spring 2005: wildlife corridors - nature's freeways
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Why did the chicken cross the road? To get
to the other side, of course. You can’t get out of
third grade without hearing that prehistoric joke
at least once.
But in urbanized Southern
California, that moldy old joke
takes on a new meaning. What if
animals CAN’T get from here to
there? What if encroaching
urbanization isolates open spaces
into blocks of undersized habitat?
It means that wildlife will be deprived of an
adequate gene pool, leading to in-breeding and
loss of genetic diversity. This will gradually
weaken and diminish the ability of any species
to adapt and survive. It means that plants will
not be cross-pollinated by insects. It means
seeds will not be scattered by
birds that will not fly to habitat
they cannot see. It means that our
open spaces will not remain
viable habitat for the creatures
that currently depend on them
for their very survival.
(continued on page 2)
Wildlife Corridors - Nature’s Freeways
Do wildlife
corridors really
work? Preliminary
research shows that
they do.
Inside this issue….
1 Feature Story
2 Map of Wildlife
Corridors
2 Feature Story (cont.)
3 Greetings from the
MRCA
4 Cyberteer
4 From the Editor
5 Wildlife Corridors
6 Chautauqua
7 Ask the Naturalist
8 Featured Plant and
Animal
9 Science News You
Can Use
9 Park Training
Institute
10 Snow Day
11 For Parents and
Educators
12 Volunteer
Happenings
13 Volunteer Enrichment
Training
14 MRCA Makes
Connections
15 Notes from the Field
16 Photo Gallery
Spring 2005
Hoary-leaf Ceanothus at Sage Ranch
Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page 22
(continued from front page) The Santa Monica Mountains
Conservancy (SMMC) and the Mountains Recreation and
Conservation Authority (MRCA) consider habitat linkages
a primary factor in prioritizing land acquisitions; we work
together with other government agencies to preserve these
linkages. One can think of these efforts as “Connectors
making connections.”
To illustrate what we mean by this, consider Crummer
Canyon, part of Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space
Preserve (ULV). Marked with a star on the map below. It is
one of two habitat linkages that connect the Simi Hills to the
Santa Monica Mountains. This habitat linkage is created by
joining up Crummer Canyon (owned by the SMMC and
managed by the MRCA), through Las Virgenes View Park (a
joint project of the SMMC, City of Calabasas and the Las
Virgenes Municipal Water District) to Malibu Creek State
Park (California State Parks). Crummer Canyon provides a
complete canyon bottom linkage between ULV and the
freeway corridor. The elevated deck of the 101 freeway
provides optimal conditions for the construction of a
specialized wildlife underpass. Eventually, Caltrans will
also be part of the our connecting partnership.
(Continued on Page 3)
Bobcat. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.
Page Page 33
Greetings from the MRCA. . .Greetings from the MRCA. . .
Dear Friends -
Connections. What it means depends on who doing the
talking. MBA’s speak of hub-and-spoke distribution
systems. Sociologists speak of folklore and urban legends,
stories that are passed down through kinship groups or, in
recent times, over the internet. IT folks speak of Routers and
Servers passing packets of data.
But wildlife biologists speak of something different. They
speak of habitat linkages and wildlife corridors, lands that
connect core habitats and allow passage between them.
Connections. We all need them to remain healthy.
We know a lap-top computer will only work a few hours
without being plugged into an outlet. Teachers cannot teach
without students. And human babies will not thrive
without the loving touch of a parent.
In the natural world, small and isolated populations of
mountain lions, bobcats and coyotes will not remain self-
sustaining without infusion of new animals. This infusion
occurs through habitat linkages and wildlife corridors.
The MRCA makes connections. We have been actively
involved in the acquisition and protection of wildlife
corridors throughout the Los Angeles Area. We make
connections with other agencies and professional
organizations where we work together to accomplish our
goals and share what we’ve learned.
We also make connections with the people who visit our
parkland and open spaces. Every hike, every campfire,
every workshop, every brochure, are measured by how we
build and strengthen connections. And to every volunteer
who helps us make those connections - thank you.
Now go outside and play!
