Pepperwood

We are delighted to announce a rare opportunity to join Pepperwood’s awesome staff! Currently we have two leadership positions open. If you or someone you know is a special person who combines a passion for the environment with outstanding project management and communication skills, then you could be the person to join our team! Check out the full job descriptions on our website - https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org///pepperwood-is-hiring/

Super cool parasitic plant found at Pepperwood recently by one of our Stewards, Heide Keeble! This plant doesn't photosynthesize to make it's own food - it just takes it from someone else! This one appears to be hosted by nearby Grindelia AKA gumweed. Species is Aphyllon californicum ssp Jepsonii, AKA Jepson's Broomrape. What's in a name? From Heide: "the Latin "rapum" means tuber. So this is essentially a tuber on broom. Broom was evidently the plant on which the initial discovery was thought to be growing on/parasitizing." We found enough individuals to collect one specimen to be added to the collections of Pepperwood's Stephen J Barnhart Herbarium. (Photo credits: Michelle Halbur & Heide Keeble)

Dusty shoes, new discoveries, new friends, and a deepened connection to nature - this is what we aim to have campers leave with after a week of Pepperwood Summer Camp! Spaces still available, June 14-18, for ages 10-13. Register today to secure your spot: https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org/

St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is an invasive weed across the Americas, but it has also been used traditionally for centuries as a medicine. Join us for this workshop on June 12th where you’ll learn about the medicinal uses of this plant, and how to identify and harvest it, while reducing this invasive species’ presence at Pepperwood! Led by experienced herbalist Autumn Summers, you'll gather and process the plant to make your own St. John’s wort oil for home use! Register today: https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org/

FYI -- https://www.pressdemocrat.com//state-tells-hundreds-of-l/

Liam shares his expertise with our community in some of our classes! Until the next time he does, check out this great article talking about O'Brien and his work. https://baynature.org//meet-a-butterfly-illustrator-and-/

Check out some of our NextGen News videos on YouTube to hear what our TeenNat Alumni are up to now. https://youtu.be/OidjzfgQlCY

Rob Badger & Nita Winter's new book features #wildflowers photographed at Pepperwood after the #TubbsFire in 2017. Conserving #openspace is key to understanding and protecting the natural world that sustains us. www.pressdemocrat.com//north-bay-photographers-new-book-c/

For your Monday, how about something absolutely fascinating? Learn what makes the Hawaiian Islands so ecologically unique, and why it's important to understand their ecology in order to protect them. Ian Nelson is a long-time volunteer with Pepperwood and documentary film maker. His beautiful photography of Pepperwood is showcased in our Spring Newsletter, Annual Report and throughout our website as well. More of his work here: iananelson.com, and view his latest documentary! https://youtu.be/1SCiwnpotYg

Lots of fungus finds out on the preserve today! Also burned 32+ piles with the help of some truly awesome volunteers. #stewarding the #landscape is a community building and engaging experience. And best of all, you can do it at a safe distance!

What a history! Long-time Steward and Friend of Pepperwood Denny Fujita is featured in this article. Denny built many trails at Pepperwood and gave many hours of his time on volunteer workdays over the past 12 years. https://www.petaluma360.com//ente/revisiting-fujita-road/

Pepperwood's President & CEO, Dr. Lisa Micheli is featured in this piece by the Economist discussing how businesses will adapt to climate change. #climate & #wildfire #resilience https://youtu.be/7vOwjNTDwBE

The Thursday Read: "Pepperwood holds a long and storied history for the Wappo. Our people once cared for this land according to our Indigenous knowledge systems. For generations, we were denied the opportunity to help keep this portion of our traditional homeland in balance. We believe we have a responsibility to care for the land that our ancestors walked so gently upon." Read the rest of Clint McKay's blog here: https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org//integrating-tek-at-pe/

Do you believe in stewardship? resilience? sustaining the natural world that sustains us? So do we. https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org/donate/

Exciting #progress at our #TubbsFire #Rebuild site #SonomaStrong #northbaystrong

Over winter break, our education team went virtual with this year’s Winter TeenNat - an annual event which brings together TeenNat alumni for ongoing mentoring, networking, and learning. Some of our alums volunteered to speak to their peers about internships, work, and volunteer experiences they have had during our Zoom sessions. This peer-to-peer mentorship is an important piece of the TeenNat puzzle - our alumni often return to support new cohorts of TeenNatters. We loved... hearing from alum Mario Balitbit as he shared about his experience monitoring seabirds on the Farallon Islands last year! Mario has followed a path of opportunities at Pepperwood, from a TeenNat participant, to a paid staff member as a TeenNat Assistant, and then a Conservation Science Intern! #nationalmentoringmonth Read more about Mario’s experience with Pepperwood here: https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org//intern-highlight-mari/ (Pictured: 2016 Conservation Science Interns from left to right - Paulina Hernandez, Michaela Bush, Mario Balitbit, and Omar Acosta) See more

