- Author: Alexandra Stefancich
Kindergarteners from GVCS visited over two days for a fun-filled science field day. Students were able to hunt for benthic macroinvertebrates, look at decaying salmon carcasses, search for salmon redds (the nests that they build to lay their eggs), and understand the challenging lives that salmon have by acting out the stages of their life cycle. Students loved their field day, saying they "couldn't choose a favorite thing, it was all so fun!" Another student noted that "I am happy to be a human. Being a salmon seems hard."
The opportunity to see these natural wonders first hand can have a lasting impact on student learning. SFREC is dedicated to increasing the number of hands-on science field days it offers to local students. This spring we will be offering field science trips for 4th and 5th graders where they will learn about a variety of science concepts and field science techniques. For more information about these field science days please contact Ali Stefancich at astefancich@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Megan G Osbourn
Along the stream is the Riparian area where you will find many plants that have roots in the water or very damp soil. Even in the dry summer months, these plants usually grow tall and jungle-like since they have plenty of water. These Riparian plants are important because they help stabilize soil and filter impurities from the water in addition to providing critical habitat for a variety of wildlife. Holes in large rocks can also be found near the water where the Native Americans who once lived in the Sierra Foothills would grind acorns into flour.
Finally, hikers will come upon a convenient steel foot bridge that spans over the entire marsh area. The soil in this small basin is always saturated due to contact with the water table. Here you will find specialized plants that grow well when their roots are always wet such as cattails, reeds, forbs and shrubs. This vegetation provides nesting habitat for a rare bird species called the black rail that was recently discovered to be living in the foothills.