Mark your calendars for the fifth annual Santa Rosa Plateau Foundation Garden Tour to be held on April 26, 2008 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Stroll six stunning garden estates of La Cresta and surrounding areas in Murrieta while supporting the Third Grade Educational Program at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve.

Tickets are $15 per person in advance and are available via PayPal or mail. Admission on the day of the event will be $20 per person. Please see the Santa Rosa Plateau Foundation Website for additional information www.srpf.org

You can support this exceptionally good cause while having a great day enjoying the beautiful gardens on display. There will be a shady picnic area so bring your lunch and remember to wear comfortable shoes, hats, sun screen, and bring lots of water. So make plans now to come and bring family and friends. Please no children under 10.

Proceeds from this fundraising event will be used to help pay for the third grade educational student trips to the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. During these trips, which are available to all the neighboring school districts, 3rd graders go hiking on the trails through several different habitats with a docent explaining ecological concepts.

Join the Idyllwild Nature Center, as we celebrate 30 years of Wildflowers extravaganza! We will be hosting a meet and greet with the Filmmakers & Photographers of “Season of the Sand Blossoms,” Peter and Melanie Rhalter. This award winning 12 minute environmental art film is set to music and sounds of nature. The film immerses viewers in sights and sounds of the desert allowing for an amazing wildflower experience.

View,  What is That? is “Season of the Sand Blossoms”,  with subtitles to identify the more than 100 plants and animals shown.  Also view, Desert Gold, the 18 minute documentary, an internationally-recognized, award winning film. Scientists and Native American tradition-keepers tell the life story of desert wildflowers. Learn more about the films at Parkfilms.com

Friday May 23rd 6:00pm Reception, viewing and signing

Saturday May 24th 1:00pm Repeat viewing and Qs & As, signing and sales of DVD

The 25th Annual Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival will be held on June 6th, 7th and 8th, 2008 at Lake Skinner.  Lake Skinner is a Riverside County Park and is located at 37701 Warren Rd., Winchester, California, 92596. Balloon and Wine camping reservations at Lake Skinner are sold out and the waiting list is full. For more information about this Annual Temecula Balloon and Wine Festival please visit: Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival

Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve will be holding a Native Plant Sale at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve Visitor Center.

Attract birds and butterflies, control erosion, and minimize watering by adding native plants to your landscaping! This is an excellent time to learn more about drought tolerant and “firewise” planting!! Proceeds from this sale will support the volunteer group, Team Stream, in their efforts to restore the watersheds and woodlands within the Reserve.

Address: 39400 Clinton Keith Road. Murrieta, CA 92562
(directions…exit off the I-15 freeway and go west on Clinton Keith Road for approximately 4 miles, the Visitor Center is on the left)

Saturday, March 22, 2008

8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For additional information, please call Carole Bell at (951) 677-6951×223, or cbell@tnc.org

The Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve will host an evening of viewing a total lunar eclipse, stars and other celestial objects on February 20, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. All ages are welcome to attend the program at the Visitor Center at 39400 Clinton Keith Road, Murrieta.

A $1 per person donation is requested for the Reserve. For more information, see www.BrightStarsTemeculaValley.org or contact rhicks@co.riverside.ca.us.

The moon will be partially eclipsed from 5:43 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and totally eclipsed from 7:00 p.m. to 8:19 p.m. The Temecula Valley Astronomy Club will provide telescopes for night sky viewing and presentations on eclipses at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The eclipse presentations will take place regardless of weather conditions.

This annual event at the Idyllwild Nature Center features a kaleidoscope of color as native flowers and local artists display unique style and attributes dedicated to the flora of the Desert, San Gorgonio Pass and Mountains of the San Jacintos.

Volunteers will gather wildflowers from the desert to the San Gorgonio Pass and the San Jacinto Mountain range for identification and display. Guest speakers will discuss species, characteristics of plants and gardening tips. Traditional Native plant usages will also be featured. The Center will have Naturalist-led walks, kid-crafts, music and native plants throughout the weekend.

