Nature Education Kickoff 2018 Years of Service Recognition Heidi - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Nature Education Kickoff 2018

Years of Service Recognition

Heidi Brown 10 years Lois Peterson 10 years Tom Taber 10 years Gary Keeth 15 years Betty Murray 15 years Bob Walker 15 years Jackie James 25 years Carol Matthews 25 years

Program Evolution

The Nature Education Program is evolving so we can:

• Serve more students
• Welcome new volunteers
• Invite new visitors to discover the

Nature Preserve

• Help all visitors form a deeper

connection to nature and Filoli We have started this evolution by building on the strengths of the program created by volunteers.

2017 Accomplishments

140 visitors on new Sunset Hikes 375 visitors on Saturday Nature Hikes 208 visitors on Specialty Hikes (Newts, Property Through Time, Bird, Mushrooms) 270 children on private youth hikes (Scouts, Middle School program) 291 students on Native Plants, Native Ways 2927 students on School Hikes Opened Estate Trail and Nature Center to all visitors 1742 visitors to Nature Center in only 3 months

Volunteer Assignment Descriptions

What you’ll see on VicNet:

• Nature Center & Estate Trail Host
• Property Through Time (other Specialty Hikes will be added)
• Public & Private Hikes
• School Hikes

You’ll be able to sign-up for Specialty Hike and School Hike Assignments on VicNet once you complete those trainings. Please read each description in today’s packet.

Nature Center & Estate Trail Host

1 shift per month until Fall, 8,000-10,000 visitors expected! Radio Education staff after radio check so they know you arrived Unlock/Lock Nature Center Interpret Nature Center and area around Red’s Barn Interpret Estate Trail when another volunteer are in Nature Center Proactively engage with hikers

Public & Private Hikes

Also called “Nature Hikes” Create an engaging, dynamic hike experience using the information given in the NE training program Lead interpretive hikes for groups of adults, families, scouts, and Filoli partners Limit hikes to 90-minutes Public Hikes: Saturdays from Feb. 24 -

• Nov. 3 at 11:00

Specialty Hikes

Training includes online training and training hike Coordinated with seasonal planning and promotion 90-minutes Property Through Time Hike

• Sundays at 2:00 pm
• February 25 – May 20, 2018

Beginners Bird Walk

• Autumn Season 2018, Sundays, Sept. – early Nov.

Mushroom Hike

• Winter Season 2019, Saturdays, January & February

School Hikes

School Hike Docent requirements:

• 18 shifts during the academic year

(approx. 2 shifts per month)

• Attend retraining hikes and lectures and

complete online training modules

• Limit hikes to 2 hours
• Follow policies for interacting with plants,

animals, staying on trails

• Follow designated route
• Use School Hike theme and reference

Field Guide Booklet throughout hike

School Hike Survey

18 Docents completed survey Variety of answers shows boundless source of material on Preserve Lack of consistency in survey proves need to narrow material covered

School Hike Survey

Plant Adaptations: No plant adaptation mentioned by more than six people Animal Adaptations: Newts mentioned by most, but many different adaptations given: Poisonous Lifecycle stages Hibernation Natural Resources Used by the Ohlone: 9 of 18 mentioned the acorn 6 of 18 mentioned deer Ecology & Interdependence: Relevant and important material is covered by individual Docents, but no consistency

School Hike Survey

Props: Photos of animals that aren’t

• ften seen and those who live

underground Scat and track guides Dogbane Acorns and seeds Route: Most mentions: Pipeline, Spring Creek, Scarp, Meadow Road

School Hike Goals

1 ) Dynamic hike experience with activities, opportunity for discovery, and time for reflection. 2) Prioritize needs of students and teachers over staff and volunteer preferences. 3) Every group within a class covers the same main points. 4) Material aligns with Next Generation Science Standards. Move away from curriculum and Filoli traditions that have limited innovation or are not mission aligned. Pre and post hike materials for teachers to use in classroom. Docents use curriculum outline and designated route. Field Guide Notebook referenced throughout Hike.

Field Guide Notebook 12 pages Used on Hike Vocabulary Trail map includes natural communities Questions Drawing Activities Photos of plants as if collected and pressed Illustrations of animals as if drawn in the field

School Hike Goals

5) Offer programing unlike other regional programs. Incorporate the Estate’s unique natural history and history of land stewardship. Ohlone use of natural resources. Working Estate for 100 years. Current use for scientific research, education, and public enjoyment. Opportunity to walk through formal garden and five natural communities.

School Hike Goals

6) Offer different Filoli experiences throughout a student’s elementary school education. Launching in 2018/19 Academic Year: Garden Nature Exploration: 1st, 2nd School Hikes: 3rd, 4th, 5th House & Garden: 1st-5th Plein-Air Art: 3rd and up

School Hike Goals

7) More opportunities for an under- served community to experience nature, the environment, and Filoli. Development staff, Filoli Board committed to securing grants for fee waivers and bus reimbursements. Eventual goal is that 30% of classes are underserved communities and qualify for fee waiver and free bus. Promote to underserved schools that have not visited Filoli.

School Hike Goals

8) A more accessible, inviting, volunteer training program. Recruit beyond Filoli community and Peninsula’s Nature Education community. Shorter, more flexible training programs. Mix of online modules with testing, lectures, training hikes. Less focus on plant/animal ID.

School Hike Goals

9) Provide a higher level of service for teachers and volunteers. Online scheduling for teachers. Nature Education Coordinator

• n every School Hike day –

consistency for docents and teachers. Improve communication with volunteer committee and individual volunteers.

School Hike Timeline

February - March Develop program curriculum April Test tours, teacher feedback May - June Finalize Field Guide Notebooks and supplemental classroom materials July - August Retrain current Docents on new curriculum, Training for new Docents TBD Begin promoting to teachers and open online scheduling

School Hike Timeline

September 12 - December 7 40 hike days 60-70 classes 1,500 – 2,000 students 240 – 280 Docent shifts December-January Minor changes made to materials based on teacher and volunteer feedback Mid January - Early June, 2019 School Hikes continue

Talk & Tasting

Ian Garrone Owner, Far West Fungi