We will explore the coastal prairie and cliff terraces habitats that support tons of wildlife. Seabirds, harbor seals, hawks, and so much more wildlife can be seen as we walk along the bluff trails, with beautiful views of the ocean the whole way! Maybe we could even see a gray whale!
Saturday, December 3rd | 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Location: Wilder Ranch Ages: 6th-8th grade $10 |$5 Museum Members | Register
Nature Club takes young explorers (6th-8th Grade) into local habitats to learn about the amazing living world around us while making discoveries along the way. Programs are led by Museum staff with kids dropped off at rotating locations, including local parks, open spaces, and of course at the Museum! Exploration and activities help kids learn more about nature through observation and experience while developing a deeper connection to nature and making new friends.
What to Expect
Programs run from 10:00 a.m -12:30 p.m. and occur on the first Saturday of the month. The Museum does not provide transportation to offsite meeting spots, and participants should be dropped off and picked up by parents/guardians. Some programs may be physically rigorous so please email chris.soriano@santacruzmuseum.org if you have questions about trail accessibility. Programs occur rain or shine, barring extreme weather.
Safety
Nature Club will run in compliance with state and county guidance for health and safety. Participants should not attend if they have been coughing, have a fever, or had recent contact with someone with a positive test.
Neary Lagoon in the autumn is full of life! Migratory birds seek food and shelter in large numbers and provide excellent opportunities to study them up close. The Museum will provide binoculars for each participant.
Saturday, November 11th | 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Location: Neary Lagoon Ages: 6th-8th grade
Nature Club takes young explorers (6th-8th Grade) into local habitats to learn about the amazing living world around us while making discoveries along the way. Programs are led by Museum staff with kids dropped off at rotating locations, including local parks, open spaces, and of course at the Museum! Exploration and activities help kids learn more about nature through observation and experience while developing a deeper connection to nature and making new friends.
What to Expect
Programs run from 10:00 a.m -12:30 p.m. The Museum does not provide transportation to offsite meeting spots, and participants should be dropped off and picked up by parents/guardians. Some programs may be physically rigorous. Please email chris.soriano@santacruzmuseum.org if you have questions about trail accessibility. Programs occur rain or shine, barring extreme weather.
Safety
Nature Club will run in compliance with state and county guidance for health and safety. Participants should not attend if they have been coughing, have a fever, or had recent contact with someone with a positive COVID-19 test.
People have lived along the central coast of present-day California for millennia, surviving and thriving off of the resources that continue to surround us. Today, many of our region’s greatest naturalists are fishers, gardeners, and artists who connect with the natural world through their hobbies, work, or craft. Foraging is for many an entryway into a deeper connection with nature.
Negative Impacts of Foraging
Habitat degradation, increased frequency and intensity of fires, development, and climate change are all stressors that impact native species and reduce vital resources. Foraging has become a popular movement in recent years, often to the extreme detriment of widely sought-after plants like ginseng and white sage.
If you choose to forage, you can ensure that you are doing so in an ethical manner that supports the future health and sustainability of our environment.
Foraging Ethics 101
1. Protect threatened species
When identifying plants to forage, confirm that population numbers are healthy to avoid causing additional challenges for organisms already under stress. While many local native species have ethnobotanical qualities, there are also many non-native and invasive species that do, too. By selecting non-native species for forage, you are protecting local natives.
Never forage something unless you are certain of its ID. Even if you do not plan on consuming the item, if you get the ID wrong you could risk removing something that is rare or threatened. Use three or more points of identification, rather than one characteristic. Some things to consider include: bloom, stem, bark, color, smell, habitat, soil conditions, life cycle, and, in the case of mushrooms, spore prints.
When foraging for a particular use, only take what you need. More importantly, never take more than what the environment can afford to give. Generally, only take one-tenth from any patch you see, and never from the only patch you find.
It’s a reciprocal relationship. We have a responsibility to take care of this plant—to be responsible for them. So it’s not about going out and just randomly taking. That’s really disrespectful, and it should never be done that way.
Many parks and open spaces have regulations about or against foraging. It is important to know what the rules are for a given space before foraging.
5. Be Safe
Avoid harvesting near busy roads or hazardous sites and be mindful of any potential pollutants or contaminants that the organisms you’re harvesting might have been exposed to, such as pesticides and heavy metals.