Michael D. “Mike” Berger, Chair
Mountains Recreation and
Conservation Authority
(continued from page 2
Do wildlife corridors work? Preliminary research shows
that they do and further research is ongoing. Last October,
Dr. Ray Sauvajot, NPS Chief of Planning Science &
Resource Management, Santa Monica Mountains NRA,
presented a program “Mountain Lions in Los Angeles” at
our Chautauqua Series. He has graciously allowed us to
share his photos, which capture animals using highway
undercrossings through the use of remote cameras and
radio telemetry. Dr. Sauvajot recommends providing
suitable habitat around these undercrossings in order to
facilitate their use. 1. (Check out our back page for an example of
his work.)
There’s still much work left to do. In 2001, 160 scientists met
at the San Diego Zoo to discuss California’s wildlife
corridors. Their report, "Missing Linkages: Restoring
Connectivity to the California Landscape", identified 232
corridors in California. 14% have already been lost and 59%
are under threat from human encroachment. In Southern
California, the situation is worse; 80% of the wildlife
corridors are under threat. Each threat calls for specific
measures, which can be as simple as placing a culvert under
a highway or as complex as land acquisition.
____________________________
1. Sandra J. Nga, Jim W. Dolea, Raymond M. Sauvajotb,
Seth P.D. Riley, & Thomas J. Valonec, “Use of highway
undercrossings by wildlife in southern California”
Coyote using a culvert to safely cross under the road.
Photo Courtesy National Park Service
Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page 44
From the Editor…..From the Editor…..
“Hey Honey, come take a look at the new National
Geographic. There’s an article on California” my husband
hollered as he came in through the garage door. No matter
how much mail he’s carrying, he always manages to open
the Geographic before he returns from the mailbox.
“Huh, what page?”. I put down the knife I was using to
chop onions. “Let me see”, I said, grabbing it out of his
hands.
Dinner waited while I read the article. My first reaction was
envy. “Oh man . . . just look at those pictures.” Then as I
read further it dawned on me, “They’re taking about
California’s Mediterranean Ecosystem. We devoted an issue
to that last fall.” I grinned at my husband and started to
chuckle, “We scooped National Geographic. This calls for a
glass of wine before dinner!”
After I got my ego back under control, I reflected on how we
chose that theme last summer in an Interpretive division
meeting. So much of what you see in Symbiosis happens
behind the scenes. It truly is a group effort, centered around
the network of connections we’ve made within the MRCA
and with our volunteers, other partner organizations and
our visitors. Our Interpretive staff is only a small part of that
network.
In this issue, for example, the Mountain Lion sighting was
reported by Sabas Quinonez, one of our maintenance staff. Ranger James Latham reported the Osprey sighting and a
visitor supplied the photos. Ranger Mike Young shared his
snow photos of Joughin Ranch. And the Wildlife Corridor
Map was prepared by Marc Shores in our GIS section.
Volunteers are also part of our network of connections. The
cover photo was taken on a hike at Sage Ranch with Tom
Maxwell, one of our long time docents. The photos of MBU
training were taken by MBU volunteer Bill Foster. The
poetry we used in “SNOW Day” came from volunteer
Barbara Baron.
We invite you to join our network of connections. Share
your story, your photo, your sighting, or your question.
Who knows - you just might help us pull off another scoop
someday?
Wendy Langhans
310-858-7272 x 115
Wendy.langhans@mrca.ca.gov
Cyberteer….Cyberteer…...
Here are some websites to help you navigate through the
internet to get better acquainted with wildlife corridors,
how they are being affected by development, and what that
means to the animals dependent on them.
For more information about the NPS mountain lion study
being conducted in the Santa Monica mountains, go to
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/05/0521_030
521_tvmountainlions.html
Puente Hills Landfill Native Habitat Preservation Authority
has a brochure about their Wildlife Corridor.
http://www.habitatauthority.org/pdf/pg1-12v2b.pdf
The Friends of the Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor
have dedicated their website to informing people about the
importance of wildlife in their community, and how we all
benefit from the wildlife corridors:
http://www.hillsforeveryone.org/about-the-
corridor/corridor-studies.htm
South Coast Wildlands is a nonprofit organization working
to preserve wildlife habitat connectivity. This site has
regional maps identifying key wildlife corridors.
http://scwildlands.org/missinglinks/projectlinkages.htm
Page Page 55
What’s so special about Wildlife Corridors...What’s so special about Wildlife Corridors...
For millions of years, animals and plants have migrated
across the land in order to survive and reproduce. Each
species requires a special combination of land and/or water,
environmental factors, and other
forms of life to create a “habitat”
where it can thrive. Sometimes these
habitats stretch out over large areas;
sometimes these habitat are like a
“string of pearls”, viable patches
surrounded by inhospitable areas.
