Spring 2005: Wildlife Corridors - Nature's Freeways

Spring 2005

Wildlife Corridors - Nature’s Freeways

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get

adequate gene pool, leading to in-breeding and

to the other side, of course. You can’t get out of loss of genetic diversity. This will gradually third grade without hearing that prehistoric joke weaken and diminish the ability of any species at least once. to adapt and survive. It means that plants will not be cross-pollinated by insects. It means But in urbanized Southern seeds will not be scattered by California, that moldy old joke birds that will not fly to habitat Do wildlife takes on a new meaning. What if corridors really they cannot see. It means that our animals CAN’T get from here to work? Preliminary open spaces will not remain there? What if encroaching research shows that viable habitat for the creatures they do. urbanization isolates open spaces that currently depend on them into blocks of undersized habitat? for their very survival. (continued on page 2) It means that wildlife will be deprived of an Inside this issue….

1 2 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Feature Story Map of Wildlife Corridors Feature Story (cont.)

Greetings from the MRCA Cyberteer From the Editor Wildlife Corridors Chautauqua Ask the Naturalist Featured Plant and Animal Science News You Can Use Park Training Institute Snow Day For Parents and Educators Volunteer Happenings Volunteer Enrichment Training MRCA Makes Connections Notes from the Field Photo Gallery

Hoary-leaf Ceanothus at Sage Ranch

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(continued from front page) The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) consider habitat linkages a primary factor in prioritizing land acquisitions; we work together with other government agencies to preserve these linkages. One can think of these efforts as “Connectors making connections.�

To illustrate what we mean by this, consider Crummer Canyon, part of Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (ULV). Marked with a star on the map below. It is one of two habitat linkages that connect the Simi Hills to the Santa Monica Mountains. This habitat linkage is created by joining up Crummer Canyon (owned by the SMMC and managed by the MRCA), through Las Virgenes View Park (a joint project of the SMMC, City of Calabasas and the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District) to Malibu Creek State Park (California State Parks). Crummer Canyon provides a complete canyon bottom linkage between ULV and the

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freeway corridor. The elevated deck of the 101 freeway provides optimal conditions for the construction of a specialized wildlife underpass. Eventually, Caltrans will also be part of the our connecting partnership.

(Continued on Page 3)

Bobcat. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

(continued from page 2 Do wildlife corridors work? Preliminary research shows that they do and further research is ongoing. Last October, Dr. Ray Sauvajot, NPS Chief of Planning Science & Resource Management, Santa Monica Mountains NRA, presented a program “Mountain Lions in Los Angeles” at our Chautauqua Series. He has graciously allowed us to share his photos, which capture animals using highway undercrossings through the use of remote cameras and radio telemetry. Dr. Sauvajot recommends providing suitable habitat around these undercrossings in order to facilitate their use. 1. (Check out our back page for an example of his work.)

There’s still much work left to do. In 2001, 160 scientists met at the San Diego Zoo to discuss California’s wildlife corridors. Their report, "Missing Linkages: Restoring Connectivity to the California Landscape", identified 232 corridors in California. 14% have already been lost and 59% are under threat from human encroachment. In Southern California, the situation is worse; 80% of the wildlife

corridors are under threat. Each threat calls for specific measures, which can be as simple as placing a culvert under a highway or as complex as land acquisition.

Coyote using a culvert to safely cross under the road.

Photo Courtesy National Park Service

____________________________ 1. Sandra J. Nga, Jim W. Dolea, Raymond M. Sauvajotb, Seth P.D. Riley, & Thomas J. Valonec, “Use of highway undercrossings by wildlife in southern California”

Greetings from the MRCA. . .

Dear Friends Connections. What it means depends on who doing the talking. MBA’s speak of hub-and-spoke distribution systems. Sociologists speak of folklore and urban legends, stories that are passed down through kinship groups or, in recent times, over the internet. IT folks speak of Routers and Servers passing packets of data.

The MRCA makes connections. We have been actively involved in the acquisition and protection of wildlife corridors throughout the Los Angeles Area. We make connections with other agencies and professional organizations where we work together to accomplish our goals and share what we’ve learned.