Note About Mushrooms
Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of a fungal organism. There are different schools of opinion about whether it is better to cut a mushrooms above the soil, or pluck it entirely. If you are picking the mushroom to identify it, it is best to try to remove it in its entirety with as little damage to the surrounding area as possible. Always leave the area where you have picked from tidy. Picking older mushrooms and leaving younger ones is a good way of allowing the most amount of fruiting bodies to go through their full life cycle. Carry your mushrooms in a woven basket to let them continue to drop spores as you walk (this is also better than using plastic bins or bags for the shelf life of your mushrooms).
Join us to explore approximately 4 miles of trail in Pogonip, the largest open natural space in Santa Cruz. Enjoy beautiful views of Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay and learn about our local history by visiting the historic limekilns and examining redwood trees through the lens of time.
Saturday, October 1 | 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Location: Pogonip Ages: 6th-8th grade $10 |$5 Museum Members | Register
Nature Club takes young explorers (6th-8th Grade) into local habitats to learn about the amazing living world around us while making discoveries along the way. Programs are led by Museum staff with kids dropped off at rotating locations, including local parks, open spaces, and of course at the Museum! Exploration and activities help kids learn more about nature through observation and experience while developing a deeper connection to nature and making new friends.
What to Expect
Programs run from 10:00 a.m -12:30 p.m. and occur on the first Saturday of the month. The Museum does not provide transportation to offsite meeting spots, and participants should be dropped off and picked up by parents/guardians. Some programs may be physically rigorous so please email chris.soriano@santacruzmuseum.org if you have questions about trail accessibility. Programs occur rain or shine, barring extreme weather.
Safety
Nature Club will run in compliance with state and county guidance for health and safety. Masks are strongly recommended for all participants, regardless of vaccination status. Participants should not attend if they have been coughing, have a fever, or had recent contact with someone with a positive test.
Santa Cruz has a long history of fishing lore, including the legend of the “Old Man of the Monterey Bay.” Geoffrey Dunn is a fourth-generation member of the Santa Cruz Italian fishing colony who grew up with stories about the “Old Man” and sea monsters as a boy, which has influenced his work as journalist, filmmaker, and historian. Join us for the online talk exploring local myths and legends in honor of the exhibit, Maritime Mysteries and Monsters.
About the Speaker
Geoffrey Dunn, Ph. D., is an award-winning journalist, filmmaker and historian and has written extensively about California culture and history. He is the author of several books, including Santa Cruz Is in the Heart (Volumes I and II); The Santa Cruz Wharf: Images of America; Chinatown Dreams: The Life and Photography of George Lee; and The Lies of Sarah Palin. His films include Dollar a Day, 10¢ a Dance: A Historic Portrait of Filipino Farm Workers in America; Chinese Gold: The Chinese of the Monterey Bay Region;, Calypso Dreams, and The Glamour Boyz Again. He also served as the on-screen narrator of A Day on the Bay: Portrait of a Ligurian Fishing Colony. Dunn has been writing about Monterey Bay’s maritime history for more than four decades.
Cartoon by Thommy Thompson, San Francisco Call-Bulletin, 1942.
With immense gratitude, the Museum acknowledges the incredible life of John Anderson, who passed away this April. In 1974 John began his 24-year tenure at the Museum, skillfully coordinating the many hats of exhibit installations, public events, and volunteer programs.
To his colleagues and the members of the public, John was an inspiration.
Longtime friend and first full time Museum Curator Charles Prentiss, speaking in honor of John, underscored how John’s dedication, generosity, and love of life and community service “has enriched all of our lives and the lives of generations to come.”
That richness is vividly apparent in the life of our Museum. From early iterations of the Fungus Fairs to the first Spring Wildflower Show and the origins of the Art of Nature exhibit — John’s work at the museum facilitated wondrous community natural history happenings. Museum newsletters describe his tireless pursuit of exhibit specimens — including a road-killed skunk still display. Newsletters also speak to the enhancement of docent programs, the expansion of field trip programs for underserved communities, and the establishment of class visits to the newly built indoor tidepool — led by John.
John helped to orchestrate the campaign of fundraising, lectures, walk-a-thons, and community engagement that brought the beloved life-size gray whale sculpture to Tyrrell Park. He was thrilled to see this dream become a reality. This October will be the whale’s fortieth birthday, and we continue to see that enthusiasm reflected in the community each day — in the laughter of climbing children, the delighted stares of beachgoers and the daily pilgrimage of joggers.
John Anderson’s rich legacy is also apparent in other local institutions. In conjunction with other museum and city staff and community groups like the Santa Cruz Longboard Union and the Westside Longboard Coalition, John was instrumental in the 1986 establishment of the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. His efforts led one city employee to describe him as “the wave under our surfboard.”
