Join us on Saturday, June 21, at the beautiful UC Sedgwick Reserve from 9:00 am to 2:00 p.m. for a variety of nature-themed walks, tours, and outdoor activities for all ages.
This free event is open to the public but requires advance registration by sending an email to syvnhs@syvnature.org or calling (805) 693-5683. Space is limited and registration opens on May 26. When you register, please indicate which hike, walk, or activity you would like to join, which are listed below.
One of the premier locations for natural science research and education in the region, the 5900-acre UC Sedgwick Reserve is an ideal place to spend the first full day of summer with family, friends, and neighbors who love the outdoors. Following interpretive walks and activities offered by the Natural History Society, there will be ample time to socialize and partake of free beverages and snacks among the Reserve’s majestic valley oaks. Visitors can also bring their own picnic lunch to enjoy in the shade of the oaks, and stay until 2:00 p.m. Please consider bringing your own lawn chair, as seating at the picnic benches may be somewhat limited.
The gates to the Reserve will open at 8:30 a.m. All organized walks and hikes will begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude by 11:30 a.m. The exception is the “Fire Ecology Hike,” which will begin at 9:00 a.m. and requires its participants to arrive by 8:45 a.m. to allow for the short drive to the trailhead. After the hikes, everyone is invited to gather at the picnic area under the oaks, where drinks (for adults and kids) and snacks will be available at no cost. At noon we’ll honor five individuals who have had a major impact on the Society’s educational programs over the past 25 years, and we’ll follow that with servings of our special anniversary cake.
How to Register
Registration opens on May 26, and registrants can sign up for one the following short hikes and activities:
“Family Friendly Nature Walk” with Nikki Evans. This stroll to various sites around the Reserve’s Field Station will introduce a variety of topics to naturalists of all ages, including animal tracks, bone identification, and feathered friends.
“Fire Ecology and Recovery at Sedgwick” with Tina Collins. This moderate 2-mile hike in the heart of the Reserve will examine burned and unburned areas at the edge of the Lake Fire, with ample time to discuss the role of fire in Mediterranean climates. Please arrive by 8:45 a.m. for this hike, which entails a short drive to the trailhead.
“Oak Tree Natural History” with Margie Popper and John Evarts. This moderate 2-mile hike — with one steep uphill section over the highly scenic Arroyo Willow Trail — will cover basic oak identification, oak woodland ecology, and an overview of California’s oak habitats and the challenges they face.
“Sedgwick Field Station Tour” with Dennis Beebe. Here’s a chance to learn about the rich history and fascinating research at Sedgwick on a tour that includes the Sedgwick family house, historic barn and history room, and the LEED certified Tipton Meeting House.
“Bird Life at Sedgwick” with Tim Matthews. Bring your binoculars or spotting scope to join this birding walk to the Sedgwick pond, home to the county’s largest population of Tricolored Blackbirds, as well as other species such as Soras, Rails, and Common Yellowthroat. You will also bird around the ranch house and other nearby spots to sample the rich avian fauna at this recognized birding hotspot.
“The Rocks Tell a Story” with Susie Bartz and Sabina Thomas. This 1-mile, mostly level hike will introduce the geologic processes that have helped define the Sedgwick landscape and will focus on the stream bed of Figueroa Creek, which holds rocks from various origins dating back nearly 200 million years.
“Nature Journaling” with Jim Farnum. Gather under the oaks by Tipton Meeting House to get guidance and share ideas for starting or adding to a nature journal. Bring your own materials.
A visual retrospective of the Society’s 25 years of trips and lectures will be ongoing in the Reserve’s Clarke Hall inside of the Tipton Meeting House.
