This year at the State Park we’ve added a Citizen Science project for middle and high schoolers, to survey trees for evidence of the Invasive Shot Hole Borer. Today was the first outing, and it went pretty well! I lead a group of seven 7th graders and we did, in fact, find concerning evidence. We tagged our trees for follow-up by the scientists. Most of the kids felt like they were doing important work, and they also just loved being outside for the day. So all around, it was really worthwhile.
Annette shared her shiitake spawn with me, and I gave her some oak logs. Maybe by Christmas we’ll both be eating home-grown mushrooms.
Bodie visited the pig again today. I imagine that this is what she sees as her friend approaches the fence.
Things I learned on this hike—the Sepulveda Dam wall is 3 miles (5 km) long, and you can climb onto it. When the basin floods, fish are stranded on the trails. Egrets eat other birds!
After my shift at the Visitor Center, I sat by the creek and sketched the view.
INaturalist says this is Cladonia chlorophaea, Mealy Pixie Cups. And yes, lichen do have fruiting bodies, and this is they. Teensy and adorable.
Gorgeous flowers. Happy bees. Invasive shrub. Two out of three ain’t bad 🙄
Actually, this species has something going for it besides its beauty—it is noted for its antibacterial and antifungal properties. Research conducted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal found that aqueous extracts of P. myrtifolia are effective against Candida albicans, the yeast that causes candidiasis or thrush.
Y. and I walked our dogs to the Santa Ana bridge, then stopped on the way back to sketch the view.
hashiworks 