Habitats change over time, sometimes due to long term
events such as climate change, sometimes due to short term
events such as a flood or wildfire. Give enough time,
however, plants and animals will successfully migrate and
reposition themselves.
But humans have greatly altered the land since the
beginnings of agriculture, about 12,000 years ago and this
process has accelerated within the last few centuries, as
human population has exponentially increased. In Southern
California, development has led to increased habitat
fragmentation, creating an “unstrung scattering of pearls”.
Some animals need a larger habitat than others to
thrive. Mountain Lions, for example, need 50-100 square
miles of habitat. A Bobcat needs 1/4 square mile and a
Coyote family needs several square miles. Even that’s not
enough for long term sustainability. Animals need to find a
mate. To maintain a viable breeding population with
sufficient genetic diversity, animals must be able range
beyond their normal habitat.
Wildlife corridors are used by more creatures than just large
mammals. A 2005 study in Florida tracked movement of
birds by using fluorescent Wax Myrtle berries. Patches of
land connected by a corridor showed 37% more use, based
on the fluorescent berries found in bird scat. It turns out that
the birds flew along the edges of the patches. (Habitat
corridors promote conservation. www.sciencemag.org )
So what will happen if the mountain lions and bobcats die
off? Animals such as mountain lions and bobcats are
keystone species, which are essential to the survival of other
species in the ecosystem. These carnivores keep the number
of prey species in check. If coyote habitat is fragmented,
fewer will be left to control populations of skunk, possum,
raccoon, and smaller animals they feed upon. Populations of
their prey will increase, upsetting nature's balance all the
way down the food chain. The ecological health of the core
habitat will decline without wildlife corridors.
The creation of wildlife corridors, provide animals and
other living things a lifeline between "islands" of core habitat,
serve as escape routes from danger and avenues to food
supplies and mates. Corridors can be narrow as a culvert or
wider than an eight-lane freeway. They may be short or
extend for miles, perhaps crossing over or under roads.
To move from one habitat to another involves risk. There
are natural hazards; animals may encounter predators or
lack of food or water. But with our roads and other
development, we have made it even more hazardous for
animals to travel. A well-known children’s campfire song
(sung to the tune of “Oh Christmas Tree”) expresses this
danger succinctly:
Oh Tom the toad, oh Tom the toad
I see you lying on the road.
You used to be
So big and fat.
And now you're lying
Squished and flat.
Oh Tom the toad, oh Tom the toad
I see you lying on the road.
Core
Area
Core
Area Corridor
Buffer Zone
Buffer Zone
Core Habitats connected through a Wildlife
Corridor. Buffer zones allow minimal development.
Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page 66
Chautauqua programs for Spring…..Chautauqua programs for Spring…..
From Babylon to Ballona:
The History of Parks and
Open Space
April 18, 7:30 PM. Joe Edmiston
Join us on a journey through time
through the history of parks and open
space, from the Hanging Gardens of
Babylon through the contemporary
fight to preserve natural areas.
Joe Edmiston serves as the executive
officer of both the Santa Monica
Mountains Conservancy and the
Mountains Recreation and
Conservation Authority. He teaches a
course at UCLA on the history of the
park movement in the U.S.
Legends of the Land:
Provocative People in Poetic
Places
May 16, 7:30 PM. Ruth Kilday
Hear stories of the men and women
who settled the ridgelines and canyons
across the Santa Monica Mountains
through Spanish grazing concessions,
Mexican land grants, and homesteads.
Ruth Kilday was founder and
executive director of the Mountains
Conservancy Foundation (MCF). She
serves on the boards of the MCF and
the Malibu Lagoon Museum.
Secrets of the Chaparral
June 20, 7:30 PM. Richard Halsey
Join us as we explore the chaparral’s
unique natural history, reveal the truth
concerning its many myths and
mysteries, and why it represents such a
vital link to nature for all Californians.
Rick Halsey works with the San Diego
Museum of Natural History and
coordinates education and research
efforts through the California
Chaparral Field Institute. He will sign
copies of his book, Fire, Chaparral,
and Survival in Southern California,
following the presentation.
Rick Halsey measuring stump sprout
growth after a wildfire.