But wildlife biologists speak of something different. They speak of habitat linkages and wildlife corridors, lands that connect core habitats and allow passage between them.

We also make connections with the people who visit our parkland and open spaces. Every hike, every campfire, every workshop, every brochure, are measured by how we build and strengthen connections. And to every volunteer who helps us make those connections - thank you.

Connections. We all need them to remain healthy.

We know a lap-top computer will only work a few hours without being plugged into an outlet. Teachers cannot teach without students. And human babies will not thrive without the loving touch of a parent.

In the natural world, small and isolated populations of mountain lions, bobcats and coyotes will not remain selfsustaining without infusion of new animals. This infusion occurs through habitat linkages and wildlife corridors.

Now go outside and play!

Michael D. “Mike” Berger, Chair Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority

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Cyberteer…..

Here are some websites to help you navigate through the internet to get better acquainted with wildlife corridors, how they are being affected by development, and what that means to the animals dependent on them.

For more information about the NPS mountain lion study being conducted in the Santa Monica mountains, go to http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/05/0521_030 521_tvmountainlions.html Puente Hills Landfill Native Habitat Preservation Authority has a brochure about their Wildlife Corridor. http://www.habitatauthority.org/pdf/pg1-12v2b.pdf

The Friends of the Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor have dedicated their website to informing people about the importance of wildlife in their community, and how we all benefit from the wildlife corridors: http://www.hillsforeveryone.org/about-thecorridor/corridor-studies.htm South Coast Wildlands is a nonprofit organization working to preserve wildlife habitat connectivity. This site has regional maps identifying key wildlife corridors. http://scwildlands.org/missinglinks/projectlinkages.htm

From the Editor…..

“Hey Honey, come take a look at the new National Geographic. There’s an article on California” my husband hollered as he came in through the garage door. No matter how much mail he’s carrying, he always manages to open the Geographic before he returns from the mailbox.

“Huh, what page?”. I put down the knife I was using to chop onions. “Let me see”, I said, grabbing it out of his hands.

Dinner waited while I read the article. My first reaction was envy. “Oh man . . . just look at those pictures.” Then as I read further it dawned on me, “They’re taking about California’s Mediterranean Ecosystem. We devoted an issue to that last fall.” I grinned at my husband and started to chuckle, “We scooped National Geographic. This calls for a glass of wine before dinner!”

After I got my ego back under control, I reflected on how we chose that theme last summer in an Interpretive division meeting. So much of what you see in Symbiosis happens behind the scenes. It truly is a group effort, centered around the network of connections we’ve made within the MRCA and with our volunteers, other partner organizations and

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our visitors. Our Interpretive staff is only a small part of that network.

In this issue, for example, the Mountain Lion sighting was reported by Sabas Quinonez, one of our maintenance staff.

Ranger James Latham reported the Osprey sighting and a visitor supplied the photos. Ranger Mike Young shared his snow photos of Joughin Ranch. And the Wildlife Corridor Map was prepared by Marc Shores in our GIS section.

Volunteers are also part of our network of connections. The cover photo was taken on a hike at Sage Ranch with Tom Maxwell, one of our long time docents. The photos of MBU training were taken by MBU volunteer Bill Foster. The poetry we used in “SNOW Day” came from volunteer Barbara Baron.

We invite you to join our network of connections. Share your story, your photo, your sighting, or your question.

Who knows - you just might help us pull off another scoop someday?

Wendy Langhans 310-858-7272 x 115 Wendy.langhans@mrca.ca.gov

What’s so special about Wildlife Corridors...

For millions of years, animals and plants have migrated across the land in order to survive and reproduce. Each species requires a special combination of land and/or water, environmental factors, and other forms of life to create a “habitat” where it can thrive. Sometimes these habitats stretch out over large areas; sometimes these habitat are like a “string of pearls”, viable patches surrounded by inhospitable areas.

