by Lola Olvera, ENC Communications Intern What do a green sea turtle, a blue butterfly and San Mateo thorn mint all have in common? They are all species endangered in California-and that’s no joke. The green sea turtle is classified as seriously threatened; worldwide its numbers have declined 90% over the past 50 years as they are hunted for meat and eggs and their habitats are threatened. The Mission Blue butterfly has been endangered since 1976 due to dieback of its most common host plant, the Silver Bush Lupine. Road construction, residential development and golf courses have eradicated the habitat of the San Mateo thorn mint-now it can only be found at Edgewood County Park. Girl Scout Troop 2917 is giving a voice to California’s…
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Newport Beach Film Festival
The Environmental Nature Center is once again a Community Partner of the Newport Beach Film Festival! We are co-presenting the screening of Environmental Short Documentaries on Saturday, April 22, at 1:15pm at Triangle Cinemas. Tickets available via the Newport Beach Film Festival website www.newportbeachfilmfest.com. Each film is listed separately (all scheduled to begin at April 22 @ 1:15 pm). Purchase tickets to one and see them all! Here is more about the individual shorts: Gardeners of the Forest For generations, Laos was known as the Land of a Million Elephants. Today, there are around 600 elephants left in Laos. If the Laotian elephants become extinct, not only does it mean a loss of one of the largest mammals on earth but also the loss for Laotian history and culture….
Spring has Sprung! Spring Faire Countdown has Begun!
By Lola Olvera, ENC Communications Intern Where else could you see a hawk up close while sporting a painted caterpillar on your face but at the ENC’s annual spring faire? For 12 years we’ve taken a sunny May day and packed it full of fun fair activities-this year is no different. Join us on May 7 and experience a Youth Art Show, native plant sale, crafts, face painting, sing alongs with local performers, nature games, live native animals and delicious food and beverages from local restaurants. Our butterfly house, the only one of its kind in Orange County, will have its grand re-opening at the Spring Faire; it’s a tradition we’ve carried on for years. Visitors can observe Orange County native butterflies interacting with locally…
Get Inspired at the ENC this March!
by Chelsea Moreno, ENC Communications Intern This season’s heavy storms were a dream for the drought, but were a nightmare for California’s kelp forests. Kelp populations have sunk to an all-time low in California after a series of severe storms, according to The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Don’t let this get you down, because there is so much you can do to help restore our local kelp forests! Visit us on Thursday, March 23, 2017 to hear Capt. Nancy Caruso speak about her work restoring Orange County’s giant kelp forests, white seabass and green abalone. Nancy has spent much of her life dedicated to conserving our local kelp forests. She began by starting The Orange County Ocean Restoration Project, which has taught…
Reading in the Redwoods
by Lola Olvera, Communications Intern Who wouldn’t want to create their own little world? In Doris Burn’s heartwarming picture book “Andrew Henry’s Meadow,” a lonely but inventive little boy does just that, building makeshift homes for himself and his friends, exactly the way they like it. Hear the rest of the story at our next Reading in the Redwoods event on Sunday, February 12 from 1:30PM-3:00PM, where naturalist Valerie Bain will lead a group hike through the trails and read aloud among our beautiful redwood trees. Afterward, families can work together to create a special village of their own, with natural materials from the Nature Center. As children’s writer Katherine Paterson once said, “It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have…
Reading in the Redwoods debuts at the ENC!
The Environmental Nature Center (ENC) will present Reading in the Redwoods on January 15, 2017, from 9:30-11AM. Participants will take a “Tree Hug Hike” out to the Redwood Forest with ENC Executive Director Bo Glover and Naturalist Valerie Bain. Glover will perform a few Magic Tricks & read “The Lorax”. A light breakfast is also included. All ages are welcome. The fee is $10 per child ($5 for ENC members). Pre-registration is required HERE. Research by the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that reading daily to young children, starting in infancy, stimulates early brain development and helps build key language, literacy and social skills. Early learning experiences such as reading provide a love of learning and strongly affect success in school, work and in life. “Reading…
Author Allan Schoenherr to speak at ENC Adult Speaker Series
The Environmental Nature Center (ENC) will host a presentation by author and naturalist Allan Schoenherr on January 19 at 6PM as part of the ENC Adult Speaker Series. Allan will present “Natural History of Open Space in Orange County,” a virtual journey down the paths and trails of wild Orange County. Registration is available HERE. “Allan is a brilliant photographer and ecologist. We are thrilled to have him join our Adult Speaker Series,” said ENC Executive Director Bo Glover. “Allan’s knowledge of Orange County’s wildlife seems endless, and we are honored to have him speak at the Center.” Allan is the author of several books including “A Natural History of California”, “Natural History of the Islands of California”, and “Wild and Beautiful: A Natural History of Open…
We Didn’t Start the Fire… yet!
