Saving Natural Lands, Now and Forever

Our New 2010-2011 Schedule will be online soon!

We expect it to be ready by the end of August.

(Many of last year's events listed below will be repeated this season.)

Annual Member Barbeque—Sunday October 4, 2009

Cost—$8 - Gates will open at 9:00 - Lunch will be served at about 2:00. 

Email sfc@sierrafoothill.org or call 855-3473 for reservations and to let us know your choice of chicken, beef or a vegetarian entrée. This popular event will be held on the McKenzie Table Mountain Preserve, a great example of SFC’s conservation and land management efforts. You may stroll around the preserve on your own starting at 9:00. Enjoy the self-guided Discovery Trail or hike to the top of the tables. Then join us for a delicious barbeque at our picnic area by the creek, after which SFC staff and board members will tell you about our latest achievements and new programs.

Harvest Arts Festival

October 10-11, 2009
Sat. 10-5 & Sun. 10-4

SFC will again have a booth at this convivial community event featuring local crafts, good food and live music at the Intermountain Nursery on Auberry Road east of Prather. This will be a good opportunity to talk to SFC board and staff members and buy a new SFC t-shirt and hat! 

Keith Sauer  photo 

Astronomy on Black Mountain
Friday October 23  6 pm—9 pm
(Sunset is about 6:15)
$10 for members - $15 for non-members

  Bring your supper, a folding chair, binoculars, flashlight and a sweater or blanket for an evening of star gazing on Black Mountain. Fresno City College Astronomy Instructor Garrett Wimer will take you on a magical tour of the night sky. Telescopes will be set up for viewing some of the interesting stars and planets. Bring the kids!

Oaks of the Sierra
Sunday, October 25, 2009
9:00 am to 4:30 pm - $10/15

 Eight species of oak grow in the central Sierra Nevada. During this class Chuck Peck and Rodney Olsen will show you at least 7 (maybe all 8) of those species in the field. You will learn what the various oaks look like and the critical role they play in providing food and shelter for our wildlife. Meet at 9 am at the Park & Ride where Auberry Road leaves Highway 168,  just up the road from Intermountain Nursery. Try to arrive early so we can arrange for carpools and set off on our Journey Through the Oaks on time.

Orienteering on the McKenzie—Saturday November 14, 2009—9am to 3pm—$10/15

Amie Mazzoni will help you learn how to navigate without relying on your GPS.  This course will focus on map and compass skills including map symbols, map reading, declination, topographic features, UTMs, latitude/longitude, compass basics, and map and compass navigation.  Instruction will take place outside and participants will complete an orienteering course over rough terrain.  Bring a lunch, water and hiking shoes.

History of the San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad (SJ&E) on the McKenzie Preserve

Saturday December 5, 2009—9am to  12pm—$10/15

Join local historians Bud Olsen and Bill Dennison on a hike through time to explore the old railroad system and learn about the stories that shaped local history.  Bring your lunch.

Wildlife on the McKenzie—Sat. March 6, 2010—9am to 12:30pm— $10/15

 Join master falconer Cat Krosshell, herpetologist Mary Morgan, and reptile specialist Sam Abundis for a morning of fun. Come learn about, and meet, some wildlife ambassadors of the foothills. Great for the whole family! Bring a lawn chair, water and snacks.

Table Mountain Preserve Open House
& Plein Air Paint Out

Saturday March 13, 2010—9am to 4pm
No reservations are needed.

March is a beautiful time of the year on the McKenzie Preserve. Bring your family and friends to the Open House to explore on your own, enjoy the wildflowers and perhaps have a picnic. You may walk the lower Discovery Trail loop or hike to the table top to see the beautiful views. While you explore the preserve, observe Plein Air artists creating paintings right out in the landscape.

McKenzie Member Day & Paint Out—Sun. March 14, 2010—9am to 4pm

A special day on the Preserve just for members, their families and friends. This will be a private viewing of artists painting the landscape. Be the first to see the creation of landscape works that will be sold to benefit SFC at the Fresno MET and San Francisco Embarcadero shows in Fall 2010.

Flicker by Gary Woods

Natural History of the McKenzie Preserve
Saturday March 20, 2010
9am to 3pm—$10/15

Join biologist Rodney Olsen, geologist Craig Poole and anthropologist Allen Beck as we explore the Natural History of the McKenzie Preserve. We will look at plants, animals, rocks and archeological sites on the preserve. This includes a 6 mile round-trip hike to the top of Table Mountain. Bring lunch and water.