Habitats change over time, sometimes due to long term events such as climate change, sometimes due to short term events such as a flood or wildfire. Give enough time, however, plants and animals will successfully migrate and reposition themselves.

of prey species in check. If coyote habitat is fragmented, fewer will be left to control populations of skunk, possum, raccoon, and smaller animals they feed upon. Populations of their prey will increase, upsetting nature's balance all the way down the food chain. The ecological health of the core habitat will decline without wildlife corridors.

The creation of wildlife corridors, provide animals and other living things a lifeline between "islands" of core habitat, serve as escape routes from danger and avenues to food supplies and mates. Corridors can be narrow as a culvert or wider than an eight-lane freeway. They may be short or extend for miles, perhaps crossing over or under roads.

Buffer Zone

But humans have greatly altered the land since the beginnings of agriculture, about 12,000 years ago and this process has accelerated within the last few centuries, as human population has exponentially increased. In Southern California, development has led to increased habitat fragmentation, creating an “unstrung scattering of pearls”.

Some animals need a larger habitat than others to thrive. Mountain Lions, for example, need 50-100 square miles of habitat. A Bobcat needs 1/4 square mile and a Coyote family needs several square miles. Even that’s not enough for long term sustainability. Animals need to find a mate. To maintain a viable breeding population with sufficient genetic diversity, animals must be able range beyond their normal habitat.

Wildlife corridors are used by more creatures than just large mammals. A 2005 study in Florida tracked movement of birds by using fluorescent Wax Myrtle berries. Patches of land connected by a corridor showed 37% more use, based on the fluorescent berries found in bird scat. It turns out that the birds flew along the edges of the patches. (Habitat corridors promote conservation. www.sciencemag.org ) So what will happen if the mountain lions and bobcats die off? Animals such as mountain lions and bobcats are keystone species, which are essential to the survival of other species in the ecosystem. These carnivores keep the number

Buffer Zone Core Area

Corridor

Core Area

Core Habitats connected through a Wildlife Corridor. Buffer zones allow minimal development.

To move from one habitat to another involves risk. There are natural hazards; animals may encounter predators or lack of food or water. But with our roads and other development, we have made it even more hazardous for animals to travel. A well-known children’s campfire song (sung to the tune of “Oh Christmas Tree”) expresses this danger succinctly: Oh Tom the toad, oh Tom the toad I see you lying on the road.

You used to be So big and fat.

And now you're lying Squished and flat.

Oh Tom the toad, oh Tom the toad I see you lying on the road.

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Chautauqua programs for Spring‌..

From Babylon to Ballona: The History of Parks and Open Space April 18, 7:30 PM. Joe Edmiston

Join us on a journey through time through the history of parks and open space, from the Hanging Gardens of Babylon through the contemporary fight to preserve natural areas.

Joe Edmiston serves as the executive officer of both the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. He teaches a course at UCLA on the history of the park movement in the U.S.

Secrets of the Chaparral June 20, 7:30 PM. Richard Halsey Join us as we explore the chaparral’s unique natural history, reveal the truth

Legends of the Land: Provocative People in Poetic Places May 16, 7:30 PM. Ruth Kilday

SMMC Chief Executive Officer Joe Edmiston receives a Life Membership Awards from the Park Rangers Association of California

Hear stories of the men and women who settled the ridgelines and canyons across the Santa Monica Mountains through Spanish grazing concessions, Mexican land grants, and homesteads.

Ruth Kilday was founder and executive director of the Mountains Conservancy Foundation (MCF). She serves on the boards of the MCF and the Malibu Lagoon Museum.

San Fernando Mission

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Rick Halsey measuring stump sprout growth after a wildfire.

concerning its many myths and mysteries, and why it represents such a vital link to nature for all Californians.

Rick Halsey works with the San Diego Museum of Natural History and coordinates education and research efforts through the California Chaparral Field Institute. He will sign copies of his book, Fire, Chaparral, and Survival in Southern California, following the presentation.

Location: Temescal Dining Hall Temescal Gateway Park 15601 Sunset Boulevard Pacific Palisades, CA 310-454-1395 x 106

Ask the Naturalist…

Why do coyotes howl?