by Jesus Estrada, CSUF Communications Student Looking for a fun and exciting event to spend with friends or family? The Environmental Nature Center has an upcoming event featuring their Executive Director, Bo Glover. Glover will be teaching and guiding individuals in starting a fire on January 14, 2017 from 1pm to 5pm. This event is for individuals, couples, and families with children who are nine years or older. The event is opened to members for the cost of $20 and $30 dollars for non-members. Glover will teach the basics of assembling a fire and guiding the participants in the right direction. Activities will be provided by the Environmental Nature Center for the participants who join Glover. They will learn to build and maintain a fire,…
Come Learn about Coastal Resilience to Sea Level Rise!
The Environmental Nature Center will host a presentation by the three principal scientists directing a $3 million National Science Foundation grant for a project known as FloodRISE on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016 at 6:00pm. The project will provide scientific foundations for planning coastal resilience in the changing coastal environment caused by sea level rise and stronger storms. Registration is available HERE. Presenters: Brett Sanders, Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UC Irvine David L. Feldman, Director, Water UCI, and Department of Planning, Policy and Design, UC Irvine Richard Matthew, Associate Dean, School of Social Ecology & Director, Blum Center for Poverty Alleviation, UC Irvine FloodRISE is a UC Irvine-led research project to promote resilience to coastal flooding in Southern California. The project uses advanced computer models…
Calling all History Buffs! Author Chris Epting will present “Hidden Orange County” next week!
The Environmental Nature Center (ENC) will host a presentation by author and storyteller Chris Epting on November 2 at 6PM as part of the ENC Adult Speaker Series. Chris will present “Hidden Orange County,” a look at some weird and wonderful, off the beaten track landmarks throughout the OC. The Environmental Nature Center is located at 1601 E. 16th Street, in Newport Beach. Registration is available HERE. “Chris is a master story teller and we are honored to have him as part of our Adult Speaker Series,” said ENC Executive Director Bo Glover. “Chris is full of lots of trivia and fun stories culled in part from his series of popular books on Orange County history.” Chris is the author of 26 books including Roadside Baseball,…
Fall Faire: Fun for the Kids!
The ENC’s Fall Faire will feature all types of fun and kid-friendly crafts, games, and activities! It is the perfect place to get kids excited for the festive fall season! Crafts and Games: Purchase a re-usable ENC canvas bag for $5 as your “ticket” to make awesome crafts, including Water Bottle Piggy Banks, Egg Carton Helicopters, Newspaper Hats, Water Bottle Watering Cans, and Toilet Paper Roll Monsters! Kids can also participate in fun games, like Froggie Flip, Ugly Duck-ring, Feeding Frenzy, Funky Fishing, Pancake Picnic, and more! Winners can enter to win prizes in our children’s auction! Face Painting and Henna Tattoos: We will also have face painters and henna artists at Fall Faire! Get a spider, bat, or pumpkin painted on your face, and…
Fall Faire: Crazy Critters!
Come on by the ENC’s Fall Faire and check out some live animals! Besides pony rides and a petting zoo, this year’s fair will also host Francisco the Bug Guy and the Orange County Bird of Prey Center. Francisco the Bug Guy will have all kinds of insects, like tarantulas, stick bugs, scorpions, Madagascar cockroaches, and centipedes! At the Fire Circle Stage, The OC Bird of Prey Center will give a live presentation with owls and hawks! Kids can get up close and personal to learn about bugs, birds, and nature! This is an exciting and educational opportunity to discover how these magnificent creatures play a role in our ecosystem. Join us on Sunday, October 16 from 10:00am to 3:00 pm. Admission to this event…