We’ve all seen prickly pear cactus on sunny, rocky slopes and, hopefully, you haven’t accidentally fallen or backed into their spiny pads. Did you know those sharp spines are not only for defense, but also act as modified leaves? The fruit of the prickly pear cactus is nutritious and good Read more…
Fennel is an invasive non-native plant that can grow in grasslands, chaparral and alongside creeks. It can grow so dense that it complete excludes native plants and the animals and insects that rely on them. In normal years COSCA organizes groups of volunteers to remove fennel from the open space Read more…
This is the time of year we can spot the monarch butterflies migrating to their winter homes and also a good time to learn more about why the narrow leaf milkweed is the most important plant for monarchs. We often see milkweed in sunny areas near our trails, but do Read more…
National Park Service wildfire ecologist Dr. Marti Witter gave a fantastically interesting and informative talk, “Fire History, Climate Change, and Wildfire Recovery in the Santa Monica Mountains” on November 12th. The Zoom presentation is now available for viewing. Her talk was the finale of the Conejo Open Space Foundation speaker Read more…
White sage is considered sacred and still used by indigenous peoples for medical and ceremonial purposes, but did you know it’s now becoming endangered? While hiking along a local trail, it’s likely we’ve stopped and enjoyed the wonderful aroma of white sage that’s common on sunny hillsides and in chaparral Read more…
Congratulations to Andrew Horan of Thousand Oaks who provided the correct answer and was selected as the winner. Thanks to all who responded! Also known as Padre’s shooting star (Primula clevelandii), this flower is a perennial herb. It grows nearly exclusively in California, mostly along the coast south of San Read more…
The Conejo Open Space Foundation has provided a further $2000 donation to the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) in support of an annual bird monitoring program. COSCA contracts with the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology (WFVZ) to carry out these extensive studies. The results are a significant aid for Read more…
Have you seen elderberry bushes with their purple fruit along the trails? Have you wondered if it’s ever been used as an herbal remedy? As a musical instrument? The Conejo Open Space Foundation is delighted to announce our collaboration with noted local naturalist, Laura Pasatta, for a series of videos Read more…
National Park Service biologists have found 13 mountain lion kittens in five litters in the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills since May 2020. That’s a record number found over the 18 years that these animals have been studied. There are five males and eight females. Wildlife biologists track the Read more…
The National Park Service (NPS) announced that a juvenile mountain lion and adult bobcat have died from rodenticides (anti-rodent poisons, often just called “rat poison”). The wild cats did not ingest the poisons directly, but ate smaller animals that had eaten the poison and were thus sickened, making them easier Read more…