In the “Roadrunner” cartoons, Wiley Coyote never makes a sound. But if you join us on a moonlight hike, you’ll hear him. He’s really quite a vocal animal. As a matter of fact, the word coyote comes from the ancient Aztec word "coyotl," which means "barking dog."

A series of multiple animal yips and howls is the pack’s way of communicating with each other. It could be something like, “The roadrunner went this way.” or “Oh, look, a package just arrived for Wiley from Acme Products.”

Now imagine you’re with us at night. He starts with one small bark Then another joins in...and another...until it finally the sound crescendos into a long eerie howl.

Oh yeah, we know what coyotes sound like. But do we know why they howl? Sure - we know that coyotes howl to communicate with each other.

And what’s more, we can make an educated guess as A “growl” is a means of asserting dominance. Think to what they are saying. back to the last time you saw two people walking A lone long howl might mean, “This is my territory.” their dog. When they met, did one dog growl at the other?

Or it could mean “Here I am, where is everybody?”

A coyote’s territory can vary greatly in size, but 10-12 Frenetic whining and whimpering is a sign of pair square miles is possible. Their calls can travel as far bonding. And high-pitched barks to are used to as 3 miles. summon puppies.

A series of short barks could indicate “Danger!” or say “I need help.” It could also mean “Back off - this is mine.”

Now you’re more familiar with coyote vocalization.

So the next time you watch a road runner cartoon, you can add your own sound effects.

Quick - what would Wiley say?

E-mail your questions to Wendy.Langhans@mrca.ca.gov.

Coyotes can often be found (and heard) at Franklin Canyon.

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Featured Plant and Animal…..

Catkins and Kittycats Bobcats are not Oversized Kittycats The bobcat, Lynx rufus, is both endearing and deserving of our respect. Endearing because its behaviors are similar to those we see in house cats: aloof, solitary and territorial. A bobcat scratches, pounces, rests, hunts and mates like a household cat. Even its yowling sounds like our neighbors cat. With its “bobbed” tail and tufted ears, we might be tempted to underestimate this cute, albeit rather large, kitty cat.

This kitty, however, deserves an inspection that goes beyond fur-deep. Like their larger feline cousins, the mountain lions, bobcats are at the pinnacle of the southern California food pyramid. These largely solitary predators require vast ranges of territory, and so are among those animals most dependent on the habitats connected by wildlife corridors. The bobcat wanders the rocky areas and chaparral of the Santa Monica Mountains, but is so well camouflaged that many hikers may never see one.

Catkins are not Undersized Kittycats There are six species of willows in our local mountains.

Sometimes they are difficult to distinguish because there is a wide range of variations and hybridization. But all of them are found near a source of water, whether a free flowing stream or an underground spring.

Willows are one of the first plants to blossom in the late winter and early spring. Their flowers are called catkins and they resemble a mass of simple flowers clustered on a spike. Willows and their catkins can be either male or female. While many plants with simple flowers rely on the wind for pollination, the willow relies on insects to get the job done. Nectar glands located within each flower lure bees to visit, feed, and carry some pollen over to the next catkin.

The arroyo willow is one of many plants including California black walnut, western sycamore, Mexican elderberry, and mule fat, found in riparian habitat. These shrubs and trees in themselves form wildlife corridors within a wildlife corridor by providing under cover places to hide and travel Predators such as mountain lions use these green corridors for stealthily moving from one location to the next.

Contributed by Keliann LaConte

Thanks to their highly developed senses of sight and hearing, bobcats often pounce upon small mammals and birds for a meal and may even sprint over short distances after their quarry. These ferocious hunters are capable of taking down prey even as large as deer.

Bobcats have proven fairly adaptable to living on the boundaries of urban areas, but life is still a struggle. Many are killed in vehicle collisions or bleed to death after poisons like anticoagulant rodenticides migrate up the food chain.

Hear this little kitty cat ROAR at http://home.att.net/~kittycatfurballssounds2/bigcat.html.

