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Community Events 2018 - 2019


November | December | January | March

Click here to review our cancellation policy

 

 

November

Expressive Nature Photography in the Laguna Watershed
Workshop with Brenda Tharp (current Heron Hall exhibitor)
Saturday, November 17, 8:00am-5:00pm, rain or shine
Location: Heron Hall, Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
$125. Pre-registration required ~This workshop is full. ~ Click the "Register Now" button below to join the waitlist).

Autumn is a great time to capture the seasonal changes of nature! Join us in an educational and inspirational photography workshop conducted by local Brenda Tharp, and learn how to create more expressive photographs of nature. We'll begin at Heron Hall with a visual presentation of key concepts that can help make a picture stronger, including discussions on learning to see, composing for maximum impact, creating visual depth, choosing the best shutter or aperture, interpreting vs. recording the scene, and how to use special in-camera techniques to create impressionistic effects. We'll carpool to another site or two within the Laguna watershed to explore and apply what was covered in class (locations will depend on conditions at the time). This small class (max 15 participants) is appropriate for ages 17 and up. Registrants should have a working knowledge of photography basics and of their camera gear.

A locally-based nature, wildlife and travel photographer, Brenda Tharp spends as much time as possible outdoors, photographing the beauty of nature and the world around her. "I'm in awe of what I discover out there,” she says. Passionate about nature and teaching, she has written three photo books, her latest being "Expressive Nature Photography.” Brenda leads workshops and tours throughout the USA, as well as internationally. Her images have been used widely in magazines, books, and brochures. More information can be found at Brenda Tharp. ;Her continually expanding collection of fine art prints is available here. Brenda’s current photography exhibit, With Awe and Wonder: A Celebration of Nature’s Beauty is on display in Heron Hall September 4 through December 21, 2018, with an opening reception on Saturday, September 8. Details here.

Nature Journaling at the Laguna with Marley Peifer
Workshop and field trip with Laguna Foundation and LandPaths
Sunday, November 18, 1:00-5:00pm (back-up rain date November 25)
Beginning Location: Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
FREE. Pre-registration required through LandPaths.

Do you want to experience nature with fresh eyes? Do you want to notice, understand, and remember more of the vibrant world around you? This fun class will teach you the tools used by the greatest naturalists of all time. Using pencils, ink, and watercolors, we will create sketches and take notes of our encounters with the fascinating biodiversity of the Laguna de Santa Rosa. In this class, we will assemble one of the most powerful tool-kits for learning about Nature. Following in the footsteps of Audubon, Humboldt, and Darwin, we will reunite art and science in a creative synthesis that is fun, functional, and aesthetically engaging. By the end of the class, you will have sharper eyes, better nature awareness, and a beautiful journal documenting your experience. You will also possess the tools and mindset necessary to pursue a life-long learning adventure. Beginning and ending at Heron Hall, most of this workshop will take place outdoors at the Laguna Environmental Center and carpooling to a nearby location along the Laguna. Total walking will be 1-2 miles on mostly flat but uneven terrain. Snacks and hot drinks will be provided. A complete list of supplies to bring will be sent upon registration, including sketchbook and watercolor field palette. This workshop is suitable for adults, but open to families with children 10 years and up, if the children are comfortable outdoors and self-motivated and focused around learning in nature. Rain cancels, and our backup rain date is the next Sunday, November 25.

Marley Peifer lives in Sebastopol where he practices gardening, wildlife tracking, and painting. He longs for a reintegration of art with science and words with images, a synthesis that he develops in his journaling. Nature journaling has been a fundamental practice for Marley ever since he discovered how it ignited his other interests and accelerated his learning.

This free program is made possible through a partnership between the Laguna Foundation, LandPaths and the Sonoma County Ag + Open Space District. The District permanently protects the diverse agricultural, natural resource and scenic open space lands of Sonoma County for future generations. It is funded through a quarter-cent sales tax that was voted in by the residents of Sonoma County.

Film Screening: ALBATROSS
Thursday, November 29, 7:00-9:00pm
Location: Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
FREE (donations gratefully accepted). Pre-registration required (see below).

