The Placerita Canyon Nature Center’s Annual Open House drew hundreds of adults and children this May 11, 2019. Nestled in the San Gabriel Mountains along the Santa Clarita Valley’s southern boundary the public shared another wonderful day and enriching experience.
As always, FSCR’s booth had large educational displays; including maps of the Santa Clara River Watershed, photo poster of FSCR’s accomplishments at Hedrick Ranch Natural Area (HRNA), and National Wildlife Federation’s information encouraging visitors to create backyard habitat. FSCR volunteers alert visitors to our local Theodore Payne Foundation, in Sun Valley, for native plants to convert their home gardens into mini-wildlife corridors through towns and suburbs.
Local Santa Clarita Valley environmental activist and SCOPE member, Lynne Winner, helped at our booth this year. She shared her knowledge as she learned about FSCR’s work and what we share with the public about our watershed.
Most of the visitors know there’s a Santa Clara River, but we expand their awareness with the Friends’ HRNA restoration in Santa Paula as a model for wetland restoration in this watershed. Friends’ efforts for the Steelhead Trouts’ plight for free passage to their historic spawning tributaries & the Pacific Ocean. Participation in the Ethnobotany Garden in Piru as an outdoor volunteer opportunity to educate the public about water conservation, precious pollinators, native plants & our local Indigenous Peoples’ Chumash and Tataviam cultures.
Guests at the Open House are always supportive and interested. They understand and love the natural world, making the Open House more like an annual Homecoming. Winner’s help allowed me to spend time meeting our hosts, the Placerita Nature Center’s staff and volunteers, and finally put faces to names.
It was a good day all around. Wish you could have been there. Join us in May 2020.
Barbara Wampole – Vice Chair FSCR
Friends of the Santa Clara River 