On Saturday, October 1, the Conejo Open Space Foundation will present a free educational event featuring dozens of eco-related exhibitors and fun activities for kids. Native Plantpalooza & Eco Fest will be held rain or shine at the Lakeside Pavilion area in the Conejo Creek North Park in Thousand Oaks Read more…
For COSF’s summer 2022 Speaker Series virtual presentation on June 8, butterfly educator Betina Loudermilk of Betina’s Little Farm & Butterfly Garden gave a fact-filled presentation about the East and West Coast monarch migrations and lifecycles. She discussed the mysterious resurgence of the Western monarchs and the grave threats they Read more…
Because of its role in spreading disease among Western monarch butterflies, tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) has been classified as a “noxious weed” by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. That led to a June 1 notice of a ban by Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner Ed Williams on its sale Read more…
The June 1 “Where in the Conejo” contest photo featured the detritus under an owl’s nest or frequent perching spot, including several rodent skulls and a disintegrating owl pellet (upper right). Of the correct entrants, Bill Brenden was selected at random as the winner of a $25 gift certificate. Congratulations, Bill, Read more…
You could win $25 if you can you identify the phenomenon shown in the photo! The correct answer is provided below along with 3 that are not. To be entered in the drawing to win, you must select the right one. As you are hiking in a forested area, you Read more…
The 2021 annual Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count sponsored by the Xerces Society brought some surprising and welcome news: The West Coast monarch population seems to have rebounded from the frighteningly low numbers reported in 2020. With only 2,000 overwintering monarchs counted in 2020, the iconic orange-and-black butterflies seemed headed for Read more…
Trails Education Days returned to Wildwood Park April 25 to 28 after a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of the program is to instill youngsters with an appreciation and sense of stewardship of natural open space. It provides lessons on open space for Conejo Valley Unified Read more…
The April 1 “Where in the Conejo” photo was of the underside of the leaf a California polypody fern (Polypodium californicum) covered with spore cases. This native fern is distributed along the entire coast of California and is found inland in coastal mountains and foothills as well. It prefers shaded Read more…
Two Ventura County high school seniors, Alessandra Lucchesi of Nordhoff High School in Ojai, and Molly McNulty of Newbury Park High School, are the second set of recipients of Conejo Open Space Foundation scholarships. The $1,000 annual scholarships support students pursuing environmental-studies-related majors at two- or four-year colleges or universities. Read more…
Two Ventura County high school seniors, Alessandra Lucchesi of Nordhoff High School in Ojai, and Molly McNulty of Newbury Park High School, are the second set of recipients of Conejo Open Space Foundation scholarships. The $1,000 annual scholarships support students pursuing environmental-studies-related majors at two- or four-year colleges or universities Read more…