***NEW*** Saturday, September 16, is Coastwalk’s National Coastal Cleanup Day. Coastwalk (www.coastwalk.org) is organizing cleanups at both coastal and inland waterway locations. Here’s your chance to join Coastwalk volunteers cleaning up the Laguna de Santa Rosa right here in our own backyard! The Cotati clean up crew, led by Geoff Fox, Cotati’s Vice Mayor, and Jeff Woods of SSU’s community service group, JUMP, will meet at the Ladybug Park parking lot on Liman Way in Rohnert Park at 9.30 a.m. Advance registration with Coastwalk is recommended and they’ll be hosting a celebratory BBQ afterwards. See http://www.coastwalk.org/Events/cleanup.06.htm#SPCO or contact Willow Tajara at wtaraja@coastwalk.org or (707) 829-6689 x. 5 for further information.
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Cotati Creek Critters' regular COMMUNITY PLANTING DAYS will begin again in October, on 2nd Saturdays, and for the first time, in response to requests, on last Sundays as well. Help us complete the planting of 2,000 native trees and shrubs along the Laguna in Cotati over a 2-year period, that we began in September 2005. We’ve made great progress AND there’s lots more to do!
2nd Saturdays: from 9 a.m. to 12 noon:
October 14, November 11, December 9, 2006,
and January 13, February 10, March 10, 2007 .
Last Sundays: from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.:
October 29, November 26, 2006,
and January 28, February 25, March 25, 2007 .
For all of these regular Community Planting Days we’ll meet at Ladybug Lot (Cotati City Well Lot #2) on Lakewood Avenue , Cotati. See www.CotatiCreekCritters.info for a map and directions, and also please see our new “Workday Recommendations” about what to wear, what to bring, etc. Our website is currently being updated by volunteer Anne Leonard, so if all the information you’re looking for isn’t there yet, please be patient and try again soon – thank you!
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***NEW*** We will be starting "The Inside/Outside Nature Education Series," with local experts giving indoor evening presentations on first Monday evenings at 7 p.m., at the Cotati Community Center on E. School St., in the fall and winter, and linked outdoor field trips in the spring and summer.
Monday, Oct. 2: Gardening with Native Plants - Liz Parsons
Liz Parsons of the California Native Plant Society will give a presentation on growing native plants appropriate for your backyard, just in time for the upcoming CNPS plant sale on October 14!
Monday, Nov. 6: Dazzling Dragonflies of the Laguna - Kathy Biggs
Kathy Biggs, our local dragonfly expert and author of three dragonfly guides for California , will inspire, enthuse and dazzle us with insights into the lives of these fascinating creatures. To be followed by an Outside field trip later in the year.
Monday, Dec. 4: Amphibians of Sonoma County - David Cook
Frogs, toads and salamanders! Sonoma County has a diversity of frogs and salamanders and a range of unique habitats from coastal redwoods to savannah vernal pools. Amphibians can be brilliantly colored or cryptic, their bodies range from worm-like to the largest frog in North America , and they can live in ponds or spend their entire lives in a forest. These species have fascinating life cycles that are adapted to local climates and conditions. David Cook, Senior Wildlife Biologist with Sonoma County Water Agency, will discuss amphibian life histories, identification and habitat, and conservation issues in our county. To be followed by an Outside amphibian field trip, Dec-Feb. – the wetter, the better!
Monday, Feb.5: Is there any such thing as Wastewater? - Denise Cadman
The Laguna Treatment Plant serves the cities of Santa Rosa , Rohnert Park , Sebastopol and Cotati, treating an average of 21 million gallons of effluent every day. Where does our used water go? Learn about the treatment process and what happens to the water after it is cleaned. The distinction between the sewer and storm drains and their impacts will also be discussed. Denise Cadman gave a wonderful presentation on the Biology of the Laguna de Santa Rosa last January; here’s your chance to hear her again, on a different topic.
Monday, Mar. 5: Local Native American Relationships with the Land, with a speaker from our local tribe, the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.
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Workdays with specific groups: Last year, in addition to 13 Community Planting Days, we held 17 workdays with specific groups, including churches and synagogues, boy scouts, student groups, and others. We welcome any group of over approximately 12 people to contact us to arrange a special workday, at a mutually convenient time, including weekdays. We also encourage groups to consider our “adopt-a-section” program. Please contact me at jenny@creeks.cotati.info or 707 792 4422 for further information.
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Cotati Creek Critters’ presentations: We have a power point presentation about the Cotati Creek Critters project, what we are doing and why, that we can show to interested groups. Some of these are open to the public. Please contact me at jenny@creeks.cotati.info or 707 792 4422 for further information or to arrange a presentation for your group. We’ll be giving presentations as follows:
· Cotati City Council: Wednesday, October 11 at 7 p.m., Cotati City Hall .
· California Native Plant Society: Tuesday, November 21 at 7 p.m.