Directed by Chris Jordan, ALBATROSS (97 minutes) is a powerful visual journey into the heart of an astonishingly symbolic environmental tragedy. On one of the remotest islands on our planet, tens of thousands of baby albatrosses lie dead on the ground, their bodies filled with plastic. Returning to the island over several years, the film team witnessed the cycles of life and death of these birds as a multi-layered metaphor for our times. This story is framed in the vividly gorgeous language of state-of-the-art high-definition digital cinematography, surrounded by millions of live birds in one of the world’s most beautiful natural sanctuaries. The viewer will experience stunning juxtapositions of beauty and horror, destruction and renewal, grief and joy, birth and death, coming out the other side with their heart broken open and their worldview shifted. Stepping outside the stylistic templates of traditional environmental or documentary films, ALBATROSS takes viewers on a guided tour into the depths of their own spirits, delivering a profound message of reverence and love that is already reaching an audience of millions of people around the world.

ALBATROSS is an adult film with strong emotional content, so it is recommended for viewers age 12 and above. Doors open at 6:30pm. Light snacks provided.

For a preview, visit the film’s website and watch the trailer, visit their Facebook page and read this Guardian article about the film. The film team says, “A primary intention of ALBATROSS is to delve into feelings of a kind that we might usually tend to avoid. This film looks deeply into sadness, grief, beauty, and love, in ways that can feel uncomfortable. But as director Chris Jordan likes to say, that is the whole intention: when we allow ourselves to feel our sadness for what is being lost in our world, then we connect with the part of ourselves that loves our world. In this way, coming to know the true nature of grief can be a liberating experience. When grief is no longer seen as a “bad” feeling, then it can be embraced as a portal to deeper connection with life.”

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December

Painting Mushrooms in Gouache
Workshop with Lucy Martin
Saturday, December 1, 10:00am-3:00pm (takes place indoors, rain or shine)
Location: Heron Hall, Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa, CA 95401
$95. Pre-registration required ~This workshop is full. ~ Click the "Register Now" button below to join the waitlist).

Join Lucy Martin to learn about her painting technique using gouache, which is similar to watercolor, but more opaque. Gouache technique is quite different from regular watercolor technique. You will learn some of the techniques Lucy uses to produce her very detailed paintings of mushrooms, bark, leaves, lichens, moss and oak galls. Whether permitting leading up to the workshop, this class will focus on mushrooms and their surroundings, which could include dead leaves, bark, moss, twigs, and other things found around mushrooms. If dry weather prevents local mushrooms from fruiting, we will paint related scenes of the forest floor. Lucy will supply mushrooms and other subjects. Participants are welcome to go for a walk in the woods and find things that interest them to paint. Dead leaves, bark, and moss are especially recommended. Enjoy a quiet, peaceful day in Heron Hall to enhance your observation and painting skills. Suitable for adults and teens 14 years, and at least some drawing experience is helpful. A supply list will be sent upon registration. Questions? Email Anita.

Lucy lives in Sonoma County, California. She is mainly self-taught, with some formal training including classes with Mary Jo Koch. She exhibits in the Sebastopol Gallery and Calabi Gallery, as well as annually in Art Trails, the juried Sonoma County Open Studio art tour. Her work was purchased for the Permanent Collection of the Special Collections and Archives Department at the McHenry Library at UCSC. She has exhibited in international shows of the American Society of Botanical Artists and solo shows at the Library at the San Francisco Botanical Garden. Her art exhibit focused on lichens was on display in Heron Hall during the summer of 2018.  Visit Lucy's website.

 

Weave a Willow Basket
Workshop with Charlie Kennard
Sunday, December 2, 9:30am-3:30pm
Location: Heron Hall, Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa, CA 95401
$95. Pre-registration required ~This workshop is full. ~ Click the "Register Now" button below to join the waitlist.

Enjoy a delightful day full of hands-on learning in Heron Hall and around the peaceful Laguna Environmental Center grounds with master weaver, Charlie Kennard. Using freshly-gathered native grey willow, we will make open weave twined baskets for holding fruits or nuts. This workshop requires manual dexterity, and prior experience with twining is helpful. Suitable for adults and teenagers. All basket-making materials are included in the registration fee. Participants bring garden clippers or small wire cutters and a sharp knife, as well as their own lunch. Hot drinks and snacks are provided throughout the day.