Fine Gold Preserve Open House—Sunday March 21, 2010—10am to 4pm

Come join us on our newest preserve for a relaxing day along Fine Gold Creek.  The Ewell Preserve is spectacular in the spring with abundant wildflowers, blossoming red bud,  and willow and alder trees lining the creek.  Park at the top and enjoy a scenic 1.5 mile hike down to the water. Feel free to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy with family and friends. Some limited parking will be available near the creek.

Wildflowers on the McKenzie Preserve

Saturday, March 27, 2010—9am to 3pm—$10/15

This class will be taught by John Stebbins, botanist and local wildflower authority. You will see beautiful spring flowers, including vernal pool species, and spectacular scenery. Be prepared for a fairly strenuous 6 mile round trip hike to the top of McKenzie Table, which includes a 1000 foot elevation gain.

McKenzie Member Day—Sunday, April 4, 2010—9am to 4pm

Another day reserved just for members, their families and friends. No reservations are needed. 

Writing About Nature in the Sierra Foothills

Saturday, April 10, 2010—9:30am to 2:30 pm—$10/15

Discover your place in the natural world through writing. Join nature writer John Hales, a teacher of creative nonfiction in CSUF’s MFA Program, and author of many published essays on nature, and the book, Shooting Polaris: A Personal Survey in the American West. Explore the nature writing genre, talk about favorite nature writers, observe and record impressions of the inspiring spring landscape of the McKenzie Preserve, and discuss future writing projects. Beginners & more experienced writers are welcome. Bring lunch, writing materials, and a few pages of published nature writing you especially like.

   Wildlife on the McKenzie—Sun. April 11, 2010—9am to 12:30pm—$10/15

Join master falconer Cat Krosshell, herpetologist Mary Morgan, and reptile specialist Sam Abundis for a morning of fun. Come learn about, and meet, some wildlife ambassadors of the foothills. Great for the whole family! Bring a lawn chair, water and snacks.

Cultural Uses of Sierra Nevadan Plants

Sat. April 17, 2010—9am to 2pm—$10/15

Join anthropologist John Pryor and biologist Rodney Olsen for an exploration of the cultural uses of plants found in the Sierra Nevada.  During this moderate three mile hike, we will discuss the natural history of several native plant species, their cultural uses and methods of processing.  Hands on materials and demonstrations will be available.  Bring lunch and water.

Phainopepla by Gary Woods

Grosbeak by Gary Woods

Birds of Black Mountain
Sunday April 18, 2010
8am to 12 noon—$10/15

Join biologists Jeff Davis, Rodney Olsen and wildlife photographer/birder Gary Woods for a bird walk and talk on Black Mountain. We plan to take a leisurely walk to the top of Black Mountain during the height of the migratory season. On our walk we will discuss bird migration, natural history and bird identification. Black Mountain is known for its migratory bird activity, so be prepared to be impressed.  Birders of all skill levels and children are welcome. We will meet at the Black Mountain office. Bring binoculars, lunch, water and sun protection.

Wildflowers on Black Mountain—Saturday May 8, 2010—9am to 3pm—$10/15

Biologist Rodney Olsen will lead a moderate hike to the top of the mountain looking at the many wildflowers and shrubs that will be in bloom.  Included will be carpenteria in all its glory and the orange (yellow) lupine, as well as many other species.

 Black Mountain Mother’s Day Open House—Sunday May 9, 2010—9 am to 4 pm

Come celebrate this special day with a pleasant 3 mile round trip hike up to the top of Black Mountain, with an optional added mile if you’d like to hike along the ridge and back. The abundant display of wildflowers along the trail will be identified with signs and the rare shrub Carpenteria californica will be showing off it’s snow-white blossoms. Please try to arrive in the morning and leave in the afternoon to avoid 2-way traffic on the narrow road leading to the parking area.

 Bats at McKenzie Preserve—Friday June 4, 2010—6:30 pm—$10/15

Local bat expert Burleigh Lockwood will share her wealth of knowledge about these fascinating winged mammals. Bring a picnic supper, lawn chair and flashlight. Using bat detectors, you will hear the bats as they swoop overhead. This is a good event for families with children.

Grand Bluffs Demonstration Forest

Wildflowers of Grand Bluffs
Saturday June 12, 2010—8am to 2pm—$10/15

Enjoy the cool mountain air at 6000 ft. while taking a moderately paced hike with Bonnie Bladen to view and identify the extensive wildflower occurrences at the Grand Bluffs Demonstration Forest near Dinkey Creek. Meet at the Dinkey Creek Road Rest Stop, about 1/2 mile off of Highway 168 on Dinkey Creek Road, and carpool to the site. Bring a sack lunch and drinking water and wear your hiking boots and long pants.