Placer Nature Center
Events & NewsJanuary 2012

Happy New Year!   

 

If you've added "live a little greener" to your new years resolutions - we're here to help! In January we are  celebrating water conservation! 

 

From the Sierra snowpack to mountain meadows to our local reservoirs and canals, you can learn about how our very complex watershed works and how exactly we fit in. Check out all the different water events listed in the January events below.

 

A special thanks to Placer County Water Agency for all their work and support of water conservation education. If you know a teacher at a Title 1 school please let tell them to give us a call at (530) 878-6053 ext. 606 as we now have program funds for watershed education programs!

 

More thanks to the Arp Family Foundation and Jim Holmes for continued support of our school education programs. Also many thanks to all our new and continuing donors and members

 

If you haven't already joined the Placer Nature Center family, learn about the benefits of membership or all the different ways to be a donor.

 

Hours Open to the Public

We are temporarily continuing reduced visiting hours for the public. We will continue to be open on Saturdays from 9am-5pm for your convenience and enjoyment! School and group programs/tours and Nature Birthday parties can still schedule any day and any time!  

 

Creature Feature 

Our newsletter creature feature is hibernating at the moment but will emerge again next month!

 

Wild Things Sewing Circle 

Thank you to everyone who has brought up wonderful scrap fabric to use for this project! Keep it coming, we still need more! We are getting ready to plan our next meeting, read more about this project here and how you can help...

**** Upcoming Events! ****

**January**  

 

Saving the Snowpack by Restoring Mountain Meadows
First Friday Lecture
Jan. 6, Friday, 7:30pm-9:30pm
* Location: 

State Theater, 985 Lincoln Way Auburn, CA 95603
Aside from sheer beauty, the Sierra Nevada mountain meadows may offer a major solution to managing California's challenging water issues by helping to save the Sierra snowpack. Mountain meadows store water, acting as natural reservoirs that hold back floodwaters. By slowing the heavy spring flows and releasing them gradually over the dry summer months, healthy watersheds can increase the quantity (and quality) of water available downstream. join Jim to find out what can be done and the recent studies into mountain meadow restoration projects in Northern California.
Takes place rain or shine!
Members, Students & Roseville residents (with ID) $9/person,
General Admission $12.
Season Pass and bulk ticket discounts available!   

 

Nature Bowl Coaches Workshop 

Jan. 7, Saturday, 9:00am-12:30pm
Coaches Mock-Nature Bowl Training Workshop
Nature Bowl is a friendly competition for students in 3rd to 6th grade. With a focus on environmental issues and ecology, Nature Bowl is a fun way to teach critical and creative thinking skills. Anyone can be a coach! This workshop is an overview of activities that take place during Nature Bowl and how to get started. Instruction is followed by a mock Nature Bowl. The workshop closes with a discussion on how to get a team together.
Registration is requested for materials.
Takes place rain or shine!
Make a day out of it and bring a picnic lunch. Nature Shop open.
$20 per coach

 

Home school - Tree ID & talk about trees
Jan. 11, Wednesday, 10am-12
Grades 2-5
Learn all about trees and take a trail walk to identify the foothill trees. Registration is requested for materials. Takes place rain or shine! Make a day out of it and bring a picnic lunch. Nature Shop open. $3.50 per student PNC members, $7 per student public

 

 Vermiculture - Green Gardening with the Masters!
Jan. 14, Saturday, 10:00am-12:00pm
Learn how worms create organic compost for vegetable and flower gardening! Instead of throwing all those good kitchen scraps into the trash - feed them to your worms. Find out how to create a worm bin, how to keep your worms happy and how they do their magic! Richard Huntley, Master Composter and Gardener will take you through the basics of worm composting.
Takes place rain or shine! Make a day out of it and bring a picnic lunch. Nature Shop open.
Free to members, General Admission is $5/person.  

 

Reservoirs & Canals - Adventures in Nature!
Jan. 21, Saturday 11:00am-1:00pm
With a flick of a handle we flush our toilets or brush our teeth without much thought to the long journey the water we are using has made. Come learn about our local reservoirs and canals and how are they connected to your water. Steve Bennett from PG&E will connect the waterways to you, exploring the Watershed Learning Center, the scale model of our local watershed and conclude with a field trip to Halsey forebay. Please be prepared to be outside! Takes place rain or shine! Make a day out of it and bring a picnic lunch. Nature Shop open.
Free to members, General Admission is $3/person.