Charlie Kennard of San Anselmo is a long-time basket weaver and student of California Indian and other traditional basketry techniques of the world. He teaches throughout the Bay Area, and in many schools and at teacher trainings. Tule boats made in his workshops can be seen at the California Academy of Sciences, the Bay Model in Sausalito, and in the collection of the Lake County Museum. You can also visit a basketry plant garden Charlie has created at the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross, where he and friends have woven a basket 13-feet across. Charlie is active in native habitat restoration in Marin, managing several projects for Friends of Corte Madera Creek Watershed.

 

Traditional Environmental Knowledge and Climate Change
Presentation with Pomo Tribal Elder, Nick Tipon
Thursday, December 6, 7:00-8:30pm
Location: Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
$12 (non-refundable).  Pre-registration required (see below).

The Southern Pomo and Coast Miwok people have lived in the Laguna de Santa Rosa area for thousands of years; learning how and what to gather from this land and developing a deep relationship with it. Today, society is studying the effects of climate change to our environment, our way of life, and methods we might use to mitigate and adapt to these changes. The “Traditional Environmental Knowledge” (TEK) of native people offers a template to guide the mitigation process and provide techniques for adaption. California State Climate Adaption Forum held recently in Sacramento provided a blueprint for engaging Tribes and their traditional knowledge to understand changes and to provide methods to mitigate the environmental changes to the Laguna and beyond. Tribal Elder Nick Tipon will talk about the connection between the science of climate change and the use of TEK, share some of these recent efforts, and lead a discussion. Hot drinks and light snacks will be provided.

Nick Tipon was born, raised, and lives in Santa Rosa. He is a retired high school teacher and is a current Board member of the Historical Society of Santa Rosa, Fibershed, and is a member of the Point Blue Conservation Science STRAW faculty. Nick is an enrolled member and elder of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria (Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo). He has served as Chairman of the Tribal Education Committee and the Tribe’s Sacred Sites Protection Committee. He also served as the Tribe’s National Parks and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Liaison and is a former Tribal archaeological site monitor. Nick lectures on a variety of topics related to changes to Native American cultural resources, archaeology, curation of artifacts, and the treatment of Native American cultural resources. He consulted and lectured at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington DC and the Field Museum of Chicago. Nick and others from the Tribe have also been instructors for our Learning Laguna docent trainings.

Wild Food & Medicine: Crane Creek Regional Park Hike
Laguna Watershed Perspectives Outing with Laguna Foundation and Regional Parks
Saturday, December 8, 10:00am-12:00pm (light rain we’ll go, heavy rain cancels)
Meeting at Crane Creek Regional Park, 5000 Pressley Road, Rohnert Park, CA 94951
$10 (non-refundable). Pre-registration required (see below).

Demystify the edible, medicinal, and magical world of plants. Get to know which wild foods and medicines are growing beneath our feet and alongside our trails. Explore watershed health and connectivity to discover how the wild food and medicine at Crane Creek is connected to our very own wetland of international importance, the Laguna de Santa Rosa. Join us for this fun and informative 1-2 mile hike with Regional Park Naturalist Shelly Spriggs and Laguna Foundation’s Christine Fontaine, and Laguna Guides. All ages welcome. Parking fee included. The event takes place even if there is a light rain, but heavy rain cancels (in which case we will notify participants that morning and issue refunds). Details sent upon registration.

This event is made possible through a partnership with Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation and Sonoma County Regional Parks. For information about Crane Creek Regional Park, click here.

Film Screening: The Most Unknown
A documentary film by Ian Cheney
Thursday, December 13, 7:00-9:00pm
Location: Heron Hall, Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Sliding scale $5, $12, or $20 (non-refundable). Pre-registration required (see below).

The Most Unknown is an innovative documentary film that’s primed to reinvigorate love for scientific inquiry by exploring some of the universe’s toughest questions. It is an epic documentary film that sends nine scientists to extraordinary parts of the world to uncover unexpected answers to some of humanity’s biggest questions. How did life begin? What is time? What is consciousness? How much do we really know? By introducing researchers from diverse backgrounds for the first time, then dropping them into new, immersive field work they previously hadn’t tackled, the film pushes the boundaries of how science storytelling is approached. What emerges is a deeply human trip to the foundations of discovery and a powerful reminder that the unanswered questions are the most crucial ones to pose. Join us for this evening of film in Heron Hall.  Hot drinks and snacks provided. Click here to watch a 2-minute trailer of the film.

