On Saturday, April 21, the BFS is hosting a variety of tours for the Claremont Community in celebration of Earth Day 2018. A list and description of the different tour options is below. We do expect that tours will fill up quickly, so please sign up as soon as possible (see links to tour sign-ups below).
For a taste of what to expect, check out these scenes from last year’s Earth Day Celebration!
Once registered, it is critical that all participants arrive at least 5 to 10 minutes early. Everyone will need to sign a waiver of liability. Everyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian.
Please prepare yourself for the conditions. We recommend that everyone wear closed-toed shoes, long pants, and a hat. Sunscreen and water are also recommended – and critical if it is hot. Specific equipment for each tour is listed under the description.
List of Tours:
- Bird Watching Tour – 8:00 to 10:00 AM:
Prof. Catherine McFadden from Harvey Mudd College will be leading a bird-watching tour. For a list of birds that you may see while at the BFS refer to the BFS list of bird species. Records of birds observed during the monthly surveys at the BFS can also be explored on eBird. People of all ages are welcome, but everyone must be in good enough shape to hike for ~ 2 hours.- Please bring your own binoculars. We do have a few for people who don’t have any, but please indicate on your registration form if you require binoculars.
- Water, closed toed shoes, and sun protection required.
- Click HERE to register for the Bird-Watching Tour
- Family Science Tour – 9:00 to 10:30 AM:
This tour will lead groups to a variety of stations:- Bird Ecology, where Prof. Elise Ferree from the Keck Science Department will teach people about local bird species and discuss aspects of their ecology,
- Native Invertebrates, where Wallace Meyer, BFS Director, will provide an introduction to the ecology of invertebrates in southern California, and
- Mammal Diversity and Ecology, where Prof. Paul Stapp from Cal State Fullerton, will be introducing participants to mammals found at the Bernard Field Station.
People of all ages are welcome, but the focus of this event is for K-12 students interested in science. Everyone must be in good enough shape to hike for ~ 1.5 hours.
- Water, closed-toed shoes, and sun protection required.
- Click HERE to register for the Family Science Tour
- Native Plant Tour – 9:30 to 11:00 AM:
Dr. Susan Schenk will be leading a tour focused on native plants found at the field station for those interested in Southern California plant communities. People of all ages are welcome, but everyone must be in good enough shape to hike for ~ 1.5 hours.- Water, closed-toed shoes, and sun protection required.
- Click HERE to register for the Native Plant Tour
- Wildflower Tour – 2:00 to 3:30 PM:
Professor Nancy Hamlett from Harvey Mudd College will be leading a wildflower tour. The late rains and the fire have provided unique opportunities for viewing wildflowers. People of all ages are welcome, but everyone must be in good enough shape to hike for ~ 1.5 hours.- Water, closed-toed shoes, and sun protection required.
- Click HERE to register for the Wildflower Tour
- Night Tour for Families – 8:00 to 9:00 PM:
This tour will lead groups to two stations in the evening:- Night Sky, where participants, led by professor Prof. Naftilan from Keck Science, will examine aspects of the night sky using the Keck Science telescope
- Insects of the Night, where Professor Jonathan Wright from Pomona College will teach participants about various insects active at night.
People of all ages are welcome, but the focus of this event is for K-12 students interested in science. Everyone must be in good enough shape to hike for ~ 1 hour.
- Please bring a flashlight with you.
- Water and closed-toed shoes required.
- Click HERE to register for the Night Family Tour
If you have any questions, please contact the BFS Director, Wallace Meyer, at wallace.meyer@pomona.edu.