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These willow catkins are ready to blossom.

Science News You Can Use…..

The Sixth Sense Consider the story of a two year old male mountain lion; he and his brother left Mom a few months ago but now it’s time to leave his brother and find a new territory for himself nothing fancy, just 50 to 150 square miles of open space. He crosses a sparsely-traveled stretch of highway late at night and manages to avoid becoming road kill. Or perhaps he used a tunnel under the road. Now what? Are their any other mountain lions around here? A female is OK, it will be even better when he matures in another year or so. But he really doesn’t want to go up against an older and more experienced male. How can he tell whether to stay put or keep moving?

We know that mountain lions make scrapes, a fourto-six inch mound of dirt and forest litter pulled together containing urine and scat, which are used to mark their territorial boundaries. Perhaps our young mountain lion can explore the area, using his nose to detect the odor.

If he finds a scrape, you may notice his face makes a grimace, something we call a “flehmen”. He is activating his vomeronasal organ, sometimes referred to as VNO or Jacobson’s organ, which is an organ behind his incisors that allows him to detect pheromones, normally odorless chemicals that are “released by one member of a species as communication with another member, to their mutual benefit”.

Some people refer to the vomeronasal organ as “the sixth sense”. For our youngster, it provides a way for him to identify other cats more closely or determine if a female is in heat. He may not need to know that right now, but he will in about a year.

Just in case you were wondering, we humans also have a VNO. It was discovered about 300 years ago, but was thought to be vestigial until recently. The human VNO system consists of two sensory organs (one in each side of the nose) located about an inch above the opening and underneath the mucosal lining of septum, the cartilage that separates our nose into two halves.

What’s NEW with MRCA Training?

The Park Training Institute (PTI) A program of the MRCA. Formerly the Ranger Training Institute.

PTI has been serving the unique training needs of park rangers, staff, & volunteers in; interpretation, law enforcement, wildland firefighting, EMS, search & rescue, park maintenance, management, outdoor and classroom education since 1998. All courses provide good value at reasonable cost, with certified trainers that work in the field, offering a unique park perspective.

Coming this year:

Contact us at park ainng@mrca.ca.gov, or call 310-858-7272 ext. 132 for dates & locations.

2 Day Storytelling Workshop Wilderness EMT Certified Interpretive Host Certified Interpretive Guide Fire Making & Survival Skills Native American Games & Craft Workshop Leadership & Ropes Course and many more

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SNOW DAY! A winter storm in on March 11th brought snow to the Santa Susana Mountains.

Winter Cold, Blue-sky brilliance, Grey sky dreary— Forms the canopy Under which I huddle, Seeking warmth In my nest.

MRCA Volunteer Barbara Baron

Looking south from Joughin Ranch over the San Fernando Valley.

A silhouette of trees, softened by snow.

No chains required...yet.

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For Parents and Educators‌ Wildlife corridors are like mazes for animals. They try to get to more resources, such as food or shelter, or even to find a mate. Help this mountain lion cub who has been separated from his mother to find her through this wildlife maze.

Start

WORD SCRAMBLE Unscramble these to find out the names of these endangered animals which rely on wildlife corridors for survival: See below for answers.

ALBD GEELA

Finish

__ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __

UMOTNNAI INOL __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ EAS TOETR OWORDTA

__ __ __

__ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __

ERD GELGDE GROF __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __

Websites For Educators:

which have been recently added to the endangered list, and how we can help: www.endangeredspecie.com/states/ca.htm

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service website offers a variety of area

A great resource for any lesson and any age group! It provides many lesson plans on numerous wildlife topics including visuals and teacher preparation techniques: www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/lesson_plans/

This website is devoted to providing the latest information on status of different endangered species. It offers a list of species

Answers: bald eagle, mountain lion, bob cat, wood rat, red legged frog

specific information to enrich a wildlife lesson: www.fws.gov/educators/

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2006 Spring Volunteer Naturalist Training Graduation. All MRCA Volunteers are invited to attend!

