The Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society will celebrate its 10th anniversary April 24 with a day of nature walks, workshops, and a picnic among the oaks at the Sedgwick Reserve in the Santa Ynez Valley.
The event is free and runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The morning features five different interpretive walks, beginning at 9 a.m. and repeating at 11 a.m. Wildlife biologist Dr. Fred Emerson will lead birding walks. Paul Collins, curator of vertebrate zoology at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, will give workshops in animal tracking with the assistance of Marge Erickson. Botany expert Larry Ballard will introduce the wildflowers and other flora of the Reserve. Susie Bartz of the Dibblee Foundation will take people on a moderate hike to introduce the area’s geology. Science teacher Marc Kummel will conduct a workshop in macro-photography.
There will be kids’ activities throughout the morning, including games, rope making, and a nature scavenger hunt. At 1:30 p.m. in the Reserve’s Studio, visual artist Ken Doud will give a multimedia lecture titled “Figueroa Mountain Game Preserve.”
Lunch is scheduled for 12:30 to 2 p.m., and everyone is welcome to bring a picnic. There will also be a caterer on site, serving gourmet soft taco plates for $8. Refreshments will be available to buy. Cake is free. Check-in for the day begins at 8:30 a.m. and advance registration is required.
To register, e-mail synature@west.net or call 693-5683.
This article appears in Apr 15-22, 2010.