A cluster of Monarch butterflies roosting in a Eucalyptus tree, Area B.
Photo by Jonathan Coffin, edited by Lisa Rachal.
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Dear Ballona Wetlands Advocates,
We are almost at the end of the year!
The year 2020 has been unique, and it came with its own set of challenges. Nonetheless, the human race is resilient, and we grow and adapt to the new challenges and move towards a brighter future.
On a more cheerfully note, we are excited to share the bird of the month, eco-friendly ways to gift wrap, our park video, and an update on the Zoom classes.
As you know, all our school visits, field trips, are tabling outreach are on hold. And for November and December, we have kept students connected to nature through various Zoom classes about the Ballona Creek Watershed and the Ballona Wetlands. If you or your organization has a group of students that would be interested in learning about the marvels of the Ballona Watershed, fill out this form.
We have also created various nature educational videos to help keep the community informed, and recently, we have created a park video that you can view below.
That is a wrap!
Thank you for your support. Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
The Ballona Wetlands Team
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Diversity in the Field Spotlight: Sebastian Casarez |
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Hi everyone, meet Sebastian Casarez! He is a 17-year-old birder and bird educator from Texas. His love for birding started at age 7, and he taught himself about birds by researching the birds he saw in his backyard with different bird guides.
In this video, Sebastian discusses how his love for birding changed his life and became his passion. In 2017, he formed The Texas Blue Jay Project that encourages his community and the state of Texas to explore birds.
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Harold A Henry Park Expedition |
Come and explore with us! In this video, Lisa and Sofia explore Harold A Henry Park, and identify new finds and enjoy nature.
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Bird of the Month: Northern Flicker |
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Interesting Facts
The Northern Flicker is a large multicolored woodpecker, however it doesn't act like the typical woodpecker, they mainly forage on the ground sometimes among sparrows and blackbirds.
When and Where: open habitats near trees, like woodlands, edges, yards and parks; also found in wet areas like, flooded swamps and marsh edges.
Nesting Habitat: usually by excavating nest holes in dead or diseased tree trunks or large branches but they also reuse previous nesting cavities made by themselves or other species.
Diet: mainly insects like ants and beetles as well as fruits and seeds.
Photo: Jonathan Coffin, edited by Lisa Rachal
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Eco-friendly Tips for Gift Wrapping |
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The holidays are here, and you know what that means, it is time for gift wrapping! I don't know about you, but when Christmas comes around, I LOVE gift wrapping. But, not all gift wrappers are always environmentally friendly.
Here a few eco-friendly tips on gift wrapping methods and material.
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Fabric Wrapping
Something new! You can use traditional furoshiki wraps, bandanas, silk scarves, and old fabric/ clothes.
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Reusable Material
Get creative! There is so many reusable options, such as, newspaper, old ribbons or twine, boxes, dust bags, etc.
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Brown Kraft (Postal Paper)
The benefits of plain wrapping paper is that you are sure it's recyclable! You don't need to worry if the wrapping has metallic, glitter, or plastics.
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Your Contributions Further Our Efforts! |
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Contributions collected are used to advance our efforts to advocating for the greater Ballona Wetlands ecosystem. Any contributions are greatly appreciated. |
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The Ballona Wetlands Land Trust is a non-profit community organization
dedicated to advocating for the greater Ballona Wetlands ecosystem and to facilitating access to this ecosystem for education, stewardship, and public outreach.
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