Bridge to Nature - Fall 2023

BRIDGE TO

NATURE

Stough Canyon Nature Center

2300 E Walnut Ave

Burbank, CA 91501

818-238-5440

Naturecenter@burbankca.gov

STOUGH CANYON NATURE CENTER NEWSLETTER

TUESDAY - SATURDAY 9AM - 5PM

SUNDAY 12PM - 5PM

FALL 2023

It's been a busy summer at Stough Canyon Nature Center! Nature Experiences Camp from June-August and now the center is getting ready for Fall programs.

Stough Canyon Nature Center offers information about local wildlife, native plants, and provides nature based programs for all ages.

IN THIS ISSUE:

HAUNTED ADVENTURE

SOCAL FAMILY VISIT

SUMMER CAMP RECAP

TURKEY VULTURE

WESTERN SYCAMORE

ITEMS IN HIKING PACK

BEARS IN BURBANK

TRAIL CAM UPDATES

FALL PROGRAMS

"It seems to me that we all look at Nature too much, and live with her too little."

Oscar Wilde

NATURE

Event Dates

October 13, 14, 20, & 21 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Volunteer Dates

Monday and Wednesday evenings beginning September 18

Calling all monsters, ghouls, and frights!

Burbank's premier Haunted Adventure is just around the corner! Last year's Haunted Adventure brought in over 800 visitors and over 60 volunteers. We couldn't have done this event without our amazing volunteers and staff. We are currently looking for volunteers, scene leads, and "scary" donations to help us make Haunted Adventure 2023 a fright to remember!

For volunteer inquires, please email us at: Naturecenter@burbankca.gov

Special guest to the Nature Center:

Haunted Adventure 2023 So Cal Family

"As a family we love to get outside and explore our community. We found a hidden gem in Los Angeles at The Stough Canyon Nature Center. Here there are opportunities to learn about the Verdugo Mountains, wildlife, flora, fauna, and habitat through planned activities, exhibits, and nature hikes.

Our family spent an afternoon creating self portraits using natural art products found right there in the canyon. It was an absolute blast. We also learned about the plants and animals found there with a staff led nature walk and finished our day with an amazing 1 mile hike with stunning views of the entire valley, downtown LA and even the ocean.

You definitely don't have to travel far to give your family amazing experiences and lasting memories."

For more So Cal Family fun activities check out their IG @socalfunfamily and www.socalfunfamily.com

Turkey Vulture

Nature's Clean Up Crew

Soaring high in the sky above the Verdugo Mountains, turkey vultures are nature's clean up crew. They eat dead animals before it rots which may contribute diseases. They have bald heads so decaying meat won't get stuck on their feathers when they are eating.

You may see turkey vultures in the early mornings in Wildwood Canyon, where they also roost at night.

Quick Facts

They pee and poop on their legs to keep them cool in hot temperatures.

When threatened, they can projectile vomit up to 10 feet!

Their stomach enzymes are so strong it's been compared to battery acid (Talk about having a strong stomach!) They can digest all bacteria, even Anthrax.

They have the largest olfactory system of all birds and they can smell carrion a mile away.

They can travel 200 miles a day.

They spread their wings out towards the sun in the mornings to warm themselves up, as their temperatures drop up to 6 degrees at night. The sun's UV rays also kills bacteria and parasites on their feathers.

STOUGH CANYON NATURE CENTER NEWSLETTER

CATHARTES AURA

Western Sycamore Tree

Genus Eleodes

Framing the bridge to the Nature Center like guardians are the Western sycamore tree. These trees are native to Southern California, grow to more than 100 feet tall, and can live up to 600 years! Their large, soft, and fuzzy leaves are important to the hummingbirds - they pick the tiny hairs from the leaves to build and line their nest. Due to their soft leaves, they are also known as "emergency toilet paper!"

These trees may indicate a source of underground water. The tree was important to Native Americans as they made bowls from the gnarled branches and the wood was used to build homes.

Many of the public parks in Burbank have numerous sycamore trees, be sure to hug them on a hot day, as their trunk stays remarkably cool!

Items you should have in your hiking pack

What to pack when you are enjoying nature!

Compass

Map of local wilderness area

Emergency blanket

Emergency whistle or airhorn

Small mirror (use to reflect sunlight when signaling search planes)

Swiss army knife or sturdy pocket knife

Hiking stick

Small first aid kit with antiseptic wipes and bandages

Waterproof matches

Toilet paper

Large trash bag (can be turned into a poncho, sleeping bag, shelter, etc.)

Fully charged phone or satellite phone (always let someone know where

and when you will be hiking and when you will return.)

Water

Sunglasses, sunscreen, and bug spray

STOUGH CANYON NATURE CENTER NEWSLETTER

Black Bears in Burbank

Recent bear sights in Burbank near the canyons of the Verdugo Mountains have caused much commotion in the community. There have been reports of a mama bear with her two cubs going through the trashcans up in Country Club Drive.

Black bears generally avoid humans, but if they get used to people feeding them or knowing there's food in trashcans, bears can become bold and potentially dangerous.

Black bears can also be different shades of brown and they have an excellent sense of smell - they can smell food up to two miles away. Their large and powerful paws allow them to be excellent climbers!

Black bears can spend up to 8 hours a day foraging for food. Although they can consume meat, they are mostly vegetarian and love berries and nuts.

Blackberries are one of their favorite berries!

Bear Safety

What to do if you encounter a bear

DO NOT sneak up on a bear. Make noise to let them know you are around. Consider getting a bear horn or air horn. Give them ample room to leave, DO NOT corner them.

DO NOT look at them in the eye (they view this as you challenging them), look to the side of them.

Put trashcans out the morning of trash pick up day, rather than the night before, to prevent bears from going through trash and making a habit of it. Bears have phenomenal long term memory, they will remember where food was and will come back in the future.

Trail Cam Updates

The Nature Center has trail cameras set up amongst the hills of the Verdugo Mountains. Here are a few recent wildlife sightings. Trail cameras help us understand what wildlife are inhabiting the Verdugo Mountains.

The elusive kangaroo rat with their distinct tail.

Bobcat near the pond at the Nature Center.

A female (doe) mule deer near the pond.

Cottontail rabbit.

A male (buck) mule deer at night.

Story Owl Hour

September 26

October 26

November 30

Wild Creatures Walk

September 24

October 26

November 26 11:00am-12:00pm

Native American Celebration

September 22 7:00pm-8:30pm

Rocket Science and Astronomy (5-12 years old)

Tuesdays 9/12 - 10/31 - 4:30pm-5:30pm

Nature Apprentice and Nature Art will resume in Winter.