Events & views -January 2010
In This Edition
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JANUARY 2010 Newsletter |
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Our Morel Compass: Lessons From a Mushroom Foray
by Allan Berkowitz, Executive Director
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Recently we organized a donor appreciation event, a mushroom foray, in Portola State Park. On a very chilly Sunday morning, 20 of us gathered in a redwood forest and learned about the rather amazing world of mushrooms. Our guide, Norm from the San Francisco Mycological Society, is the mushroom equivalent of an EV: very knowledgeable, very passionate, and excited to share with eager learners. |
I can only share a few amazing facts with you (partially because of space limitations; partially because
I also learned, once again, about perspective in -- and on -- nature. Some notes on perspective: We didn’t really go on a mushroom hike, or even a mushroom walk. We barely got 25 yards beyond the parking lot! Once we started looking for them, we managed to spend an hour and a half discovering many mushrooms nearby. How often have many of us found ourselves in a forest and not realized the wonderful world of mushrooms that surrounds us? It was a reminder that nature is right there…and here…and everywhere. At one point I realized we spent the whole time looking downward for small fungi (obviously that’s where mushrooms grow). I looked up at the tree next to me and I looked up and up and up. It was a magnificent, majestic redwood towering skyward. I pointed it out to the group, you know, for some perspective. Our guide commented, “birders spend the whole time looking up; mycologists spend the whole time looking down.” I think birders should look down occasionally, and mycologists should look up. The rest of us? For the most balanced perspective, we should venture out with both birders and mycologists. The world of mushrooms is a perfectly diverse community: they come in many colors; some are big and others are very small; some are tough, not easily picked off; others are fragile. Sticky. Smooth. Fragrant. Odorless. Poisonous. Nourishing. Each one is unique and each one has its valuable role in the forest. When we lump together members of a species or group (fungi or human), we place blinders on ourselves and we fail to see the valuable role individuals bring to the ecosystem we call ‘community’. And when we do that, dare I say, we lose our morel compass. To see some more pictures of the foray shared by EV Leslie Larson, click here. |
School Services Update
by Anita Rodriguez-McCaffrey, Program Services Coordinator
This December, the Environmental Volunteers provided 879 students innovative environmental science education in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. That is 164 more than last December. Also, our 119 volunteers performed a total of 207 volunteer hours. WOW! Thank you EVs for all you do!!! |
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| Here are some fun quotes from Thank You notes we recieved from the children we serve: |
"I had lots of fun when you came to our school also when I looked for bones in owls pellet it was fun but also gross." -Naomi, 4th Grade Eisenhower Elementary (drew image above) "Thank you for being so nice and coming to our school and teaching us. I know that fish have straght fins and whales have flat fins. I also know that lots of creature live in the sea. I know that seaweeds can be hard soft or rughf." -Jason, 3rd Grade George Mayne Elementary image to left drawn by Patrick, 3rd Grade George Mayne Elementary |
Volunteering for your New Year's Resolution
by Brittany Sabol, Education & Training Director
As you counted down to midnight New Year’s Eve, did you make a New Year’s resolution? Most people make resolutions involving gym membership, or less chocolate. But maybe yours includes doing more volunteering. Or maybe you want to do more in your community regardless of the month on the calendar. We would love to help you reach your goals. Sign up to become an Environmental Volunteer. No experience is required. We provide all the training you need. Please contact Brittany for more information and to get an application. |
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Who's News: Jamie Ostrov
by Jan Whitmer
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One of our new volunteers, Jamie Ostrov is passionate about nature and excited to be a part of the Environmental Volunteers. Looking for ways to give back to the community, she “found” the EV through Craigslist—an interesting connection. In addition to helping with services, Jamie also loves to draw and paint and has volunteered to work on new badges for us! |
Jaime’s interest in nature hearkens back to her childhood. Growing up on 5 acres of land in the beautiful hills and forests around Tallahassee, FL, she says her family home accommodated more animals than people! Because her mother was an animal lover, they were always taking in orphan raccoons and baby birds. Jamie spent a lot of time in the woods, preferring to get her feet dirty to sitting in a classroom. So it is not surprising that she is a “bird nerd” who notices hawks along the road instead of signs. Jamie’s college education followed a different path, though, as she graduated from Georgia Tech in Atlanta with a degree in industrial product design. While there, she was on the varsity track team, specializing in the high jump. During the summers, though, Jamie went back to nature, serving as a wilderness ranger in the Trinity Alps. After graduation, she worked in Atlanta for several years as a producer in television, then moved to the Bay Area 3 years ago to work as a sustainability consultant for Saatchi and Saatchi S. As such, she designed education programs for Fortune 500 companies and was responsible for the “greening” of WalMart. For fun, Jamie enjoys swimming, biking, and yoga. She recently went on a mushroom hunt and maintains an organic garden, as she loves to cook (a natural for the EV)! Jamie, we are also excited that you are sharing your passion and enthusiasm with the EV. |
