Greetings!
Yesterday, my husband and 12-year-old son stopped by our office. My son exclaimed, "Mom! We just saw a bobcat in the picnic area! We also saw a huge hawk sitting on a fence post next to a woman!" These expressions of true wonder only arrive when we experience nature first-hand. Whether we work in Point Reyes National Seashore, live in West Marin, or simply come to visit the Seashore, it is truly a magical place. Just the other week, as Sam Chiriboga, our Assistant Director, was leaving the office, he spotted this wonderful critter out digging near the Morgan Horse Ranch fence posts! Can you guess which community member this is? Hint: It is not a wolverine. (I grew up in Michigan and that is what my family members all guessed.)
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We welcome everyone to our Park. We encourage people to fall in love with, protect, and preserve the amazing biodiversity here at Point Reyes National Seashore through our education programs, science and conservation funding, and community building work.
Last year, we were contacted by Robbie Bond, an inspiring young hero, who wanted to learn more about our park. He had heard that Point Reyes National Seashore was incredibly species diverse, like the Serengeti.
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Photo by Sam Chirboga - Bear Valley - January 2020
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Robbie founded
Kids Speak for Parks when he was 9 years old. His nonprofit organization is dedicated to educating the nation's youth and families about the need to protect and preserve these unique and treasured public lands. This video highlights his inspiring message, his visit to Point Reyes with our Park's marine ecologist, Sarah Codde, and his visit with some of our local PRNSA youth stewards.
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We love Point Reyes National Seashore.
As we roll out our plans and roll up our sleeves in 2020, we are celebrating and honoring the many unique ecosystems and species we have here in our beautiful National Seashore.
Whether you come out to view the lighthouse, elephant seals, join us in a habitat restoration workday, attend a
Field Institute class or
Full Moon Member hike, we hope you find something that brings you wonder and surprise here at Point Reyes National Seashore this winter. If you, too, love the Point Reyes National Seashore, please
make a donation this month. Your gift not only helps to preserve this place, but will also encourage new visitors to become our future Park protectors.
With wonder and appreciation,
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Heather Clapp
Development & Communications Manager
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- McClures Beach Road and Mount Vision Road are now open!
- Tocaloma Road (aka Old Platform Bridge Road) is closed until further notice. Visit the NPS website for more details.
- The annual closure of the southwestern section of Drakes Beach is in effect until March 31 to minimize disturbance of the elephant seals during pupping season.
- Winter shuttles are operating in good weather and on weekends and federal Monday holidays. Tickets are available at the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center at Drakes Beach from 9:30am - 3:00pm. Please the following link for complete information.
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15th Annual Fungus Fair
Saturday, February 1 -
Sunday, February 2
This weekend, park visitors and the mushroom curious will have the opportunity to learn more about the diverse fungi in the various habitats throughout the Seashore. Wild mushrooms collected at the park will be on display at the Bear Valley Visitor Center on Sunday, February 2 (10am - 4pm).
On Saturday, park visitors are invited to gather at 10am at the Bear Valley Visitor Center for instructions on proper collecting techniques for the Fungi Collecting Foray.
Learn more.
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Upcoming Park Volunteer Events
Kule Loklo Workday
Saturday, February 8
10am - 4pm
Assist park staff in maintaining the Kule Loklo cultural exhibit for educational purposes. Work includes general maintenance of the site, including clearing trails and maintaining structures. Work will vary from month to month. To register or to learn more about the work for this month, contact
Carlo Arreglo
by email or by phone
415-464-5146
.
Habitat Restoration Workdays
Sunday, February 23 and Sunday, March 8
9am - 1pm
We will continue to remove invasive Scotch broom. We have seen native grasses and forbs expand with past broom removal efforts. We need at least 4 volunteers in order to hold these workdays. Please RSVP to
Ellen Hamingson
by February 20 by email or by phone
415-464-5196
.
Learn more
.
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PRNSA and Community Events
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Point Reyes California Naturalist - Spring Edition!
Saturday, April 18 - Saturday, May 16
We are excited to host a Spring edition of the California Naturalist here in Point Reyes National Seashore. Spring will offer a great opportunity for students to experience the richness and biodiversity that our Park has to offer. Registration is now open!