SMMC Chief Executive Officer
Joe Edmiston receives a Life
Membership Awards from the
Park Rangers Association
of California
San Fernando Mission
Location: Temescal Dining Hall
Temescal Gateway Park
15601 Sunset Boulevard
Pacific Palisades, CA
310-454-1395 x 106
Page Page 77
Ask the NaturalistAsk the Naturalist……
Why do coyotes howl?
In the “Roadrunner” cartoons, Wiley Coyote never makes a
sound. But if you join us on a moonlight hike, you’ll hear
him. He’s really quite a vocal animal. As a matter of fact, the
word coyote comes from the ancient Aztec word
"coyotl," which means "barking dog."
Now imagine you’re with us at night. He starts with
one small bark Then another joins in...and
another...until it finally the sound crescendos into a
long eerie howl.
Oh yeah, we know what coyotes sound like. But do
we know why they howl? Sure - we know that
coyotes howl to communicate with each other.
And what’s more, we can make an educated guess as
to what they are saying.
A lone long howl might mean, “This is my territory.”
Or it could mean “Here I am, where is everybody?”
A coyote’s territory can vary greatly in size, but 10-12
square miles is possible. Their calls can travel as far
as 3 miles.
A series of short barks could indicate “Danger!” or
say “I need help.” It could also mean “Back off - this
is mine.”
A series of multiple animal yips and howls is the
pack’s way of communicating with each other. It
could be something like, “The roadrunner went this
way.” or “Oh, look, a package just arrived for Wiley
from Acme Products.”
A “growl” is a means of asserting dominance. Think
back to the last time you saw two people walking
their dog. When they met, did one dog growl at the
other?
Frenetic whining and whimpering is a sign of pair
bonding. And high-pitched barks to are used to
summon puppies.
Now you’re more familiar with coyote vocalization.
So the next time you watch a road runner cartoon,
you can add your own sound effects.
Quick - what would Wiley say?
E-mail your questions to
Wendy.Langhans@mrca.ca.gov.
Coyotes can often be found (and
heard) at Franklin Canyon.
Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page 88
Featured Plant and Animal…..Featured Plant and Animal…..
Catkins and KittycatsCatkins and Kittycats
Bobcats are not Oversized Kittycats
The bobcat, Lynx rufus, is both endearing and deserving of
our respect. Endearing because its behaviors are similar to
those we see in house cats: aloof, solitary and territorial. A
bobcat scratches, pounces, rests, hunts and mates like a
household cat. Even its yowling sounds like our neighbors
cat. With its “bobbed” tail and tufted ears, we might be
tempted to underestimate this cute, albeit rather large, kitty
cat.
This kitty, however, deserves an inspection that goes
beyond fur-deep. Like their larger feline cousins, the
mountain lions, bobcats are at the pinnacle of the southern
California food pyramid. These largely solitary predators
require vast
ranges of
territory, and so
are among those
animals most
dependent on
the habitats
connected by
wildlife
corridors. The bobcat wanders the rocky areas and
chaparral of the Santa Monica Mountains, but is so well
camouflaged that many hikers may never see one.
Thanks to their highly developed senses of sight and
hearing, bobcats often pounce upon small mammals and
birds for a meal and may even sprint over short distances
after their quarry. These ferocious hunters are capable of
taking down prey even as large as deer.
Bobcats have proven fairly adaptable to living on the
boundaries of urban areas, but life is still a struggle. Many
are killed in vehicle collisions or bleed to death after poisons
like anticoagulant rodenticides migrate up the food chain.
Catkins are not Undersized Kittycats
There are six species of willows in our local mountains.
Sometimes they are difficult to distinguish because there is
a wide range of variations and hybridization. But all of
them are found near a source of water, whether a free
flowing stream or an underground spring.
Willows are one of the first plants to blossom in the late
winter and early spring. Their flowers are called catkins
and they resemble a mass of simple flowers clustered on a
spike. Willows and their catkins can be either male or
female. While many plants with simple flowers rely on the
wind for pollination, the willow relies on insects to get the
job done. Nectar glands located within each flower lure
bees to visit, feed, and carry some pollen over to the next
catkin.
The arroyo willow is one of many plants including
California black walnut, western sycamore, Mexican
elderberry, and mule fat, found in riparian habitat. These
shrubs and trees in themselves form wildlife corridors
within a wildlife corridor by providing under cover places
to hide and travel Predators such as mountain lions use
these green corridors for stealthily moving from one
location to the next.