Directed by Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Ian Cheney (The Search for General Ts , The City Dark ) and advised by world-renowned filmmakerWerner Herzog (Fitzcarraldo, Aguirre, The Wrath of God, Grizzly Man), The Most Unknown is an ambitious look at a side of science never before shown on screen. The film was made possible by a grant from Science Sandbox, a Simons Foundation initiative dedicated to engaging everyone with the process of science.

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January 2019

Laguna Watershed Perspectives: Exploring Colgan Creek
With Shelly Spriggs (Regional Parks), Aaron Nuñez (City of Santa Rosa), Christine Fontaine (Laguna Foundation) and Laguna Guides
Sunday, January 13, 2019, 9:00am-12:30pm
Location: Heron Hall, Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
$10. Pre-registration required.

How is Colgan Creek connected to the Laguna de Santa Rosa? Join Regional Parks, City of Santa Rosa, and Laguna Foundation staff and volunteers for a leisurely ~3 mile walk along Colgan Creek Trail to find out! We’ll meet at the Laguna Environmental Center for snacks and a brief overview, then carpool together to the trail to explore cultural and natural history, observe plant and animal life along an urban fringe, learn about creek stewardship and restoration, and get outdoors together - rain or shine! This walk is suitable for ages 12 and up (children must be accompanied by an adult), and the ~3 miles will be walked on mostly flat paved and compacted gravel trails.

Shelly Spriggs is a Park Naturalist with Sonoma County Regional Parks. Aaron Nuñez is a Natural Resources Specialist with the City of Santa Rosa’s Creek Stewardship Program. Christine Fontaine is Director of Education Programs with the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation. To learn more about the City of Santa Rosa’s Creek Stewardship Program and to see a downloadable PDF map of city creeks, click here. Regional Parks offers a downloadable PDF map of Colgan Creek here with further information on their website.

From Climate to Creatures: The State of the Ocean off Northern California
Presentation with Dr. Jeffrey Dorman, Executive Director, Farallon Institute
Thursday, January 17, 2019, 7:00-8:30pm
Location: Heron Hall, Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
$12 (non-refundable). Pre-registration required (see below).

The Laguna de Santa Rosa is the largest tributary to the Russian River, and the Russian River flows into the sea at Jenner near Bodega. The Laguna is connected in many ways to the ocean. This “State of the Ocean” science talk is an informational and inspirational presentation on the latest scientific understanding of the ocean. The talk will cover pertinent and timely topics of ocean issues that are both of global interest and that directly impact our northern California waters. Globally we will explore the impact of plastic in the oceans and the myriad of ways that climate change is changing ocean ecosystems. Regionally, we will understand how current and past ocean conditions have led us to local fishery closures and explore what kind of ocean ecosystem we can expect in the future. Join us for this evening presentation and discussion. Hot drinks and light snacks will be provided.

Dr. Jeffrey Dorman is a Principal Scientist and the Executive Director of the Farallon Institute for Advanced Ecosystem Research. Jeff's research interests center around biological productivity of the California Current and how climate changes might impact future productivity. Much of that work has been focused on understanding the importance of krill in the California Current and discovering what drives changes in their populations. His research experience includes field sampling of zooplankton off northern California as part of the CoOP:WEST program and physical and biological modeling of the California Current ecosystem while working with the Farallon Institute. The Farallon Institute is a non-profit scientific organization dedicated to the understanding and preservation of healthy marine ecosystems. Its research is designed to provide the scientific basis for ecosystem-based management practices and policy reforms consistent with a productive marine world.

Winter Colors: Branches, Leaves, and Winter Fruit
Colored Pencil Techniques workshop with Nina Antze
Saturday, January 26, 2019, 10:00am-3:00pm
Location: Heron Hall, Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
$95. Pre-registration required (see below).

