Don’t Miss Out – Call Today - August 7, 2010 Walk on the Wild Side!
On Saturday, August 7, the Land Trust invites members and their families and friends to take a walk on the wild side at a special wildlife tracking educational outing at the beautiful Marks Ranch. Led by wildlife biologist Tanya Diamond, this event will give nature-lovers of all ages the opportunity to see how researchers use specially-designed infrared digital cameras to capture images of animal movement. Participants will also learn how to interpret animal tracks and will make plaster castings to take home as souvenirs of the day, making this hands-on event especially fun for children—and the young at heart.
Tanya is Vice President of Connectivity for Wildlife, one of the Land Trust’s community partners involved in investigating how wildlife move on a landscape scale. According to Tanya, “This outing will focus on exploring where the animals are present and how they get from one safe space to another.” Wildlife movement is a critical issue not only for the survival of key species but for human safety as well. Diamond points out that while the greatest cause of wildlife mortality used to be hunting, today it is animal-vehicle road collisions. Connectivity for Wildlife has partnered with Cal-Trans to develop strategies such as wildlife-friendly fencing that minimize wildlife mortality in critical areas.
Only a few spaces remain, so call today to reserve a space at this exciting event! Individuals interested in learning more about wildlife tracking and identifying animal prints will also have the occasion to speak with Tanya about other workshops and tracking opportunities in the area.
Now is also the time to mark the calendar for the year’s remaining BSLT educational outings, “Discover the Carmel River Parkway” (Saturday, September 11) and “Shore Birds and Dune Ecology at Martin Dunes” (Saturday, October 9).
To reserve a space for the Wildlife Tracking at Marks Ranch outing, call 831-625-5523, ext. 1. All outings are half-day excursions. Meet at 8:45 a.m. at The Big Sur Land Trust office at 126 Clock Tower Place, Suite 101, Carmel. Dress appropriately (hat, good walking shoes), and bring lunch, snacks, and plenty of water. This outing will take place in mostly shady areas and will include moderate walking.