Full Moon Exploration of Irwin Creek & Lower Stone Farm

Sunday, August 26th, 2018, 5:30-9pm

Meet at Heron Hall, Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Join us for this special full-moon evening adventure, including a picnic dinner alongside the Laguna in an area not usually open to the public. Bring your own picnic, and we'll provide the hors d’oeuvres. On this 2 mile walk over mostly flat but uneven terrain, we’ll explore the beautiful area’s animal and plant life and learn about the history of Stone Farm and the on-going collaborative restoration work that’s bringing back a thriving ecosystem. We'll also focus on the critters large and small that come out at dusk and the plants used in restoration work that support wildlife, water quality, and us all. 

Starting in Heron Hall with hors d’oeuvres and a brief presentation, we'll head out for a leisurely amble across the picturesque hay field to Irwin Creek. We’ll cross Sanford Rd. to quiet Lower Stone Farm and the Laguna channel, where we'll enjoy our picnic dinners (tarps to sit on provided) and keep our eyes open for evening-feeding swallows, raptors and dragonflies! We'll start heading back after sunset to watch the full moon rise, keeping our ears and eyes open for resident owls, coyotes, egrets, river otters, mink, frogs, bats and any other emerging evening wildlife. Suitable for adults and youth 9 years old and up (children must be accompanied by an adult). 

MEETING LOCATION:  Great Blue Heron Hall at the Laguna Environmental Center:  900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa – at the intersection with Occidental Road.  Please drive VERY slowly on the dirt driveway, and park in designated parking areas away from Heron Hall (it’s a short walk).  Accessible parking is available next to Heron Hall (blue placard required).

PLEASE ARRIVE BY 5:15pm to allow enough time for parking and check-in.  

WHAT TO BRING:

• FLASHLIGHT
• Water bottle
• Picnic dinner that you can carry (we’ll provide tarps to sit on for picnic dinner down by the Laguna)
• Wear comfortable, variable weather, layered clothing and bring a hat or sun/rain protection
• Wear lightweight hiking boots or sturdy sneakers. Open-toed shoes and sandals are NOT suitable. Depending on rains, the areas we will walk could be muddy or super dry with stickers.
• Binoculars (optional)
• Pen or pencil and something to write on such as a small notebook (optional)
• Your sense of wonder and curiosity

PLEASE KNOW:

• At the check-in table, we’ll have a list with your name and the number of people in your party.  No tickets will be issued.
• You will be asked to sign a liability waiver at the check-in table.
• Simple, light hors d’oeuvres will be available at sign-in and during the brief welcome presentation.
• We will be walking through fields and off-trail some of the time, on uneven terrain, for a total of 2 miles. 
• This event is suitable for adults and youth 9 years old and up (children must be accompanied by an adult).
• Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the Laguna Environmental Center grounds.
• This is a working farm so please leave pets at home. Service animals are welcome.

RAIN CONTINGENCY:  If we get rain, please know that rain cancels.  If the forecast the day before is calling for rain, we will email you, and you can call (707) 527-9277, ext. 110 to see what our plan is.  We will have a message on the machine.  We will notify you by email if we have to cancel.

CANCELLATION POLICY:  If you need to cancel, please notify us as soon as possible so that people on the wait list may attend. 

This free program is made possible through a partnership between the Laguna Foundation, LandPaths and the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and 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.