaces, a Springville-based nonprofit focusing on ecological restoration and education projects throughout the Southern Sierra Nevada foothill regions and Sequoia National Forest/Giant Sequoia National Monument, has been awarded a $3500 Grant by the Sierra Nevada Alliance. The Grant award will be used to fund "Creek Stewardship Days" on the Upper and Middle Forks of the Kern River during July 2005.
The Creek Stewardship Days event will focus on traditional and Native American aspects of the river community and will be a tremendous chance for local residents, Native American youth and groups, and businesses to participate in restoration, education, and protection of their local, historic, and cherished rivers, lakes, streams, and naturally-occurring springs in the Kern River watershed.
Planned activities during the event include an overnight camping event, with a special emphasis on Native American youth between the ages of eight-12, to provide education on River health and protection. Other activities planned include instruction in the use of water-testing kits and preparation of water-quality reports and education on watershed restoration and protection, Native American uses, and current organized-agency and regulation-mandated efforts at watershed management.
Among the agencies participating in The Creek Stewardship Days event will be Monache Inter-Tribal Association, Daughters of Tradition, Audubon's Kern River Preserve, the Nuuni Cuuni Indian Cultural Center, USFS and the California Dept. of Fish and Game.
WildPlaces is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of California's wild and rural places and its peoples through volunteer-driven habitat restoration, environmental and cultural education, political advocacy and career development.
The Sierra Nevada Alliance is a regional coalition of over 50 grassroots and regional groups working in the Sierra to protect and restore the natural and community values of California's most cherished mountain range.
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WILDPLACES OFFERS FREE GIANT SEQUOIA TREES
November 22, 2004
The non-profit group WildPlaces will offer free Giant Sequoia tree seedlings to residents of the mountain communities above Springville on Saturday, December 4. The event will take place at the John M. Nelson Meadow in Camp Nelson, CA from 10 am - 2 pm. All residents and property owners of Pierpoint, Sequoia Crest, Ponderosa, Quaking Aspen, Cedar Slope, Camp Nelson, and other high mountain forest areas are encouraged to take advantage of this offer and plant one or more Giant Sequoia trees on their property.
"The protection and restoration of our southern Sierra forests must occur first from the people who live, work, and play in them. Land management strategies on private lands should utilize and preserve the native forest character as much as possible. Planting and protecting native species such as Giant Sequoia and Blue oaks are important steps in recognizing the value and importance of the native habitat," said Mehmet McMillan, WildPlaces Director.
Volunteers collected the Giant Sequoias seeds in from the Trail of 100 Giants. They were propagated by Cal Native Nursery in Porterville by owner Cathy Capone and cared for by Cal Native and WildPlaces staff and volunteers. Over 1,000 Giant Sequoia trees are available free of charge to individuals and groups, and planting and care instruction will also be provided. Trees will not be available to dealers or commercial growers.
WildPlaces will also have a limited number of blue oak and valley oak tree seedlings for owners and residents of lower elevation properties.
Also available throughout the event will be information on mountain lions and their interactions with humans. Many area residents have reported an increase in the frequency of sightings with the big cats this year and WildPlaces will take this opportunity to provide area residents with increased knowledge and a chance to express their concerns. Robin Galloway, Wildlife Biologist for the Tule River/Hot Springs Ranger Districts of the U.S. Forest Service will be answering questions throughout the event, and literature handouts will also be available from the Mountain Lion Foundation.
The John M. Nelson Meadow is located in central Camp Nelson, off of Highway 190, 17 miles above Springville. Visitors attending from lower elevations should be prepared for snow conditions and dress for high elevation weather. The event will take place, rain, snow, or shine.
WildPlaces is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and protection of California's wild and rural places and the peoples who are part of these native landscapes through volunteer-driven habitat restoration, environmental restoration and career development.
For more information, contact WildPlaces at (559) 539-5263 or Robin Galloway at (559) 539-2607 ext. 280.
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WILDPLACES AND USFS ANNOUNCE "ACORN PLANTING DAYS"
October 22, 2004
Our oak woodland ecosystems are a valuable part of California's legacy. In a cooperative spirit, WildPlaces and the U.S. Forest Service are pleased to invite volunteers to take action locally to help perpetuate and conserve this rural landscape, and the opportunities it provides. "Acorn Planting Days" will take place on Saturday, November 6th and 13th at the Forest Service Workstation, 36083 Hwy 190, in Springville, Ca. from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM both days. There will be jobs for people of all ages and abilities, and families with children and seniors are encouraged to participate. Volunteers are asked to bring their own gardening gloves if desired, all other tools and equipment will be provided. Participants may bring a sack lunch; beverages will be provided.
During September and October volunteers living in and around the southern Sierra Nevada foothills collected over 500 acorns from blue oak and valley oak trees in preparation for this propagation project. Following planting, the young oak trees will be raised in the nursery for six months to a year and eventually be used for various educational events promoting oak woodland awareness, as well as other restoration projects.
"This is a great project allowing a public agency, private citizens and a non-profit group to define a common interest and work together to achieve common goals", said WildPlaces director Mehmet McMillan. "I strongly believe that this type of joint effort is needed throughout California, and we're pleased to be able to work in the southern Sierra Nevada. WildPlaces is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration and protection of California's wild and rural places and the peoples who are part of these native landscapes through volunteer-driven habitat restoration, environmental and cultural education, political advocacy and career development.
"Our oak woodland habitats are a critical resource utilized by an immense diversity of wildlife species in California," said Robin Galloway, Wildlife Biologist for the Tule River/Hot Springs Ranger Districts. "Since much of the State's oak habitats occur on private lands, it is our hope that continued education about their unique value will encourage land owners to consider and retain oaks in the management of their lands."
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WILDPLACES TO MAKE PRESENTATION IN CAMP NELSON
October 8, 2004
The locally based ecological restoration and education non-profit group WildPlaces will hold a House Party and Presentation on Saturday, October 16, 2004 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Camp Nelson Lodge, 1699 Nelson Drive, Camp Nelson, CA.
Wine, appetizers and deserts will be served along with a brief presentation highlighting WildPlaces projects in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains and in Southeast Alaska's Inside Passage. Past and upcoming community-supported projects in the Southern Sierra region including the Springville and Sequoia National Forests will be featured, along with an opportunity to build community fellowship and education.
Guests are asked to join with open minds and generous hearts for this unique and rewarding experience. Donations on a sliding scale are requested. Those interested in attending should call (559) 542-2680 to RSVP and for directions.
WildPlaces is a 501(c) 3 non profit organization whose mission is to preserve, restore and protect California's wild and rural places and their peoples through volunteer-driven habitat restoration, environmental and cultural education, political advocacy and career development.
Camp Nelson is located 17 miles above Springville, CA along State Highway 190.
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