White Sage. The White Sage blooms from April through July. Here at the Nature

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1 White Sage As you walk about the SFDNC the fragrance fills the air as you pass by. The White Sage shrub branches are covered with velvety, light gray-green, sticky leaves. This fragrant foliage is usually only 2 to 3 feet high, but the flower stalks, with its purple/white flowers the stalks can grow up to 6 feet tall. The White Sage blooms from April through July. Here at the Nature Center we were given a great view of these beautiful flowers until after 4 th of July. The White Sage is a great source of nectar for hummingbirds. Seed-eating birds, such as Lesser Goldfinch, are attracted to the fruits. Many insect eaters, like Bushtits, also frequent this aromatic shrub, because it attracts many insects. You can sit at the bench that surrounds the Sycamore Tree and watch the birds fly around the White Sage plants. There are about 12 White Sage shrubs around the Nature Center. 1

2 EVENTS SUMMER PROGRAMS GALSTER PARK FRIDAY, AUGUST 9th 7PM-9PM - STAR GAZING NIGHT Let s reach for the stars!!! Come gaze at Saturn, Venus, the Moon, and the Scorpius constellation. Our guest speaker from the LA Astronomical Society, Heven Renteria, will give a presentation on the night sky and then guide us to get a good view of the night sky. FRIDAY, AUGUST 23rd 7PM-9PM - "SINGIN' GREEN" LIVE MUSICAL Come sing along with us at our last program of the season, a Live Musical Singin Green. This city sponsored program promises to be both entertaining and educating. SUMMER PROGRAMS SANTA FE DAM NC SATURDAY, AUGUST 3 rd 10AM-11AM NATURE WALK Stop by and see the natural beauty that the Nature Center has to offer in summer SATURDAY, AUGUST 10 th 10AM-11AM NATURE WALK Come over and witness the nature in the summertime. SATURDAY, AUGUST 17 TH 8AM-9AM BIRD WALK See the birds that make the Santa Fe Dam area their home. Bring a hat and water. SATURDAY, AUGUST 24 TH 10AM-11AM HABITAT RANGERS A youth environmental action and educational program placed-based and storyline driven with Nancy Begg. SATURDAY, AUGUST 31 BUGS BUGS AND MORE BUGS Stop on by and learn what is bugging the Nature Center with Terry Young 2

3 GLENDORA CONSERVANCY NATURE CENTER EVENTS UPCOMING EVENT: GLENDORA S CHILDREN S FOREST October 5th, 2013 (starting in AM) Will you be part of our youth s future? Volunteers needed, please reach out! me at kristina@bejaranoagency.com to help out before or during event. We will be planting over 300 Native Plants and Trees during our First Phase and will have two additional phases to follow through Our goals are endless: Conservation/Wild Life/Youth/Unity... We need help spreading the word and getting as many volunteers the day of our event to help plant all our Native Trees. Please share this! Contact for volunteer information THE ALLUVIAL FAN By Carolyn Laskowsky There is a lot to be interested in at Santa Fe Dam and Nature Center. Birds, animals, plants seen against a mountain backdrop with the dams lake for recreation. But what makes the area unique is the fact that it is an alluvial fan. An alluvial fan is a fan shaped Accumulation of salt, sand, gravel and boulders washed down through the local canyon and deposited as the land flattens out. There is centuries of accumulation from flood waters pouring through the canyons before we built dams. Alluvial fans can be found all over America and the world. Our is 3

4 teresting because it is in such a populated area. All the rocks played an expensive part in building the 210 freeway. Somehow the rocks came as a surprise and because the equipment wore out in only a few weeks, it became an expensive proposition. The dam was started in 1941 and was finished in It was constructed by the Army Corp of Engineers and is maintained by them to this day Twilight Friday Equestrian This years event was a success. Ashley Munson was our guest speaker, and her horse Gibson. Ashley knows everything there is to know about horses. We also learned about the West Covina Horse-Mounted Enforcement Team. 4

5 LIVING IN ALASKA My daughter Xochy and her husband Don Horton were visiting from Alaska where they both live. They so graciously took time off from their vacation to give a presentation about LIVING IN ALASKA. The presentation was well attended. Don answered question about growing up in Alaska, fishing and hunting with his family. Xochy answered questions on the transition from sunny California to the cold winters of Alaska. They both met while attending University of Alaska Fairbanks. Both are avid hikers and talked endlessly of the great areas around Anchorage. A huge thank you goes out to them. 5

6 Photos around Santa Fe Dam Nature Center in July Top Photo, Buckwheat. Middle Photo, Clematis Bottom, Wild Cucumber and Prickly Pear 6

7 Santa Fe Dam Nature Center tells the story of plants and wildlife that have lived historically to the present on the alluvial fan of the San Gabriel River. The plant community of the river fan, Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub (afss), is among the rarest and last of its kind in Los Angeles County. Only two afss vestiges are left on the San Gabriel River: here at Santa Fe Dam and downstream at Whittier Narrows. Rare and endangered plants, birds, and other wildlife species inhabit these unusual habitat areas. Examples include: cactus wrens, California gnatcatchers, scissor-tail flycatchers, horned lizards, kangaroo rats, and more. It should also be pointed out that the Santa Fe Dam has one of the longest bird listings for inland lakes and flyways in the County. Ask for an appointment to discuss volunteering, hours of interest, resource/display needs, giving resources/donations, and training opportunities by contacting: Thomas Chang Galster Wilderness Park Nature Center, located on the northern slopes of the San Jose is the newest addition to SGMRC's Nature Center Network and educational programming. The area around the Nature Center is home to a large Southern California Black Walnut Plant Community - one of the rarest of indigenous woodlands in the state. Coastal Sage Scrub Plant Communities may also be found nearby, home to endangered bird species such as the California gnatcatcher. We invite your help in compiling plant, bird, and wildlife listings, plus photography, to add to Nature Center resources. Come see and help with our continuing progress. Nature Center official opening was March 8, Glendora Community Conservancy Nature Center, is another of our parternering Nature Centers. Ask about information and programs and how you can help by checking the website of the Glendora Conservancy at: We invite you to Visit & Volunteer. There are many volunteer opportunities, plus docent training, here at the Nature Centers. Programming needs are dependent on volunteers to serve as docents, trail guides, office personnel, program presenters, and program assistants. We look forward to hearing from you. 7

8 The SCIENCE & WATER TRAILER will be on the road to classrooms in the area soon! To schedule your visit in September through November, contact SGMRC now! ( For more information or to request a registration form contact: San Gabriel Mountains Regional Conservancy SGMRC- P.O. Box 963, Glendora, CA glcroissant@csupomona.edu Co-sponsored by SGMRC and Glendora Conservancy Make your plans now for this scientifically, environmentally, fun, creative, innovative approach to learning with real science for kids (from 4 to 94)! $50/ presentation made payable to SGMRC Mobile Science Project. Mobile Water Lab For more information or to request a registration form contact: San Gabriel Mountains Regional Conservancy SGMRC- P.O. Box 963, Glendora, CA glcroissant@csupomona.edu Co-sponsored by SGMRC and Glendora Conservancy Make your plans now for this scientifically, environmentally, fun, creative, innovative approach to learning with real science for kids (for kids from 4 to 94)! 8

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