Volunteer Patrol (MVP) Formerly, known as the Mounted Assisted Unit (MAU).

Saturday, April 29th 10am-12pm Let’s congratulate, support and meet our new MRCA Volunteer Naturalists.

These dedicated new volunteers will have completed ten weeks of intensive naturalist training, preparing them to design and lead effective interpretive school, scout and public programs for our MRCA park visitors. Let’s give them a warm welcome!

If you have a horse, and want to help patrol our parks, this group is waiting to ride with you!

A partnership has recently been solidified with the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority National Park Service, and California State Park, combining resources, and riders to provide quality, consistent horseback patrol services to our parks and park visitors. Don’t wait, for upcoming training dates call Jodi Thomas 310-858-7272 ext.205 or, jody.thomas@mrca.ca.gov

Volunteer Meeting Saturday, June 10th 4pm –6pm Franklin Canyon Park, Sooky Goldman Nature Center Meet and greet fellow, and new volunteers.

Learn about upcoming trainings, special events and volunteer opportunities. Bring a snack or potluck diner to share!

Mountain Bike Unit Congratulations to our new crop of volunteers taking part in the current Mountain Bike Unit training.

After the meeting, everyone is invited to stay for,

Evening BIRDS (7-9pm),

For information visit, www.mountainbikeunit.com Birds are full of activity when the sun goes down. Join us for a volunteer lead sunset stroll around Franklin Canyon Lake.

Every Tuesday, 11am-3pm, Franklin Canyon Park, Lead by MRCA Volunteer Joanne Leonard. or, stay to enjoy the Join this on-going gathering of artists of all levels.

Paint or draw plants while learning more about the native flora of the LA Mountains. For information, Family CAMPFIRE (6-8pm) and to RSVP, call Joanne at 323-656-3899.

Join us for an old-fashioned family campfire, with fun Many of our Botanical Artists will have their work stories, singing and s’mores around a crackling on display at the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern campfire in the Sam Goldman Amphitheater.

California, Art Exhibition Sale & Workshop.

Botanical Drawing Tuesdays

Both programs at Franklin Canyon Park

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Saturday April 29th - Sunday May 7th Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanic Garden Gallery Hours: Weekends, 9:30am-4:30pm Weekdays, 12:00pm - 4:00pm, for more information on this event visit www.bagsc.org 626-821-4623.

All MRCA Volunteers are Welcome to attend!

Tracks, Scat, Skins and Skulls

Campfire and Storytelling

Saturday, April 8th 9am-4pm Franklin Canyon Park, Sooky Goldman Nature Center This fun, hands-on workshop will help you to not only learn how to identify common signs animals leave behind, but also how to effectively share, and show these signs with our park visitors. Get dirty, make replica scat for your trail backpacks, and become more aware of the animal stories hiding in plain sight.

For MRCA Volunteers, friends and family!

Friday, April 28th 7:30pm - 9:30pm The MRCA is offering a full schedule of Spring and Summer Campfire programs for the public. We need volunteer campfire leaders and individuals to help with program set-up and s’mores.

Native Plant Uses and Nature Awareness Skills Saturday, April 15th 9am-4pm Franklin Canyon Park, Sooky Goldman Nature Center What’s the Music Tree? How can I make soap right on the trail? How can I see and share more animals?

Add these plant and awareness skills to your trail tool kits and ways to share them with others.

This evening will allow volunteers to potluck, play, enjoy sticky s’mores, and see what leading a campfire program is all about.

Waltz of the Flowers Wednesday, April 19th 7:30pm - 9:00pm Franklin Canyon Park, Sooky Goldman Nature Center Come dance with us in an evening of wildflowers, good company, and tasty snacks. Sit back and enjoy a dazzling PowerPoint presentation where you can learn how to lead meaningful wildflower hikes without ever identifying a flower. Learn to use and teach a rubric that will help you determine how flowers attract and repel pollinators. Bring your flower photos to share. This presentation was offered at the National Association for Interpretation (NAI), Region 8 Workshop, in Red Rock Nevada, by Interpretive Specialist Wendy Langhans.