Let’s get together and explore the textures, markings, and colors of winter branches, dying leaves, acorns, dried berries and other last vestiges of the season along with any signs of emerging spring. Learn ways to use lots of color to create interesting browns and grays, and even greens, while enjoying the warmth of Heron Hall. We will cover blending, layering and burnishing techniques while incorporating the basics of botanical drawing. All levels welcome. Suitable for 12 year olds and up (children under 15 must be accompanied by a parent). Participants bring their own lunch and art supplies (a supply list will be provided). Hot drinks and light snacks will be provided throughout the day.

Nina Antze is a Sonoma County botanical artist and quiltmaker. She has a degree in Fine Art from San Francisco State and a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from the New York Botanical Gardens. She teaches colored pencil and botanical workshops throughout the Bay Area. Learn more about Nina at her website.

 

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March 2019

 

Tule Berry-Gathering Basket
Workshop with Charlie Kennard
Sunday, March 17, 2019, 9:30am-3:30pm
Location: Heron Hall, Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
$95. Pre-registration required~This workshop is full. ~ Click the "Register Now" button below to join the waitlist).

Enjoy a delightful day full of hands-on learning in Heron Hall and around the peaceful Laguna Environmental Center grounds with master weaver, Charlie Kennard. Using tule, (a giant species of sedge native to the Laguna and freshwater marshes all over North America), we will weave an Owens Valley Paiute-style scoop-shaped basket. This basket was used for gathering berries and for storing honey-dew collected from the leaves of common reed. Several unusual weaving techniques will be practiced during this workshop. Previous experience with twining is recommended. Suitable for adults and teenagers. All basket-making materials are included in the registration fee. Participants bring their own lunch. Hot drinks and snacks are provided throughout the day.

Charlie Kennard of San Anselmo is a long-time basket weaver and student of California Indian and other traditional basketry techniques of the world. He teaches throughout the Bay Area, and in many schools and at teacher trainings. Tule boats made in his workshops can be seen at the California Academy of Sciences, the Bay Model in Sausalito, and in the collection of the Lake County Museum. You can also visit a basketry plant garden Charlie has created at the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross, where he and friends have woven a basket 13 feet across. Charlie is active in native habitat restoration in Marin, managing several projects for Friends of Corte Madera Creek Watershed.

 

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Also on tap, coming up ... Stay tuned for details!

  • January 13 - Colgan Creek Walk with Regional Parks and City of Santa Rosa
  • January 19 - Opening Reception for Faith Rumm's Heron Hall Art Exhibit, mixed media tapestries
  • January 27 - Soap Making workshop
  • February 2 - Laguna Kayaking: Celebrating World Wetlands Day
  • February 3 - Pressed Flowers Workshop with Jan Lochner
  • March 9 - Watercolor Painting for Beginners, workshop with Donna DeLaBriandais
  • April 27 - Big Brush Watercolors, workshop with Donna DeLaBriandais
  • April 28 - Dia del Nino/Day of the Child, Open House
  • May 4 - Eco-Friendly Garden Tour, CNPS Native Plant Sale, and Open House
  • May 12 - Delta Pond Rookery Walk
  • June 29 - Colored Pencils Drawing workshop with Nina Antze
  • And much, much more!!!

Cancellation Policy

If you are registered for an event and need to cancel, please notify us as soon as possible so that others may attend. Cancellations received more than 30 days in advance of the event date will receive a refund minus a $10.00 processing fee. Cancellations made between 30-7 days in advance will receive a 50% refund. We are sorry but refunds cannot be given on cancellations made less than 7 days in advance. Please also note that we often need a minimum number of participants to conduct most events. If the Laguna Foundation needs to cancel the event for any reason, we will notify you as soon as possible (at least 1 day prior to the event) and you will receive a full refund.

Non-Refundable Fee

Events that cost $20 and less are non-refundable (except in case of our cancelling for inclement weather or other extenuating circumstances, in which case we will issue full refunds). This is due to administrative costs and significant processing fees associated with online registration services such as Eventbrite. Thank you for your understanding and for your interest and support of our programs!

For more information, contact Christine Fontaine, Director of Education Programs
(707) 527-9277 xt. 102 or by email at Chris@LagunaFoundation.org.

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