Contributed by Keliann LaConte
Hear this little kitty cat ROAR at
http://home.att.net/~kittycatfurballssounds2/bigcat.html. These willow catkins are ready to blossom.
Page Page 99
Science News You Can Use…..Science News You Can Use…..
The Sixth Sense
Consider the story of a two
year old male mountain
lion; he and his brother left
Mom a few months ago
but now it’s time to leave
his brother and find a new
territory for himself -
nothing fancy, just 50 to 150 square miles of open
space. He crosses a sparsely-traveled stretch of
highway late at night and manages to avoid
becoming road kill. Or perhaps he used a tunnel
under the road. Now what? Are their any other
mountain lions around here? A female is OK, it will
be even better when he matures in another year or
so. But he really doesn’t want to go up against an
older and more experienced male. How can he tell
whether to stay put or keep moving?
We know that mountain lions make scrapes, a four-
to-six inch mound of dirt and forest litter pulled
together containing urine and scat, which are used to
mark their territorial boundaries. Perhaps our
young mountain lion can explore the area, using his
nose to detect the odor.
If he finds a scrape, you may notice his face makes a
grimace, something we call a “flehmen”. He is
activating his vomeronasal organ, sometimes
referred to as VNO or Jacobson’s organ, which is an
organ behind his incisors that allows him to detect
pheromones, normally odorless chemicals that are
“released by one member of a species as
communication with another member, to their
mutual benefit”.
Some people refer to the vomeronasal organ as “the
sixth sense”. For our youngster, it provides a way
for him to identify other cats more closely or
determine if a female is in heat. He may not need to
know that right now, but
he will in about a year.
Just in case you were
wondering, we humans
also have a VNO. It was
discovered about 300 years
ago, but was thought to be
vestigial until recently. The human VNO system
consists of two sensory organs (one in each side of
the nose) located about an inch above the opening
and underneath the mucosal lining of septum, the
cartilage that separates our nose into two halves.
What’s NEW with MRCA Training? The Park Training Institute (PTI)
A program of the MRCA. Formerly
the Ranger Training Institute.
PTI has been serving the unique
training needs of park rangers,
staff, & volunteers in; interpretation,
law enforcement, wildland
firefighting, EMS, search & rescue,
park maintenance, management,
outdoor and classroom education
since 1998. All courses provide
good value at reasonable cost,
with certified trainers that work
in the field, offering a unique
park perspective.
Coming this year:Coming this year:
2 Day Storytelling Workshop
Wilderness EMT
Certified Interpretive Host
Certified Interpretive Guide
Fire Making & Survival Skills
Native American Games
& Craft Workshop
Leadership & Ropes Course
and many more
Contact us at
park ainng@mrca.ca.gov,
or call 310-858-7272 ext. 132
for dates & locations.
Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page 1010
SNOW DAY! SNOW DAY!
A winter storm in on March 11th brought
snow to the Santa Susana Mountains.
A silhouette of trees, softened by snow.
No chains required...yet.
Looking south from Joughin Ranch
over the San Fernando Valley.
Winter
Cold,
Blue-sky brilliance,
Grey sky dreary—
Forms the canopy
Under which I huddle,
Seeking warmth
In my nest.
MRCA Volunteer
Barbara Baron
Page Page 1111
For Parents and Educators…For Parents and Educators…
Wildlife corridors are like mazes for animals. They try to get to more resources, such as food or
shelter, or even to find a mate. Help this mountain lion cub who has been separated from his
mother to find her through this wildlife maze.
Start
WORD SCRAMBLE
Unscramble these to find
out the names of
these endangered animals
which rely on wildlife
corridors for survival:
See below for answers.
ALBD GEELA __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
UMOTNNAI INOL __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
EAS TOETR __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
OWORDTA __ __ __ __ __ __ __
ERD GELGDE GROF __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
Finish
Answers: bald eagle, mountain lion, bob cat, wood rat, red legged frog
Websites For Educators:Websites For Educators:
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service website offers a variety of area
specific information to enrich a wildlife lesson:
www.fws.gov/educators/
This website is devoted to providing the latest information on
status of different endangered species. It offers a list of species
which have been recently added to the endangered list, and
how we can help: www.endangeredspecie.com/states/ca.htm
A great resource for any lesson and any age group! It pro-
vides many lesson plans on numerous wildlife topics includ-
ing visuals and teacher preparation techniques:
www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/lesson_plans/
Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page 1212
2006 Spring Volunteer Naturalist
Training Graduation. All MRCA
Volunteers are invited to attend! Saturday, April 29th 10am-12pm
Let’s congratulate, support and meet our new
MRCA Volunteer Naturalists.
