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Educational Resources
A Source of Ideas and Activities for Laguna Explorers of All Ages


Webinars | Learning Laguna Magnified | Publications

There are many ways to learn about the Laguna and connect to nature right from your own home! Enjoy one of our previously aired webinars. Gather the kids, step outside and try some of the activities described in the Learning Laguna magnified articles. We are also sharing publications that you can print at home and take along during your next outing. And, have a look at our Earth Day, Every Day flyers for empowering actions you can take to reduce air, land and water pollution in our watersheds.

 

Webinars


Our Wild Watershed: Beavers
Zoom Presentation with Kate Lundquist and Brock Dolman

Original air date: Wednesday, December 1, 2021

We have a lot to learn from beavers. These important, uncommon animals are ecosystem engineers, keystone species that improve the lives of other wildlife, and they can be pivotal in California land management. Join us to discover how beavers could help both urban and rural communities across California restore watersheds, recover endangered species, and increase climate change resiliency. Kate Lundquist and Brock Dolman of the “Bring Back the Beaver” campaign will share recent findings in their research evaluating the historic range of beaver in California and how you can contribute to the Bring Back the Beaver campaign.


Our Wild Watershed: Monarch Butterflies
Protecting Monarchs and Other Pollinators in Your Community

Zoom Presentation with Angela Laws, Xerces Society

Original air date: Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Learn about the basic biology and conservation status of pollinators, with an emphasis on Western monarch butterflies. Iconic for their awe-inspiring migration pattern up and down North America, Western monarch butterflies have declined an astonishing 99.9% since the 1980's. Angela Laws, Endangered Species Conservation Biologist with the Xerces Society, will discuss the reasons that pollinators like monarchs are declining and highlight the many actions we can each take to protect monarchs and other pollinators in our communities. 


Laguna Wetland Geology Through Time
Presentation with Nicole Myers

Original air date: Wednesday, September 15, 2021

What shaped the Laguna de Santa Rosa watershed? Why does the Laguna flow from south to north? Was the Laguna really a big lake at one time in history? Geology and hydrology are the driving forces behind life as we know it in the Laguna watershed. Join Nicole Myers, lecturer at Sonoma State University, for a journey through geologic time and history in Northern California. We will compare the Laguna watershed with the marshes of the Central Valley, and end with a closer look at our local geology, including how faults shaped the Laguna and unanswered mysteries that researchers are still studying today.


Our Wild Watershed: Rattlesnakes
Zoom Presentation with the Dr. Emily Taylor

Original air date: Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Join us to learn from Dr. Emily Taylor about a feared (and revered) reptile in our midst: the Pacific rattlesnake. One of the most misunderstood creatures in our watershed, rattlesnakes are a critical part of our ecosystem and, contrary to some beliefs, easy to avoid on our local trails. Get to know these snakes beyond their venomous fangs and tell-tale rattle and dive into their fascinating life history as well as understand how to live peacefully with these wild neighbors.


Early Career Conservationists of Sonoma County: Mentors Panel Discussion
A Virtual Panel Discussion

Early Career Conservationists of Sonoma County: Early Career Climate Leaders
A Virtual Panel Discussion

Early Career Conservationists of Sonoma County: Women in Conservation
A Virtual Panel Discussion

Waterfowl of the Laguna de Santa Rosa & the Pacific Flyway
Webinar with Dave Barry

Migración: cómo conectan el mundo los pájaros (Migration: How Birds Connect the World)
Programa bilingue en Español e Ingles (Bilingual Program in Spanish and English)

Inseparable: Water, Wetlands, and Life
Webinar with Anne Morkill, Executive Director, and Christine Fontaine, Director of Education

Birding to Beat the Winter Blues Series Event: Breaking into Birdwatching
Webinar with Miles and Teresa Tuffli

Birding to Beat the Winter Blues Series Event: Bird-Noticing and the Power of Attention
Online Q&A with Jenny Odell, New York Times Bestselling Author

Kayaking the Laguna
Webinar with Allison Titus, Community Education Manager

Working Lands of the Laguna Watershed
Panel Discussion with the Laguna Foundation, Sonoma RCD, and Sonoma Ag + Open Space

A Stunning Visual Tour of Native Wildflower Meadows
Webinar with Rob Badger and Nita Winter

Photographing Wildfire
Webinar with Jerry Dodrill

 

Visit our YouTube Channel for more fun and exciting videos!


 


Learning Laguna Magnified


Our Learning Laguna school program has been teaching 2nd-4th grade students about the Laguna ecosystem since 1999. Through both a docent-led classroom visit and Laguna field trip students come to know and appreciate their home environment. Here are some of the fun learning activities we use with the kids to deepen their connection to the natural world.

Vol. 1 - Explore three easy and instant activities you can do solo or with your whole family, inside and outside.

Vol. 2 - Simple tips and techniques for starting a nature journaling practice of your own. This activity can also help kids practice their scientific observation skills every day!

Vol. 3 - Nurture your child's innate sense of curiosity and wonder by venturing into the world of birds!


 


Publications


Birds Checklist for the Laguna de Santa Rosa (2nd Edition)
A Laguna Foundation publication, edited by Lisa Hug with illustrations by John Muir Laws.

We invite you to download and print out a copy of our best selling Birds Checklist for the Laguna de Santa Rosa. This bird guide is the perfect place to record and keep track of all your Laguna bird sightings throughout the year. The checklist includes seasonal abundance and breeding status for 229 species that have been observed utilizing Laguna habitats.

Hard copies of the Birds Checklist can also be purchased from our online store.


 


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