 
**February** 

The Role of Media in the Environment
First Friday Lecture
Feb. 3, Friday, 7:30pm-9:30pm
* Location: Utility Exploration Center 1501 Pleasant Grove Blvd. Roseville, CA 95747
Join Canadian film producer, director and Earth advocate Andrew Nisker for a look at how film, television and even a floppy-eared beagle named Snoopy can change our view of the environment. Nisker travels the world speaking to families, corporations and students about how to flourish without harming the environment and the health of communities. This First Friday Lecture also serves as the opening night for the temporary art exhibit "Peanuts ... Naturally" from the Charles M. Schulz Museum. The exhibit shows how cartoonist Schulz explored the relationships between humans and the natural world through his characters. Entrance into the exhibit is included with the Friday Lecture Ticket.
Takes place rain or shine!
Members, Students & Roseville residents (with ID) $9/person,
General Admission $12. Season Pass and bulk ticket discounts available!  

 

Traylor Ranch Bird Sanctuary Tour - Adventures in Nature!
Feb. 4, Saturday 11:00am-1:00pm
Location: Traylor Ranch - 5050 English Colony Road, Penryn CA 95663 (Map), corner of Humphrey & English Colony Rd in Penryn. Look for parking lot located off of English Colony Road.
Take a guided tour and explore Traylor Ranch Bird Sanctuary and Nature Reserve - a County park. Traylor Ranch is a 90-acre passive park with many trails and family picnic areas. Guided guests will learn the history of the park, investigate the Antelope Creek as it twines through the property, sweep for insects in the grasslands, and discover Maidu grinding rocks.
Takes place rain or shine! Make a day out of it and bring a picnic lunch (be prepared to pack out your trash!)
Free to members, General Admission is $3/person.

 

Astronomy & Stargazing
Feb. 4, Saturday, 5:30pm-7:30 pm
Special focus on Jupiter, Venus, Moon, stars!
Do you have an interest in astronomy? Feed your wonder and answer your questions about the heavens! Colfax astronomer Don Machholz, author and comet-hunter, will weave tales of the galaxies and explore the night sky with his telescopes.
Pre-registration is requested: More information and registration here... Canceled if you cannot see the stars.
Free to members, General Admission is $7/person.

 

Home school - Are you me? Life cycles in water
Feb. 8, Wednesday, 10am-12
Grades K-5
Many stages of life cycles can be found in water. Do you know who they belong to?
Registration is requested for materials. Takes place rain or shine! Make a day out of it and bring a picnic lunch. Nature Shop open.
$3.50 per student PNC members, $7 per student public

 

Volunteer with Us Introduction!

Feb. 11, Saturday, 9:00am-11:00am
Learn about what it takes to be a Placer Nature Center volunteer! Introduction to different volunteer opportunities at the nature center. Learn what it takes to be a docent, volunteer on the weekends or in our garden and trails. Current special projects will also be shared.  Takes place rain or shine! 

 Make a day out of it and bring a picnic lunch. Nature Shop open. Great for all ages 10+. Sign-up to attend!

 

Our Day Outside! (0-5 Yrs): Splish Splash!
Feb. 18, Saturday, 9:30am-11:30am
Let's learn about water! Explore, wiggle, sing, hike, do crafts and more with your 0-5 year old child. Both you and your child will engage in nature play to aid in your child's physical, mental and emotional development. You will learn techniques and strategies to continue the fun at home! Class made possible by a grant from Placer First 5. Free Class!
*Spanish interpreter is always in attendance!
Read more here about these classes...

 

Discover Nature with Young Children: Water Wonders
Feb. 22, Wednesday, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Early Childhood educators and caregivers will learn how to weave nature themes into all your activities - support reading, math, science and physical exercise. these dynamic two-hour sessions present and demonstrate "nature play" in Early Childhood Education to help build school readiness skills through nature exploration. After learning all about the benefits, you get to use hands-on tools and receive inspirational ideas to facilitate nature study both indoors and out. Free Class!
Information & Registration
Takes place rain or shine at Placer County Office of Education.
Certificate of participation, 2 hours of professional growth.
Free program thanks to First 5 partnership.

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Naturally yours,

 

Placer Nature Center staff
Questions, comments, suggestions? Give us a call!
530-878-6053
Proud partner with First 5 Placer
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Thank you to our

2011-2012 First Friday Lecture supporters!

 

49er Printing & Copy Center

 

Auburn Placer Performing Arts Center

 

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