Saturday, November 15: Looking for the Wild Side of Solvang

Looking for the Wild Side of Solvang
Field trip with Tim Matthews, Margie Popper, and John Evarts
Saturday, November 15, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Advance registration required at synature@west.net or 693-5683
Members free / nonmembers $20

The vast majority of SYVNHS field trips take us to destinations that are far removed from town, which allows us to explore environments that have not been so heavily altered by human activity. But our urban backyards, parks, and small pockets of undeveloped land can also be rich with interesting flora and fauna — and these habitats are often just a short walk away. This moderate hike, led by Tim Matthews,
Margie Popper, and John Evarts will visit a wilder edge of Solvang, introduce some of the fascinating native and nonnative trees in our urban forest, and examine ways in which we can better appreciate natural history in the city. This trip complements the chapter titled “Urban Parks and Backyards” in Joan Lentz’s A Naturalist’s Guide to the Santa Barbara Region.
Tim Matthews has led many trips for the Society, and is an outstanding birder. Margie Popper and John Evarts are editors and publishers of several California native tree books; they also lead tree identification trips for middle-school students that are sponsored by the Society. This trip will entail less than three miles of easy walking, some of it on pavement. Bring binoculars, water, and a sense of adventure.