COSF News   (May 2008)                                    

Community Outreach
A significant goal for the Conejo Open Space Foundation is educating the public about the Conejo Valley's extensive trail system, and about the plants and animals living in the Conejo Open Space.

At the City of Thousand Oaks Arbor/Earth Day, and at Sage Publications Earth Day events, volunteers from Conejo Open Space Foundation (COSF) and Conejo Open Space Trails Advisory Committee (COSTAC), as well as representatives from Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) were on hand to meet visitors and provide information about the wonderful ecological and recreational resource we have in the Conejo Open Space.

On the morning of May 17, 2008, COSF and COSTAC volunteers will be at the Los Robles trailhead at the south end of Moorpark Road to share maps and open space information with trail users.


2008 Trails Education Days - Summary
This year's Trails Education Days took place from April 28 through May 2. More than 50 individuals volunteered to lead groups of fifth graders on their hikes this year. Several volunteers led two groups per day for each of the five days. An additional 10 volunteers worked at the Nature Center to coordinate the program and keep it on schedule, and others helped with preparation and follow-up.

This was the 17th Annual Trails Education Days event. Over 1600 fifth grade students from 20 CVUSD Elementary Schools attended. To prepare for their day in Wildwood Park, students watched a newly produced video at their schools. The video included information segments about trail safety, local Native American nature traditions, the "food chain," mountain lions and bobcats, and how natural open space is acquired for public ownership. Presenters were COSCA Chair Rorie Skei, CRPD Parks Superintendent and former COSCA Ranger Matt Kouba, COSCA Rangers Greg Jones and Bruce Pace, and Naturalist Oscar Ortiz.

At Wildwood Park, following their one-hour nature hikes, the students attended three workshops:

&bull	COSCA rangers hosted “Careers in Open Space,” with guests from the National Park Service, Mountains Recreation Conservation Area, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Each ranger brought his or her own approach to the workshops, focusing on trail building and repair, search and rescue, interpretive programs, and so on. Highlights this year included a close-up look at the new MRCA fire truck on Monday and a selection of snakes and turtles that students were encouraged to handle presented by MRCA Ranger Luke McJimpson on Friday. COSCA Ranger Jane Fawke and student volunteers separated a barrel full of discards following the students' picnic lunch to show how much food is wasted and how much material can be recycled.
&bull	"Trail Safety & Courtesy," led by Joe Dillman and Mark Langton, stressed appropriate ways to enjoy multiple-use trails and open space, with help from bicyclists, equestrians and hikers who brought their dogs. A short skit by the workshop participants included "things you should NEVER do in the open space." As always, the students were quick to find these violations and productive discussions followed.
&bull	"Indigenous Animals" were presented by Animal Actors of Hollywood. They brought, displayed, and discussed a raven, a red tail hawk, a turkey vulture, a porcupine, and a squirrel.

The fifth graders are invited to enter a writing contest to describe some of the things they learned during their Trails Education Days experience. Judging will take place in late May, and prizes will be awarded before the end of the school year.


Conejo Canyons
Within the Conejo Open Space, the Conejo Canyons Open Space is a system of deeply eroded canyons, plateaus and ridgelines in the northwest portion of the Conejo Valley. On clear days, trails in this area afford dramatic views of Ventura and the coastline, as well as inland to the Topa Topa mountains north of Ojai. This area also conserves a variety of habitats, including coast live oak woodlands, riparian habitats, interior sage scrub/chaparral, and coastal sage scrub.

A recent article from “On the City Scene”, the City of Thousand Oaks’ newsletter, states in part:
"Thousand Oaks commitment to conscientious management of our treasured open space is about to take another step forward. A recent grant from the National Park Service will assist COSCA in completing the Conejo Canyons Management Plan. This document will serve as a critical blueprint for managing 3,100 open space acres in northwest Thousand Oaks, including Wildwood, Hill Canyon, Western Plateau, and Arroyo Conejo.

"Conejo Canyons boasts numerous prominent knolls, rocky outcroppings, streams, and barrancas. To ensure that open space planning in this area meets our resident’ needs, public input into the Management Plan will be gathered in coming months. Stay tuned!”


Previous news articles:
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
November 2006