|
We are pleased to partner
with Acteva.com to offer convenient, secure
online registrations for field seminars.
Acteva is a low-cost e-commerce solution
that allows nonprofits to conduct online
transactions, without the expense of setting
up a full e-commerce site. If you would
like to take advantage of online registration,
you will see a "Register Now"
button (like the one below) at the end
of each seminar description. Just click
on it to register. A minimal processing
fee will be charged.
You can also call us to register for classes at (415) 663.1200 ext. 373 or
click here to print a registration form that you can mail or fax to us.
Richard Vacha
Saturday, July 11• 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM • $55 ($50 members)
Join us for a daylong introduction to the art of tracking. The class will begin with a short discussion of what tracking is and the importance of sign tracking—scat analysis, feeding signs, chews and scrapes, and kill site analysis. We’ll also take a brief look at the characteristics of tracks and different track families, and consider how animals actually move to create their typical track patterns. Once we are familiarized with our topic, we’ll spend a little time outside the classroom practicing some basic techniques of awareness and movement on the landscape, and learn how to enter the most effective state of mind from which to solve the challenging
mysteries of nature. Then, we’ll proceed to the local sand dunes for an exploration of the signs and tracks of local inhabitants, with an emphasis on the interwoven, ecological patterns of life in this rich habitat. This trek will also give us a glimpse into the power of Coyote Teaching and the art of asking questions, along with one of Richard’s favorite topics—how to walk through walls. After our trek, we’ll return to the classroom to discuss what we have found, both in the tracks and in ourselves.
This class is currently full. Please call (415) 663-1200 ext. 373 to add your name to the waitlist.
David Wimpfheimer
July 24-26 • 8:30 AM Fri - 2 PM Sun • $275 ($265 members)
Join David as he shares one of his favorite places, and one of the most dynamic ecosystems on the planet. On the fi rst morning of this tour, we will explore the lake’s southern shore in the best way possible—by kayak. As we slide by oddly wonderful tufa towers, we may encounter hundreds of phalaropes. A simple but important food chain ties them to the trillions of brine shrimp in the lake. The tufa formations are just one geologic aspect of a wondrous basin that includes both the oldest lake on the continent and its youngest mountain range. Lundy Canyon, Saturday’s focus, has incredible botanical diversity and waterfalls in a spectacular
canyon. The rest of the weekend features several short hikes to young volcanic domes, sagebrush meadows, mixed conifer woods and riparian forests. These habitats are the breeding zones for many birds, including green-tailed towhee, sage thrasher and Townsend’s solitaire. The battle to save Mono Lake was one of the most infl uential environmental victories of the twentieth century. Come discover the protected shores and other habitats of this amazing basin. The fee does not include accommodations, meals or transportation, although we will send a helpful information packet.
Kathy Biggs
Saturday, August 8 • 10 AM - 3 PM • $55 ($50 members)
Come and learn about one of the Earth’s most successful, but little known, creatures—the dragonfl ies. These fl ying predators pre-date the dinosaurs and we’ll learn about their biology and life cycle, and how to make identifi cations and interpret their sometimes seemingly bizarre behaviors. We’ll start in the classroom learning about these beautiful members of the Order Odonata—the dragonflies and damselfl ies. Kathy will teach us how to identify the species that are found in the Bay Area, with a quick introduction to those found in other parts of California. Then we’ll head out into the fi eld in search of dragonfl ies to study, and practice our
identifi cation skills as we watch their fascinating behaviors.
David Wimpfheimer
Sunday, August 9 • 10 AM - 4 PM • $125 ($115 members)
Explore a dynamic ecosystem that is also one of the wildest estuaries on the
California coast. Mid-summer is an excellent time to explore this unique treasure. The area is habitat to one of the state’s largest populations of harbor seals. Migrant shorebirds join Caspian Terns and both Brown and White Pelicans in feasting on the estero’s rich fare of fish and invertebrates. Leopard sharks and bat rays may occasionally swim by our kayaks as we smoothly glide through tidal channels.
We are offering this trip in partnership with Environmental Traveling Companions (ETC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to making outdoor adventures accessible to all. People with disabilities are welcome and encouraged to join this trip.
Glenn Keator
Saturday, August 15 • 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM • $55 ($50 members)
The woody plants of Point Reyes ecosystems form the framework of what you see on the trails year round. This course will focus on how to recognize the rich assortment of woody plants and their role in their particular habitats. We’ll have a chance to sample riparian woodland, mixed evergreen forest, Douglas fi r forest, and coastal scrub, each with its own suite of beautiful species. We’ll spend the morning looking at slides, and then follow with a four-mile fi eld excursion to see as much variety as possible.