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Point Reyes Summer Camp
Sessions Filling Quickly!
Point Reyes Summer Camp registration is now open and spots are filling.
Sessions 3 and 7 are now FULL
.
Please visit our
website to book your child's spot. NEW THIS YEAR!
Family Camp. Where kids and parents can join together for end-of-summer adventures in the national seashore.
We are offering scholarships again this year;
click HERE to apply.
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Monthly Member Hike
Limantour Beach
Saturday, February 8
5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
We love our members! And next weekend, as a token of our appreciation, we will offer a special full moon hike on Saturday, February 8, at Limantour Beach. Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook, PRNSA
Science at the Seashore Program Manager and Heather Clapp, will lead us on a hike during a negative King Tide and talk about our special science programs we offer at Limantour. We hope to watch the sun set and the moon rise on this special evening hike. Spots are filling!
Register today for this special member event.
This event is FREE to members and up to 3 guests (Bring a friend!).
Can't make it this time? No worries. Full moon monthly member hikes will take place every month on the Saturday closest to the full moon. The next hike will be on Saturday, March 7 at the Morgan Horse Trail in Bear Valley.
Full Moon photo by Piro Patton
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PRNSA Run Club Dates:
- Sunday, February 2 meet at the Estero Trail Head (8am)
- Tuesday, February 11 meet at the Bear Valley Visitor Center (4pm)
- Tuesday, February 25 meet at the Bear Valley Visitor Center (4pm)
You, your family, and friends are invited to join us for some fun and community building. Come join us for the PRNSA Run Club! You can jog, walk, or run. All you have to do is show up with athletic shoes and attire! All running abilities are welcome. Runs are around 30 mins. - 1 hour (approx. 3 miles round-trip).
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Learning on the Land:
A Teacher Training
February 29 - March 1
A prerequisite course designed for teachers, naturalists, environmental educators, and program leaders interested in utilizing the
Clem Miller Environmental Education Center
. This two-day course weaves together concepts of natural history, environmental and experiential education and program planning specific to this site. Visit our
website
for more information.
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Whale Watching Wonder Tours
Every Saturday in March
We are excited to be hosting our popular Whale Watching Wonder Tours again this year. Every Saturday in March we will venture to Chimney Rock to spot as many whales as we can. March 14 will be our "Bienvenida a las Ballenas" edition (offered only in Spanish).
Get to the Point! is a series of free and low-cost events for young adults and families interested in exploring the Seashore. Please visit us on
Facebook for the most current information and to register.
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February Field Institute Classes
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The Magic of Black and White
Saturday, Feb. 8 - 10am - 6pm
Without the distraction of color you can make powerful images that reveal the essence of a landscape. We'll explore composition, perspective, finding landscapes, capturing and converting RAW files, critiquing our work, and will photograph a beautiful beach at minus tide near sunset.
More Info
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En Plein Air: Sea, Surf, and Shorelines Painting Retreat
Friday, February 28 - 6pm -
Sunday, March 1 - 2pm
Meet for this weekend painting retreat at the historic Lifeboat Station. Immerse yourself in sea, surf, and shorelines: learn to compose exciting compositions and practice mixing the colors of the day.
More Info
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Botanical Studies in Colored Pencil
Saturday, Feb. 29 - 10am - 4pm
Spend a fun day dissecting and studying the flowers of Spring. Learn the basic botany of the flower and create a beautiful study sheet or botanical plate documenting your explorations. Study sheets allow us to really understand our flowers and inform our paintings.
More Info
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Learn How to Use Poles for Hiking & Outdoor Exercise
Saturday, March 7
10am - 4:30pm
Learning how to use poles enables you to engage your whole body while hiking and significantly improves confidence and performance on varied terrain. Learn individualized strategies for improving strength, confidence, and performance. Strengthen core muscles while preserving your joints.
More Info
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Our new monthly supporter program is catching on! We are now at 79 members since we launched last March. Please help us reach 100 new monthly High Tide Supporters by March 1. Your monthly donation helps sustain our year-round conservation and environmental education programs and bring more faces out to the Seashore. Go green and join our rising tide!
Become a
High Tide Monthly Supporter
today. It is the easiest, and greenest way to show your love for the park!
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