The Environmental Nature Center is accepting applications again for its Leaders in Training program! The program provides a great opportunity for high school students to exercise important skills in passing on knowledge to the next generation of young Nature Lovers. By leading projects during school break camps, they provide kids with a chance to explore…
Excellent Educators Series: NGSS Update and Teaching well NOW
Among the many benefits that the Environmental Nature Center provides is the Excellent Educators series, a monthly pedagogical set of courses specifically designed for educators. Teachers of all kinds are invited in order to learn new methods of bringing science to the classroom! Orange County California Regional Environmental Education Coordinator Helen de la Maza will…
After School Nature Art Club at the ENC
Is your child ready to unleash her artistic wild side? Our After School Nature Art Club at the ENC is here to help him navigate the intricate details of our environment to bring his creations to life. Our very own Sama Wareh, author of “How to Draw 60 Native California Plants and Animals: A Field…
Meditation at the ENC
We live in the age of hard workers; many of us conduct our weekday labor with stress as we support our families and ourselves. At the end of the week, many of us deserve a bit of spiritual rejuvenation while being surrounded by nature, and there’s no better way to achieve that than with some…
The Environmental Nature Center Needs a 1% for the Planet Partner!
The Environmental Nature Center is a proud nonprofit member of 1% for the Planet, a cooperative coalition made up of more than 1,200 businesses that give one percent of their overall sales towards climate improvement, environmental education, and environmental wellness to both wildlife and humans. 1% for the Planet brings the oft-isolated spheres of business…
Top Ten ways to Help Butterflies
Plant locally native host plants in your garden. A butterfly is a caterpillar’s way of making another caterpillar. Caterpillars are picky eaters, and most gardens and yards are full of beautiful plants that they just can’t eat! Imagine if your kids could only eat apples, and every store and farmer’s market around decided to stop…
Drumming up some Drummers
There is something primal about sitting around a campfire and letting your brain rest while your heart synchronizes with the beat of a drum. This ancient practice has been seen in every part of the world, including our own backyard. Scientific studies have shown that drumming reduces stress levels, which can be measured by the…
Nature Play, Wildlife Observation & more await ENC Campers next week!
It’s already February, which means President’s Week Camp is coming up soon! The ENC’s Presidents Week Camp, February 16-19th, will be a week of fun and excitement for 45 campers, who will rotate in three small groups between three Camp Teachers every day. Campers will enjoy Nature Play, where they will be given the freedom…
Enticing Hummingbirds to your Yard
Everybody likes hummingbirds; they are energetic and fearless little warriors, guarding flowers and feeders with their lives from anything that might cross their path. Due to their charming allure and vivacity, hummingbirds enthrall watchers in any garden setting, leading people to invest in their own feeders in order to attract these birds in their own…
Habitat Helpers program teaches volunteers about the detrimental effects of non-native invasive weeds
The ENC is host to a variety of volunteer opportunities ranging from Museum Docent to Faire Volunteer, but it’s no secret that the ENC’s 3.5 acres of natural habitat needs more than a few helping hands to keep it healthy. Our incredible plant communities are here for the public to enjoy and explore, but they…
Welcome aboard, Nathan!
The ENC has a new marketing intern! Nathan Serafin is a recent graduate from UC Berkeley with a BS in Society and Environment and a concentration in U.S. Environmental Policy and Management. He minored in English, and was a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. While at Berkeley, Nathan was involved with “Alternative Breaks,” a service-learning program…
Bring the Family to the Wilderness Survival Game Show!
More than ever, wilderness survival skill shows have become increasingly popular. From Man Vs. Wild to the contagious cult following of the Hunger Games, the exposure to wilderness survival is becoming greater and greater. While spending time in the wilderness is very healthy and healing for the spirit, knowing how to survive in the wilderness…