Speakers will be scheduled for 11:00am each day.

May 24th Saturday- Native Usage of plants with Alice Kotzen, Alice will share recipes, foods, and an array of tools and accessories that have been created utilizing native plants.

May 25th Sunday - Landscaper & Water Conservationist, Valerie Phillips, will share what makes for successful gardening for the mountains, plants that will thrive, conservation tips, drought resistent and critter friendly.

May 26th Monday- Join Interpreter Tracy Albrecht, from the Santa Rosa National Monument, for “Wildflowers under the scope” identify parts of plants and flowers also participate in wildflower bingo for prizes.

Folk music provided by Joey Latimer and Friends

Friends group Native plant and book sales

for further nature center info and driving directions, visit the Idyllwild Nature Center page

Join Archaeologist Daniel Mc Carthy and others at the Idyllwild Nature Center for a hands on experience as we learn about native usage of the acorn. Join in the fun as we gather, sort, shell, and ground acorns and make wiwish, the tradional meal for the Cahuilla. Bring and share your favorite acorn receipe. For the kids, a craft and various games will be on going through the day. Visit the nature center link above for Nature center info and directions.

Enjoy Labor Day weekend at the Idyllwild Nature Center with guest speakers, guided naturalist walks, crafts for the kids , relaxation and the fresh scent of pine surrounding you. Click the nature center link above for directions, or continure reading for event details.

Guest speakers and activities are :

Saturday August 30, 2008- 10:00am - 12:00pm Carolyn Meade Ed. Director of the Big Morongo Preserve. Kids love to see who ate who by participating in the disection of an animals belly..actually it’s a plastic glove with jello stuff and plastic parts inside but the kids will be charting and matching the pieces and parts to animals they believe was dinner or dined.

Sunday August 31, 2008- 10:00am - 12:00pm Dr. Bill Hayes from Loma Linda University with Live Rattlesnakes. He’ll be discussing myths and truths through Q and A with audiences participation. Learn about species, characteristics, venom, treatments, and queer actions and atributes of rattlesnakes.

Monday September 1, 2008 -10:00am - 12:00pm Dr. Kirk Olsen, also known as (DR. Bug Guy) from LA City College returns for Q & A with kids and adults on what makes a True bug? Learn the characteristics of Insects & Bugs. Have you come accross the Assassin & Kissing bugs?

Kid crafts for all three days begins at 10:30am and will continue throughout the day.$2.00 fee for crafts

The first annual Flint Fest at the Idyllwild Nature Center will feature a gathering of knappers from different regions exhibiting their skills as they demmonstrate the ancient art of stone tool making. Techniques include direct percussion, (hitting larger flakes from another stone) and pressure flaking (pushing smaller flakes off from another stone) . These demonstrations will reflect the processes used by local native amercans as well as people from around the world.

Highlights of the weekend activites include competitions, Best Of Show, and opportunities to purchase of modern made arrowheads, knives, and other stone and beaded work. Presenters will demonstrate techniques and provide informative talks on various related subjects. More information to come. Demonstrators or Participants contact, Shelley Kibby 951-659-3850 or James Bowden 909-557-5515

Hosted by Trout Unlimited ,
Mission Resource Conservation District ,
and the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Resrve

Come join us to learn how to create a pond on your property that supports our native wildlife!

February 9, 2008 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

The Santa Rosa Plateau drains into the San Mateo Creek in the Cleveland National Forest.

* Introduced fish, such as the largemouth bass, can impact sensitive species such as the southern steelhead trout, California newts, two-striped Hammond’’s garter snake, and the pacific chorus frogs which are members of our community.

* Bull frogs, crayfish, and introduced fish are three species that can completely remove these native species from the pond.

* Learn how to create a pond on your property that will protect the surrounding environment!

Contact Information

Carole Bell
cbell@tnc.org

Bethany Principe
beth-principe@ca.nacdnet.org