Two-Wheeled Outings
by Dusten Dennis, Intern
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Getting out of the house for some fresh air during these winter months can seem impossible at times. What with work, school, meetings, and holiday gatherings it is common that I get to the end of the week and start feeling this urge to spend some time with family and friends outdoors. It is out in the elements where we can use all our senses to absorb the vibrancy of our surroundings, and rejuvinate for another week. |
In my family we find that bicycles offer an awesome form of exercise, transit, enjoyment, and engagement that we can’t quite satisfy with any other means. Our son is now five and he loves to join us on our biking adventures on the paths around Santa Cruz. When he was a newborn we fit him with a bike helmet and strapped him in a bike trailer. Later he learned to pedal along on a Tug-a-Bug bike that attaches to the back of ours. Now he gets to be independent and attempt wheelies on every little bump to his hearts content on his own bike. My wife and I know that it can be challenging to get kids prepared and geared up for biking and sometimes getting bogged down in the logistics can be daunting. All the helmets, trailers, and hardware can definitely be a hassle, butit is a hassle worth tackling. If you’re new to it, take some time to visit your loca Once you have the equipment all that’s left is to find the window of opportunity and grab it. Over here in Santa Cruz if the weather looks like it’ll hold we head for one of many excellent destinations like the River Levee Bikepath, Westcliff, Nisene Marks, or Wilder State Park. All of these spots are excellent for families and friends alike, having mellow flat trails and amazing scenery, from riparian bird-watching to lush redwood groves. In the south bay there are many excellent choices such as the Los Gatos Creek Trail, Coyote Creek Trail, Guadalupe River Trail, and the Palo Alto Baylands. Some useful maps are: http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/images/Maps/CityTrailsMap.html http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=6117 http://www.mountainview.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=3669 So, everyone, dust off your bike, and plan an outing. Remember, ride responsibly, and don’t ever start pedaling without your helmet! |
Intersted in a Tour of a South Bay Sustainable Home?
by Justyne Schnupp, Development Assistant
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Frank Schiavo, Professor Emeritus for Environmental Studies at San Jose State University, has offered a free tour of his South Bay Eco-Friendly Home. Frank has taught environmental studies since the 1960's throughout San Jose. He also dabbles in being a social change advocate and passive solar home design consultant. If you would like to take the opportunity to see his amazing home, please contact justyne@evols.org for more information. Also you can take a web tour of his home here. |
Community Events
Wild Zone Family Play Day: Saturday, January 23, 1-4pm Ulistac Natural Area; 4901 Lick Mill Blvd (corner of Tasman Dr); Santa Clara, 95054 Free admission ~ All ages welcome ~ All children must be accompanied by an adult. Bring towels and extra clothes if you plan to get muddy and wet. Water & public restrooms available across the street in Lick Mill Park (about 5-7 minute walk from Wild Zone). There is no drinking water at Ulistac, so bring your own water (and snacks if you want). |
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MSI Aquarium Spotlight Day: Saturday, January 23, 2-4:30pm 500 Discovery Parkway; Redwood City 94063-4715; (650) 364-2760 (phone) If you have ever wished to learn more about the amazing sharks, crabs, fish and sea stars from the Bay and nearshore Pacific Ocean, here is your opportunity. Trained docents will lead you on a hands-on tours, guide you in touching and handling marine life, and organizing fun ocean-themed craft projects! We hope these first offerings go well, as our plan is to make them a more frequent and regular event in 2010. Link to event page |
FREE eWaste Recycling: Saturday, January 30, 9-1:00pm Where: Conexions, 1023 Corporation Way; Palo Alto 94303 (EV Neighbor) Contact office manager Samantha Schoenfeld for more details: (650) 938-9300 EarthCare recycling works with ECS Refining to responsibly recover and recycle all materials by transferring them to downstream materials handlers for ultimate reuse. None of your ewaste ends up in dumps here or abroad, plus this event provides you the opportunity to recycle these items for no-charge where other recyclers in the area charge to recycle many of these items. |
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________________________ Photo Credits The Morel Compass: Lessons From a Mushroom Foray: Katie Donovan School Services Update & Spring Training Schedule: Judy Kramer Who's News: Provided by subject Two-Wheeled Outings: Provided by author Interested in a Tour of a South Bay Sustainable Home?: Metroactive.com Community Events: Santa Clara Urban Open Space & MSI sites All other images: Wikipedia |