CPR and First Aid Certification Saturday, April 22nd 8am-5pm, Franklin Canyon Park.

Would you know what to do if someone needed immediate medical attention on the trail? What are the first actions to take, who should be called, and how to stay prepared? Must attend full 8hrs. for certification.

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MRCA makes connections with other park professionals...

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) connect more than just property lines, wildlife corridors, and public access to our LA mountain parks.

Our connections with other national and international agencies allow us to teach, share ideas and learn from each other. We grow as professionals and increase our ability to preserve, promote and protect parkland.

In February staff from the Division of Interpretation led sessions at the National Association for Interpretation’s Spring Region 8 workshop in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada. In March staff members from the Division of Interpretation and the Operations Division led sessions at the California Parks Conference, sponsored by the Park Rangers of California and the California State Parks Rangers Association. Ranger Dave Updike served as Co-chair of the conference.

We Share. MRCA Chief Ranger Walt Young presents a workshop on the Incident Command System at the California Parks Conference

Mediterranean Eco-system organized by the California Institute of Public Affairs and hosted by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Out of this workshop came “The Malibu Declaration,” a series of goals, objectives and priorities regarding the international protection of Mediterranean eco-systems around the world.

We are also making connections on an international level.

MRCA Executive Officer Joe Edmiston participation in the Fifth World Parks Congress, held in Durban, South Africa, in Deputy Executive Officer Amy Lethbridge has trained September 2003 motivated an international workshop on the eco-tour guides on the art of interpretation and effective communication techniques in Mexico and Central America and will be a featured presenter at the Interpreting World Heritage Conference in San Juan Puerto Rico this May, speaking on the MRCA’s 9methods of including local communities during the park planning process.

We Learn. Interpreter Asha Bankowski practices the fine art of throwing an atlatl.

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We Teach. Interpreter Rebecca Farr teaching at the California Parks Conference.

Notes from the Field…..

Osprey sighted at Franklin Canyon Lake Osprey are winter visitors to the coastal areas of Southern California.

At one time Osprey’s could be found throughout North America, but their numbers greatly declined due to use of DDT. Now, after the ban on DDT, their population is increasing. They are still considered a “Species of Special Concern”.

Osprey can be found hunting around water - either fresh or saltwater.

Living almost exclusively on fish, they hunt by soaring over the water, then plunging feet first when a fish is spotted, as seen in these recent photos taken at Franklin Canyon Lake.

Mountain Lion spotted in Franklin Canyon MRCA employee Sabas Quinonez spotted a Mountain Lion yearling near the lower Ranch meadow in Franklin Canyon Park.

He spotted it about 5:30 PM on March 3.

Franklin Canyon is on the Pacific Flyway - an aerial wildlife corridor.

(Photos courtesy Frank Mishenko.)

He said, “It still had some grayish fur but was turning tawny like the adults. I saw the tail had a black tip.”

If you do spot a mountain lion, the California Dept of Fish and Game suggests that you: Stand and face the animal Make eye contact Make yourself appear larger Yell with a loud, low pitched voice.

Remember, all sorts of wild creatures call Franklin Canyon their home.

Mourning Cloak Butterfly This Mourning Cloak butterfly looks a bit worse for wear.

It most likely hatched in June or July. When this picture was taken in late February, it was perhaps eight or nine months old and approaching the end of it’s ten or eleven month lifespan.

Note the frayed edges of its wings - some predator took several bites out of his wings. Looks like those deceptive eyespots served their purpose well.

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Remote cameras capture a wandering mountain lion. What path did he take to get from Deer Creek to Castro Crest? Photo Courtesy Dr. Ray Sauvajot, National Park Service.

Sage Ranch, located in the Simi Hills, is part of the Wildlife corridor between the Santa Monica and Santa Susana Mountains.

Star Lily is known as a fire-follower, one of a number of flowers more found more often after a wildfire.

Stinging Lupine is another fire-follower.

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With the soil enriched by ash from the recent Topanga Fire, wildflowers are especially abundant this Spring.