San Mateo County Parks Foundation - March 2019 Update

Article Source: San Mateo County Parks Foundation

It has been a cold, rainy winter, but spring is here! We will be rewarded with spectacular wildflower displays throughout the parks. If you have been itching to get outside and hit the trail or just be in a park, read on for a whole bunch of events and volunteer opportunities up, down and around the county.

Before we get to that, we have included some links to information we think you would enjoy:

Creative Ways to Engage in some Nature Play offers ideas on how to depart from a digital lifestyle with your kids. The benefits of giving children plenty of time in nature are numerous. Blog

Giving Steelhead a Fighting Chance: San Pedro Creek and the Power of Teamwork and Volunteers is a guest blog by Paul Jones, a founding member of the San Pedro Creek Watershed Coalition. Video and blog

The pilot program to expand on-leash recreational opportunities in San Mateo County Parks for dogs and their owners is currently underway. Learn more at San Mateo County Parks.

Events and Volunteer Opportunities Galore

Saturday, March 16, 12-3pm: History Day at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve- The Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and San Mateo County Parks are kicking off a year of celebrations in honor of “50 Years of Stewardship” at the Reserve. This history walk will take you through a series of stations where rangers and docents will be on hand to discuss the geological, natural, and human history of the reserve. Tours starting at 12pm and 1:30pm.

Springtime Wildflower Walks at Edgewood!

Every Saturday and Sunday starting March 16 through June 2, 10am-1pm, Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve: Springtime Wildflower Walks- Edgewood’s serpentine grasslands are renowned throughout California for their lush wildflower carpets and rich biodiversity. Join Friends of Edgewood Park docents for their free and enjoyable walks. More info here.

San Mateo County Parks Stewardship Corps

Various Saturdays, March 23 – May 18, 9am-12pm: San Mateo County Parks Stewardship Corps- Make a difference by volunteering with the Stewardship Corps. Volunteers and park staff work together at different locations to restore native habitat and beautify the San Mateo County Parks. Come explore SMC County Parks while lending a hand with weeding.

Up next:

• March 23- Fitzgerald Marine Reserve

Saturday, March 16, 5pm: Lecture on “Tracking Homo Sapiens’ Path to a New World” at San Pedro Valley Park- The Friends of San Pedro Valley Park will host Dr. Todd Braje, anthropologist at the California Academy of Sciences, who will present on how the first Americans settled in the “New World”. Details here.

Saturday, March 30, 5pm: Lecture on “Ants Everywhere: Diverse, Invisible” at San Pedro Valley Park- The Friends of San Pedro Valley Park will host Dr. Brian Fisher, curator of entomology at the California Academy of Sciences and an enthusiastic speaker who knows that ants are the glue that hold forests together. Details here.

Tuesdays-Sundays, March 29-May 27, @ Coyote Point: An Amazing Math Art Experience for Kids- CuriOdyssey’s STEM Odyssey encourages kids to see math in a new way. Ignite a lifelong passion for science, technology, engineering, art and math in your child when they navigate through an oversized floor maze, solve intriguing, interactive puzzles and experience the beauty of mathematical structures. More information here.

Friday, April 5, 5-8pm: First Friday Family Night at CuriOdyssey, located in Coyote Point- Enjoy extended evening hours until 8pm inside STEM Odyssey and relax with a live band and cash bar. Meet and learn about the defenses of CuriOdyssey's blue-tongued skink, rose hair tarantula and turkey vulture, too! More details here.

Saturday, April 20, 9am: Earth Day Clean Up at Coyote Point- Join San Mateo County Parks and help remove trash along the San Francisco Bay. Your efforts will help protect marine life from harmful trash and keep one of the Bay's most picturesque beaches looking great. More information here. Please bring a signed volunteer agreement.

Saturday, April 27, 8:45am: BioBlitz! Huddart Park- This spring, join San Mateo County Parks to spread out across Huddart Park and discover species of birds, plants, mammals, reptiles, and more! Meet at the Zweirlein Picnic Area. Finish the day with uploading your findings to iNaturalist. More information here. Registration required on both Eventbrite and iNaturalist.

Saturday, April 27, 9am-2:30pm: Pacific Beach Coalition’s EcoFest and Earth Day of Action- “We All Need a Little Kelp” is the theme for this year’s event. Register to volunteer in the morning at 9am and then attend the EcoFest at 11am in the Linda Mar South parking lot in Pacifica. Organized by Pacific Beach Coalition.

Saturday, May 11, 8:30am: Trail Work Day at Memorial Park- The Trail Center is coordinating a work day on Memorial Park’s Pomponio Trail where volunteers will participate in brushing, re-establishing tread, removing fallen trees and improving drainage.

Saturday, May 11, 10am-4pm: Gathering of Stewards at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve- Friends of FMR and SMC Parks continue a year of celebrations in honor of the Reserve's 50th anniversary. Groups that have fostered stewardship and education at the Reserve will give presentations to the public. Participation is limited to the first 600 people who register.

I sure hope you found something you like. The parks are our shared legacy. Make time to enjoy them!

See you in a park soon,

Michele Beasley, Executive Director

San Mateo County Parks Foundation

Learn more about your San Mateo County Parks

To find out everything from A-Z -- Annual passes to the Zwierlein picnic site -- about San Mateo County Parks, check out their website.

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Robert Riechel

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Source Credit: San Mateo County Parks Foundation

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