These dedicated new volunteers will have completed
ten weeks of intensive naturalist training, preparing
them to design and lead effective interpretive school,
scout and public programs for our MRCA park
visitors. Let’s give them a warm welcome!
Volunteer Meeting Saturday, June 10th 4pm –6pm
Franklin Canyon Park, Sooky Goldman Nature Center
Meet and greet fellow, and new volunteers.
Learn about upcoming trainings, special events
and volunteer opportunities. Bring a snack or
potluck diner to share!
After the meeting, everyone is
invited to stay for,
Evening BIRDS (7-9pm), Birds are full of activity when the
sun goes down. Join us for a
volunteer lead sunset stroll around
Franklin Canyon Lake.
or, stay to enjoy the
Family CAMPFIRE (6-8pm) Join us for an old-fashioned family campfire, with fun
stories, singing and s’mores around a crackling
campfire in the Sam Goldman Amphitheater.
Both programs
at Franklin
Canyon Park
Mounted
Volunteer Patrol (MVP)
Formerly, known as the Mounted
Assisted Unit (MAU). If you have a horse, and want to help patrol our
parks, this group is waiting to ride with you!
A partnership has recently been solidified with the
Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority
National Park Service, and California State Park,
combining resources, and riders to provide quality,
consistent horseback patrol services to our parks
and park visitors. Don’t wait, for upcoming training
dates call Jodi Thomas 310-858-7272 ext.205 or,
jody.thomas@mrca.ca.gov
Mountain Bike Unit Congratulations to our new crop of volunteers taking
part in the current Mountain Bike Unit training.
For information visit, www.mountainbikeunit.com
Botanical Drawing Tuesdays Every Tuesday, 11am-3pm, Franklin Canyon Park,
Lead by MRCA Volunteer Joanne Leonard.
Join this on-going gathering of artists of all levels.
Paint or draw plants while learning more about the
native flora of the LA Mountains. For information,
and to RSVP, call Joanne at 323-656-3899.
Many of our Botanical Artists will have their work
on display at the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern
California, Art Exhibition Sale & Workshop.
Saturday April 29th - Sunday May 7th
Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanic Garden
Gallery Hours: Weekends, 9:30am-4:30pm
Weekdays, 12:00pm - 4:00pm, for more information
on this event visit www.bagsc.org 626-821-4623.
Page Page 1313
Tracks, Scat, Skins and Skulls Saturday, April 8th 9am-4pm Franklin Canyon Park,
Sooky Goldman Nature Center
This fun, hands-on workshop will
help you to not only learn how to
identify common signs animals
leave behind, but also how to
effectively share, and show these
signs with our park visitors. Get
dirty, make replica scat for your
trail backpacks, and become more
aware of the animal stories hiding
in plain sight.
Native Plant
Uses and
Nature
Awareness
Skills
Saturday, April 15th 9am-4pm
Franklin Canyon Park, Sooky Goldman Nature Center
What’s the Music Tree? How can I make soap right
on the trail? How can I see and share more animals?
Add these plant and awareness skills to your trail
tool kits and ways to share them with others.
CPR and First Aid
Certification Saturday, April 22nd 8am-5pm,
Franklin Canyon Park.
Would you know what to do if
someone needed immediate medical attention on
the trail? What are the first actions to take, who should
be called, and how to stay prepared? Must attend full
8hrs. for certification.
Campfire and Storytelling For MRCA Volunteers, friends and family!
Friday, April 28th 7:30pm - 9:30pm
The MRCA is offering a full schedule of
Spring and Summer Campfire programs for the
public. We need volunteer campfire leaders and
individuals to help with program set-up
and s’mores.
This evening will allow volunteers to potluck, play,
enjoy sticky s’mores, and see what leading a campfire
program is all about.
Waltz of the Flowers Wednesday, April 19th 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Franklin Canyon Park, Sooky Goldman Nature Center
Come dance with us in an evening of wildflowers,
good company, and tasty snacks. Sit back and enjoy
a dazzling PowerPoint presentation where you can
learn how to lead meaningful wildflower hikes
without ever identifying a flower. Learn to use and
teach a rubric that will help you determine how
flowers attract and repel pollinators. Bring your
flower photos to share. This presentation was offered
at the National Association for Interpretation (NAI),
Region 8 Workshop, in Red Rock Nevada, by
Interpretive Specialist Wendy Langhans.
