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March 17, 2020

Sometimes The Good Guys Win

Since 2007, the Mountains Recreation and Conservancy Authority (MRCA), a local public agency established in 1985 to manage, promote and protect open and wild land for public enjoyment, had its eye on 285 idyllic acres in the southern Santa Susana Mountains. MRCA works with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) and other local groups and…
March 7, 2020

Cub Scouts In the Basin!

Saturday, March 7, members of local pack 564 joined SFVAS volunteers for a walk in the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve. The lads ranged from Lions (Kindergarten) through Tigers, Bears and Wolves to Webelos (Fifth Grade). All were experienced outdoors-kids, knew how to use binoculars and were very observant. We saw California Towhees; Bluebirds; Yellow-rumped Warblers;…
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March 5, 2020

A Hazard to Birds: Plastic Grass in Easter Baskets

Easter is right around the corner, and however we're going to celebrate it during this "situation," it's not hard to envision gleeful children tearing into their baskets full of candy and toys. The goodies are embedded in layers of cheap shredded plastic meant to simulate grass. The grass flies everywhere as the children grab the…
February 28, 2020

Wild and Free — in the Basin

On Wednesday, February 26, a group of parents and their home-schooled children, age 2-8, joined SFVAS leaders for a nature walk in the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve. This group, which calls itself "Wild and Free," goes on a hike somewhere every Wednesday in parks and on trails from Thousand Oaks to Simi Valley to the…
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February 13, 2020

Young Landscapers from Los Encinos School Beautify Our Wildlife Reserve

We can dig it! Accompanied by SFVAS volunteers, third graders from Los Encinos School visited the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve on January 28, 2020. The morning began with a community service project, namely the beautification of the parking area with new landscape plants. Parents labored to dig the necessary holes; then the students planted fourteen…
February 1, 2020

Habitat Restoration Day at the Basin!

The Audubon Birdwalk at 8:00 will be led by our own Benny Jacobs-Schwartz! The LA River is being turned into a viable, recreational, urban waterway -- but it's a job of constant improvement, protection and maintenance that only Angelenos can do, working together. Come help -- it's fun, messy and at the end you see…
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January 31, 2020

Report on the Grainger Walk

The Yucca Trail located at 2002 Stunt Road in Calabasas leads into the land that was up for sale by the Grainger Family and purchased by Mountains Restoration Trust, with the help of San Fernando Valley Audubon Society, in 2019. This purchase was important to bird species as the land will not be used for…
January 12, 2020

Grainger Property Birdwalk — A First! Saturday Jan. 25

Our donation to the Mountains Restoration Trust has paid off. Come and see why we felt it was so important that this piece of land be set aside for nature and birds. This unique walk is open to a total of 15 participants. All photos for the signage was provided by our member Dave Barton.…
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June 23, 2019

Wild Wings Closing — and Opening!

The Wild Wings Backyard Nature store has been a fixture for San Fernando Valley birders and nature lovers for eleven years. Scott Logan and Bonnie McFarlin have always been there to answer questions, make suggestions, and provide us with  high-quality bird-feeding groceries and equipment. Scott is known for his popular bird walks and his encyclopedic…
January 27, 2018

“Restoring Habitat, One Yard At A Time” — with Alan Pollack

21 years ago, Alan began as a volunteer with wildlife rescue/rehab groups. It was through them that he learned about the training given by the National Wildlife Federation and became a certified Wildlife Habitat Steward. Having been a life-long, home gardener and having a knack for landscape design, he was delighted to be able to wed two…
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