FRIENDS OF EDGEWOOD NATURAL PRESERVE
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FRIENDS OF EDGEWOOD NATURAL PRESERVE
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DOCENT WALKS START MARCH 11 By Carolyn Strange The docent-power manifested within this year’s walks schedule is the most robust in years — the schedule is almost completely full already! Our docent crew grew with a large training class last year, so we have plenty of docents ready to help visitors appreciate and enjoy this spring’s wildflower show as it progresses. Docent walks begin Saturday, March 11 and run every weekend through Sunday, June 11. We’re experimenting again with the Clarkia trailhead (at Cañada Rd.) on five Saturdays in April and May. Visitors found it last year, and were particularly abundant on the first Clarkia Saturday, requiring three docents! Turnout on other weekends was quite variable, perhaps due to weather. Docents like this approach to the serpentine grasslands, as do visitors who have experienced it, but we have to continue to get the word out to the public about this alternate walk. The Docent Program and Habitat Restoration Program are also experimenting with another collaboration again this year. Two special Saturday restoration sessions are planned during the walks season. Work locations are chosen to increase the likelihood that the docent tours will encounter the Weed Warriors, offering visitors a live, interactive interpretive display on invasive plants and the ongoing restoration work in the Preserve. To help with attracting visitors, we’ve tweaked and updated the flyer that was completely redesigned last year in a wonderful collaboration with the San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Foundation. As the enclosed flyer notes, the specific (and highly robust!) docent schedule appears on the Friends web site at http://www.friendsofedgewood.org/docent.htm. A PDF of the flyer is also available. Please help distribute the flyer around as much as possible. To help ensure that our docents are up-to-date on the latest goings on, we planned a Kickoff Meeting for March 1st. This year the agenda was packed, with guest presentations from Lee Franks, talking on bird conservation, and Dr. Stuart Weiss, talking about his research on the Bay checkerspot butterfly. In addition to our usual updates we also had a presentation from our “Digital Docents” who have created an incredibly useful new web-based flower identification resource for Edgewood [see article]. Docents are always eager for “continuing education” so they can better help visitors in making their own connections with Edgewood and Nature. Come out and join us for some walks in the Preserve! |
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