Jayah Faye Paley
Saturday, August 22• 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM • $40 ($37 members)
Poles are empowering and enable a freedom of movement that is profound. Using poles is easy to learn, but optimal use is important. Learn how to use poles effectively so that you can achieve and maintain mobility. This class is not intended for hikers, but for people with mobility and balance issues, joint pain, degenerative changes of the spine, Parkinson’s, MS, and other conditions preventing you from enjoying the outdoors. We’ll focus on basic movements to help you achieve and maintain greater function and endurance by practicing on gentle terrain. The techniques will help you more easily and safely navigate curbs, stairs and driveways
and make your day-to-day activities easier to manage. Our pace will be easy and there will be plenty of opportunities to either rest or practice. A variety of top quality poles and gloves are provided for you to try out.
David Lukas
Sunday, August 23 • 9 AM - 3 PM • $55 ($50 members)
Whether you’ve kept your distance from spiders or simply overlooked them, you’ve been missing a fascinating part of the natural world. Did you know that spiders can “taste” by touching, “hear” with their legs, stay underwater for as long as ten hours and leap 40 times their body length? Join us in this adventure to learn everything about the biology and behavior of spiders, from how they eat and breathe, to how they spin webs and detect insects. Our class will combine an intensive classroom session with slides and microscope, as well as time in the field to look for spiders in their natural habitats around the Bear Valley Visitor Center.
Autumn Summers
Saturday, September 12 • 10 AM - 4 PM • $50 ($45 members)
Explore the world of edible and medicinal plants found in our own gardens and open spaces. Through slides and fresh specimens, we will discover the many native plants of the Bay Area that have been useful to humans for hundreds of years. These riches include familiar plants such as manzanita, oaks, willow, California bay and California poppy plus some not-so-familiar plants including hedgenettle, figwort, gumweed, mugwort, ferns, lichens, seaweeds and much more. Find out how to roast bay nuts, sautee milk thistle greens and even process acorns in just a few hours!
David Lukas
Saturday, September 12 • 10 AM - 4 PM • $125 ($115 members)
Many Bay Area residents may not realize that there is a 7,847-acre estuarine wilderness right in their own backyard. Spend the day kayaking around Drakes Estero, one of California’s most pristine estuaries and home to not only the largest breeding colony of harbor seals in mainland California, but also some of the healthiest eelgrass beds in the region. These beds will be easily seen from our kayaks, enabling us to view the ways in which they provide shelter for countless invertebrates that form the basis of the complex food chain that makes this ecosystem so diverse and exciting. We’ll be on the lookout for wildlife on the surrounding hillsides, and scan the skies for peregrine falcons. As we paddle, we’ll watch for bat rays and leopard sharks congregating in the estero’s warm waters at this time of year. The bird life in this area is also not to be missed, and we’ll be treated to views of thousands of shorebirds feeding in the rich mud and waterbirds such as pelicans and double-crested cormorants feeding on schools of herring, anchovies and sardines.
We are offering this trip in partnership with Environmental Traveling
Companions (ETC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to making
outdoor adventures accessible to all. People with disabilities are welcome
and encouraged to join this trip.
David Lukas
Sunday, September 13 • 9 AM - 3 PM • $50 ($45 members)
As summer winds down and winter approaches, each plant and animal prepares for the season’s many changes with unique adaptations and behaviors. What are the effects of shorter days on plants? How do animals cope with dwindling food supplies? Why do some birds leave the area and others arrive? From seed dispersal, egg laying, and falling leaves to torpor, overwintering, thickening coats and migration, the dynamics of this magnificent seasonal threshold will be the subject of our day of learning amidst the grandeur of the waning light of autumn.
Jayah Paley
Sunday, September 20• 10 AM - 4 PM • $48 ($45 members)
OR
Sunday, November 8 • 10 AM - 4 PM • $48 ($45 members)
Poles not only enable and empower—they’re also fun! Hikers & walkers benefit in so many ways from using poles. They facilitate an upper body workout, and using your upper body/core muscles can help to preserve your joints. Join us and learn to use poles correctly so you can: reduce knee stress on downhill; achieve more power on uphill; avoid hand/wrist/elbow/shoulder strain; improve posture and balance; burn fat; prevent injury. Multi-level training and drills provide plenty of opportunity to practice on a variety of terrain. You’ll also learn tips that will enable you to expand
your hiking horizons and more safely and completely enjoy your outdoor experience. Top quality poles and gloves provided for class use.
Click here for the September 20 seminar
Click here for the November 8 seminar
Michael Ellis
Saturday, September 26 • 10 AM - 4 PM • $125 ($115 members)
Tomales Bay is a 6800-acre estuary located just east of Point Reyes National Seashore. It is twelve miles long and relatively shallow, occupying the seaward end of a rift valley created by the San Andreas Fault. It is also one of Michael’s favorite places to explore. Its clean water supports productive eelgrass beds, which provide a nursery habitat for many species of fish and invertebrates. The pristine waters of the bay support harbor seals, thousands of migrating shorebirds, overwintering ducks, geese and cormorants. Osprey, kingfishers, loon, grebes and pelicans (both brown and white) are plentiful. The Tomales Bay Marine Station, our point of departure, will provide easy access to some of the premier kayaking areas of the bay.
We are offering this trip in partnership with Environmental Traveling Companions (ETC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to making outdoor adventures accessible to all. People with disabilities are welcome and encouraged to join this trip.