Former Museum Registrar Sally Legakis talked with us about how John’s love of nature was contagious and his knowledge of natural history deep rooted. He led field trips, identified specimens for public inquiries, and helped Sally navigate the contents of the collections. Bolstered by his warmth and generosity, John’s knowledge enabled him to connect people with science and nature in a way that was truly remarkable, and that rings true to our ongoing mission.
I never had the pleasure of working with John Anderson myself, but as the Collections Manager, I have the privilege of maintaining our institutional memory of him. I am often in awe of what our small but mighty team has achieved over our decades-long history, and John is a standout in that impressive crowd. When I think of where he stands out in our collections, I am drawn to our institutional archives featuring years of fun photos that capture key museum moments. Whether he’s leaning into a fern or photographing a fungus, cleaning a tidepool tank or teaching a class program, John is always in the thick of things. He always seems deeply engaged in the moment, hands-on and joyful. Our Museum would not be what it was today if John had not chosen to engage deeply with his work, his community, and the natural world in and around Santa Cruz.
We are so grateful to John and to those who follow in his footsteps.
John’s family has organized a page on the online memory platform Kudoboard where folks can share stories and pictures, or just read and reminisce about this incredible person. The contents of the site will be made into a book for the family to cherish.
Written by Kathleen Aston, Collections Manager, 2022
Museum Staff c. 1976John teaching a school program John with lupineJohn – October 6, 1997 Last Tidepool CleaningJohn and family, late 70’s
Santa Cruz’s scenic coastline has long enthralled residents and visitors alike, yet storms, relentless waves, and human impacts have and will continue to change our coastline. Join Dr. Gary Griggs for an examination of these processes through the lens of one of Santa Cruz’s most iconic beaches.
Castle (or Seabright) Beach went from being a very narrow seasonal beach to the one of the widest in the county following the construction of the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor. Seabright has long been a unique neighborhood with a character that has survived for well over a century. It was considered to be out in the country by Santa Cruz standards when it was first developed as a seaside resort in the 1880s. For years a rather makeshift footbridge over the San Lorenzo River was the main route into town. Each winter it had to be removed to keep the river from washing it away, and Seabright residents had to walk across the railroad bridge, considered dangerous at the time as there was no pedestrian walk as there is today.
Accessibility
A recording and follow-up resources will be shared with registrants after the program.
This program will be in English.
We will be using the webinar format, meaning that participants’ video and mic functions will be disabled.
Reasonable accommodation requests can be made by emailing events@santacruzmuseum.org.
About the Speaker
Gary Griggs is a Distinguished Professor of Earth & Planetary Sciences at the University of California Santa Cruz, where he has taught for 54 years. He received his B.A. in Geological Sciences in 1965 from the University of California Santa Barbara and a Ph.D. in Oceanography from Oregon State University in 1968. Gary served as the Director of the University’s Institute of Marine Sciences for 26 years, where he led the development of a Coastal Science Campus. His research, teaching, writing and lectures have been focused on the coast of California and include coastal processes, hazards, and the impacts of and responses to sea-level rise. In 1998 he was given the Outstanding Physical and Biological Sciences Faculty Award at U.C. Santa Cruz, and the Alumni Association honored him with a Distinguished Teaching Award in 2006. The California Coastal Commission and Sunset Magazine named him one of California’s Coastal Heroes in 2009, and in 2010 he was elected to the California Academy of Sciences. Gary chaired a committee in 2017 recommended by Governor Brown to update California’s sea-level rise projections. In 2016 he was appointed to the California Ocean Science Trust. Gary is also a member of the California Ocean Protection Council’s Science Advisory Team and served as chair of California’s 4th Climate Assessment Committee on Coasts and Ocean.
Gary has written 13 books including: Living with the Changing California Coast, Introduction to California’s Beaches and Coast, The California Coast from the Air, Coasts in Crisis – A Global Challenge, The Edge – The Pressured Past and Precarious Future of California’s Coast, Between Paradise and Peril – The Natural Disaster History of the Monterey Bay Region, and most recently The Ominous Ocean: Rogue Waves, Rip Currents and other Dangers along the Shoreline and at Sea.
We are excited to announce the upcoming Patrons Reception in 2024, highlighting our impact in Santa Cruz County . This special event will take place indoors and outdoors, featuring a brief presentation showcasing some of the Museum’s special projects around the county. We invite you to join us for delicious light refreshments, drinks, and live jazz. This reception is a wonderful opportunity to express our gratitude for your generous support of the Museum and our programs. It will be a celebration of our appreciation for your vital contributions and commitment to our mission.