We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting the acclaimed Wild & Scenic Film Festival as a virtual LIVE STREAM event! Join us from the comfort of your home to enjoy 13 inspiring films, AND support Pepperwood's education programs! All proceeds support our work connecting youth and adults to nature. Your ticket comes with a chance to win our giveaway package Learn more and get your tickets today: https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org/

Climate-wise land connectivity is essential to provide species access to suitable habitats in the future, yet we lack a consistent means of quantifying climate adaptation benefits of habitat linkages. Several of Pepperwood's top researchers recently published this approach for improving methods to prioritize climate-wise connectivity and promote landscape resilience for topographically diverse regions. Read it here: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/10/355

How about a private guided hike to take in Fall's beauty in Sonoma County? www.sonomamag.com/8-unique-private-tours-in-sonoma-county/ Learn more about Learning Landscapes: https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org/learninglandscapes/

Wild animals spotted on camera in Sonoma County: https://www.pressdemocrat.com//wild-animals-spotted-on-c/

We're grateful to host 2 ALERTWildfire cameras at Pepperwood. This camera system provides critical information for emergency fire response, but did you know the first project was hatched by a group of young students - the Forest Guard? Their idea was to seed the forest with cameras that were connected wirelessly to enable early wildfire detection. The public now has access to this expanding camera network, making their dream of a socially engaged public in the fight against wildfire come true. Learn more about the project and check out the great video about Forest Guard at the bottom of this page: http://www.alertwildfire.org/about.html

This special mini-course starts next week! Explore the relationships between animals, plants, and humans in your local landscape with educator and wildlife ecologist Meghan Walla-Murphy. Learn more about the course here: https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org//deepen-your-ecologica/ Register today to secure your spot to join us: https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org/

Sonoma County is rich with quality opportunities to learn about our environment, and did you know there is a network of providers working together to bring these opportunities to you? Pepperwood is proud to work with our partners and serve as fiscal sponsor for SEEC - the Sonoma Environmental Education Collaborative. Check out SEEC's brand new website for resources for educators and community members! https://sonomacountyee.org/

This is maybe a small step for the US in standing up against climate change... but it's one enormous leap for the fight to preserve biodiversity in California! Read more about Governor Newsom's recent executive order, the California Biodiversity Network, and Pepperwood's role in this plan: https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org//one-giant-leap-for-bi/

A lotta people say poison oak rubs them the wrong way. Summer Swallow speaks for the trees... or the shrub, rather, in the latest #WildWonders episode from Pepperwood. Hear the counter narrative here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kc1eOEw_Zc&t=208s

"I am amazed by what students share in class each week; natural history mysteries which we decipher and solve together." Register now for this upcoming nature awareness course with Meghan Walla-Murphy, wildlife ecologist, writer, and educator. Through 4 weekly online class meetings and independent nature observation, you will gain tools to better notice and understand the network of ecological relationships in your backyard, local park, and nearby open spaces! Each week will be rich with discussions and new concepts to explore. Learn more and hear from Meghan here: https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org//deepen-your-ecologica/

Let us celebrate Indigenous People's Day today, and everyday, by doing the work of learning and acting to uplift Indigenous people. Pepperwood sits within the traditional homeland of the Wappo people. We respect and honor past, present, and future generations of Wappo and their continued connections to this land. You can find out whose land you are on at www.native-land.ca. Knowing this is just a first step, which should lead to taking action: find out how to support Indigenous Peoples where you live. Check out these sources: www.christensenfund.org, www.nativegiving.org, www.redbudresourcegroup.org, www.cimcc.org. The Christensen Fund, Redbud Resource Group, CIMCC: California Indian Museum and Cultural Center

This Indigenous Peoples' Day we honor the many Native Californians who tended this place since time immemorial. Creating equitable space for Indigenous voices is a priority at Pepperwood. We're grateful to our Indigenous Education Coordinator, Clint McKay, and our Native Advisory Council, for uplifting Indigenous voices, wisdom, and history at Pepperwood.

Tiny forests! Come explore the wonder of grasslands with me!