Jennifer Stock & Carol Keiper
Saturday, October 3 • 1 PM - 5 PM • $18 ($15 members)
This dynamic afternoon is free for participants of the Cordell Bank Boat Trip.
From the stability of land, learn about the seabirds and marine mammals that you may encounter at sea before getting on a moving ocean-going vessel. Find out about their ecological significance and what research is being done. Discover the brilliant underwater habitats of Cordell Bank hidden beneath the waves through video and photos.
Jennifer Stock & Carol Keiper
Sunday, October 4 • 7 AM - 5 PM • $145 ($135 members)
OR
Doreen Gurrola
Friday, October 9• 7 AM - 5 PM • $145 ($135 members)
Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary (CBNMS) is an offshore oasis for wildlife. Located 20 miles west of the Point Reyes Lighthouse, this granitic bank is a lush feeding ground for fish, invertebrates, seabirds and marine mammals. On October 3, Jennifer Stock, CBNMS Education Coordinator, will give an introduction to the sanctuary and its diverse habitats. Carol Keiper and Jennifer will introduce some of the surface wildlife encountered offshore at this mysterious sanctuary. Learn how to identify pelagic seabirds. Find out why and how marine mammals and seabirds come from so far away to feed in this region and marine scientists are learning from their research. Discover why this region has one of the largest concentrations of blue whales in the world. This year, there are two boat trips to choose from! On October 4th, Jennifer Stock and veteran naturalist/marine biologist Carol Keiper will lead the wildlife watching boat trip out to the Sanctuary in search of pelagic wildlife. On October 9th, veteran naturalist/marine biologist Doreen Gurrola will lead the trip. Jennifer, Carol and Doreen all have a strong interest in and knowledge of the CBNMS and the California current ecosystem. As we cruise out to the Bank, we may encounter pods of Pacific white-sided dolphins, Dall’s porpoise, seals and numerous seabirds. We’ll enjoy and learn about whatever the ocean offers that day, be it seabirds, marine mammals, blue sharks, jellies, or more!
Note: we will leave from Bodega Bay. While our boat is large and comfortable, we will travel almost 100 miles in 9 hours. This is an open-ocean excursion and the condition of the surface of the sea may be rough. Personal discretion is strongly advised.
Click here for the Sunday, October 4 trip
Click here for the Friday, October 9 trip
David Wimpfheimer
Sunday, October 4 • 10 AM - 4 PM • $125 ($115 members)
Tomales Bay is one of the most productive estuaries on the West Coast. The numbers of birds, fish and invertebrates that breed, rest or migrate through this rich ecosystem is incredible. Departing from the Tomales Bay Marine Station, we’ll observe the salt marsh, open water and wildlife of the bay. Seals return curious glances in the morning glow. At high tide, silently glide past a roost of dozens of sandpipers before lunching at a secluded spot.
We are offering this trip in partnership with Environmental Traveling Companions (ETC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to making outdoor adventures accessible to all. People with disabilities are welcome and encouraged to join this trip.
Doris Sloan
Sunday, November 1 • 9 AM - 5:30 PM • $65 ($60 members)
The Marin Headlands is the best place to see the fascinating and important Franciscan rocks that make up much of the bedrock in the Bay Area. These rocks have traveled vast distances in time and space to their present location. We’ll see underwater volcanic rock from the mid-Pacific Ocean, rock made of zillions of skeletons of microscopic algae. All were brought here by the past collision between the North American and ancestral Pacific plates. Geologists from all over the world come to the Headlands to see these rocks. Our exploration of this special place will also include the geologic processes forming the Golden Gate and San Francisco Bay. Former Marin Headlands ranger Ken Lavin will join us on this geologic adventure.
This class is full. Please call (415) 663-1200 ext. 373 to add your name to the waitlist.
Michael Ellis
Saturday, November 7 • 5:30 PM - 9 PM • $45 ($40 members)
Enjoy a magical evening in Point Reyes as we hike up Mt. Wittenberg under the setting sun. Renowned naturalist Michael Ellis will lead the adventure, sharing his enthusiasm and wide knowledge of the natural history of this beautiful forest habitat. We’ll explore as we ascend, listening to the sounds of nocturnal forest life. When we reach the crest, our senses will be heightened as we experience the mysterious beauty of Point Reyes at night.
Debbie Viess
Saturday, December 5 • 11 AM - 4 PM • $50 ($45 members)
Discover a world of wonder at your feet by learning about the fantastic fungus among us. Mushrooms are an often overlooked but essential component of our natural landscape. Learn to find and appreciate fungi with Debbie Viess, an engaging Bay Area biologist and passionate proponent of fungi. Examples of edible, poisonous and incredible mushrooms will be shared through a brief lecture complete with hands-on materials, followed by a walk through the Point Reyes landscape. Afterwards, we’ll return to the classroom for warm beverages, camaraderie and a chance to share and discuss our finds. The mushrooms are sure to surprise and delight us!
This page
last modified
January 2, 2009
|