Each spring as the surrounding landscape unfurls new life, we open The Art of Nature. This vibrant exhibit of local artists features as many different forms of nature as it does forms of science illustration. For this month’s Close-Up, we’re highlighting a method of recording nature found in our collections that makes a particular impression – gyotaku, the art of fish prints.
At its most traditional, this method relies on minimal supplies to make incredible works – producing fish prints that are both precise and dreamy, crisply capturing the anatomy of the specimens while simultaneously conveying the ethereal quality of the watery world in which they lived. You can see all these qualities in this dynamic print of a pile perch (Rhacochilus vacca) caught in the cabinets of our collections room. Scaly fish with a laterally compressed body, perch are great for gyotaku. More of the fish’s body is easily captured than with a more rounded fish body, as the printer trades the silvery sheen of the fish’s scales for the textured details of its skin and fins.
Printed in the 1960s by then Capitola-based artist Edith Weintraub, this perch print was made in the traditional “direct” method of gyotaku: Weintraub lightly daubed the perch with sumi ink, then delicately pressed Japanese rice paper onto the body and contours of the inked fish to produce a mirror image of the specimen. The fish was caught off the Santa Cruz pier, and this print may have been originally on display at Weintraub’s Out of Print Bookstore and gallery.
Santa Cruz Sentinal clippings from 1964 and 1965
Edith appears to have been an early American adopter of the art – having made prints with Pacific coast fish for many years already by the time of her 1965 gallery showing. Gyotaku was first introduced in the US in the 1950s, by events like the American Museum of Natural History’s 1956 Gyotaku Exhibit and individual efforts like the introductory gyotakubook published by Yoshio Hiyama in 1964. Almost immediately it was seen as a natural fit for science illustration and natural history textbooks in the U.S. However, the art began almost a hundred years earlier – as a means by which Japanese fishermen in the 1860s could record their finest catch without the help of a camera.
As it flourished, new aspects of the craft were fleshed out. In addition to direct printing, other traditional methods include indirect printing, where you press the paper onto the fish and then ink the relief; and transfer printing, where you transfer the impression of the fish to a flexible surface, which is used to print onto another surface. Color can be used to accentuate the print, and eyes are often painted on after the initial printing. When all’s said and done, most artists/fisherman can still eat their fish – the entire process is traditionally non-toxic. And even while contemporary gyotaku has evolved to include new tools like computers, most of today’s artists (folks like Naoki Hayashi and Heather Fortner) make a point to talk about the ethics of how they collect their fish and how they are later eaten, composted, or returned to nature.
Edith Weintraub King Fish Print
This is a trend even for folks who aren’t using fish – the term gyotaku is sometimes used to describe the inking and printing of other natural materials – even roadkill. This flexibility illuminates the technique’s ties to the general practice of nature printing – a centuries long tradition with a variety of global takes that continues to provide stunning images and contemporary insight into the relationship between humans and nature.
Meanwhile, contemporary gyotaku continues to keep the relationship between art, fish, and natural history firmly afloat. As recently as last year, artist Dwight Hwang, who makes gyotaku in the classical Japanese style, collaborated with the Natural History Museum of LA County to record an incredible catch: a female Pacific footballfish (Himantolophus sagamius), one of only thirty or so such specimens to have been found. Not only was this a rare and precious find that was important to document in many ways, the frightening forms of this creature also presented an incredible artistic opportunity. Hwang talks about how his approach to gyotaku, which he sometimes describes as a type of taxidermy, is grounded in a Japanese aesthetic of taking a subject and emphasizing the beauty in its imperfections.
To get a closer look at the perfect imperfections of Edith Weintraub’s local fish prints, and to get a feel for gyotaku yourself, register for our upcoming workshop with local printmakers Lucas Elmer and Janina A. Larenas.
Stroll back in time as you explore the history of Seabright Beach, once called Castle Beach, during this online exhibit preview for Museum Members in honor of the new exhibit, Remembering Castle Beach, opening June 11, 2022.
Executive Director Felicia Van Stolk and Collections Manager Kathleen Aston will take Members behind the scenes of the exhibit, sharing additional stories and a deeper look into the historic photographs, souvenirs, and artifacts that bring to life the heyday of the Scholl Marr Castle and look at how the nearby coastline has changed over time.