All MRCA Volunteers are Welcome to attend!
Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page 1414
MRCA makes connections with MRCA makes connections with
other park professionals... other park professionals...
The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) and the
Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA)
connect more than just property lines, wildlife corridors, and
public access to our LA mountain parks.
Our connections with other national and international
agencies allow us to teach, share ideas and learn from each
other. We grow as professionals and increase our ability to
preserve, promote and protect parkland.
In February staff from the Division of Interpretation led
sessions at the National Association for Interpretation’s
Spring Region 8 workshop in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada. In
March staff members from the Division of Interpretation and
the Operations Division led sessions at the California Parks
Conference, sponsored by the Park Rangers of California and
the California State Parks Rangers Association. Ranger Dave
Updike served as Co-chair of the conference.
We are also making connections on an international level.
MRCA Executive Officer Joe Edmiston participation in the
Fifth World Parks Congress, held in Durban, South Africa, in
September 2003 motivated an international workshop on the
Mediterranean Eco-system organized by the California
Institute of Public Affairs and hosted by the Santa Monica
Mountains Conservancy. Out of this workshop came “The
Malibu Declaration,” a series of goals, objectives and
priorities regarding the international protection of
Mediterranean eco-systems around the world.
Deputy Executive Officer Amy Lethbridge has trained
eco-tour guides on the art of interpretation and effective
communication techniques in Mexico and Central America
and will be a featured presenter at the Interpreting World
Heritage Conference in San Juan Puerto Rico this May,
speaking on the MRCA’s 9methods of including local
communities during the park planning process.
We Teach. Interpreter Rebecca Farr
teaching at the California Parks Conference.
We Learn. Interpreter Asha Bankowski
practices the fine art of throwing an atlatl.
We Share. MRCA Chief Ranger Walt Young presents a
workshop on the Incident Command System at the
California Parks Conference
Page Page 1515
Notes from the Field….Notes from the Field…...
Mourning Cloak Butterfly
This Mourning Cloak butterfly looks a bit worse for wear.
It most likely hatched in June or July. When this
picture was taken in late February, it was perhaps
eight or nine months old and approaching the end
of it’s ten or eleven month lifespan.
Note the frayed edges of its wings - some predator took
several bites out of his wings. Looks like those deceptive
eyespots served their purpose well.
Osprey sighted at Franklin Canyon Lake
Osprey are winter visitors to the coastal areas of Southern California.
At one time Osprey’s could be found throughout North America, but
their numbers greatly declined due to use of DDT. Now, after the ban
on DDT, their population is increasing. They are still considered a
“Species of Special Concern”.
Osprey can be found hunting around water - either fresh or saltwater.
Living almost exclusively on fish, they hunt by soaring over the water,
then plunging feet first when a fish is spotted, as seen in these recent
photos taken at Franklin Canyon Lake.
Franklin Canyon is on the Pacific
Flyway - an aerial wildlife corridor.
(Photos courtesy Frank Mishenko.)
Mountain Lion spotted in
Franklin Canyon
MRCA employee Sabas Quinonez spotted a
Mountain Lion yearling near the lower
Ranch meadow in Franklin Canyon Park.
He spotted it about 5:30 PM on March 3.
He said, “It still had some grayish fur but
was turning tawny like the adults. I saw the
tail had a black tip.”
If you do spot a mountain lion, the California
Dept of Fish and Game suggests that you:
Stand and face the animal
Make eye contact
Make yourself appear larger
Yell with a loud, low pitched voice.
Remember, all sorts of wild creatures call
Franklin Canyon their home.
Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page Symbiosis Spring 2006 Page 1616
Stinging Lupine is another fire-follower.
Sage Ranch, located in the
Simi Hills, is part of the
Wildlife corridor between the
Santa Monica and Santa Susana
Mountains.
With the soil enriched by ash
from the recent Topanga Fire,
wildflowers are especially
abundant this Spring. Star Lily is known as a fire-follower, one
of a number of flowers more found more
often after a wildfire.
Remote cameras capture a wandering mountain lion. What path did he take to get from Deer Creek to
Castro Crest? Photo Courtesy Dr. Ray Sauvajot, National Park Service.
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