April’s Village Talk presents:

River Otters! Back on the Bay Area Map.

River otters are charismatic carnivores, and make wonderful ambassadors for river and  wetland

conservation efforts. Yet, little is known about their population range and seasonal eating habits in the Bay Area.

The River Otter Ecology Project has taken on the challenge of discovering and documenting their ecological niche, with the goal of informing land use decisions and preserving habitat for these lively aquatic mammals.

Join the River Otter Ecology Project as they discuss what’s known, what needs to be discovered, and just how we manage to research elusive, secretive mammals who slide into the water and disappear when approached.  We’ll show slides and videos from our ottercams, and discuss the project and the role that citizen science plays in this otterly exciting work!

________________________________________________________________

Date:  Saturday April 28th, 2018    

Location: Lower Village Museum,  China Camp State Park

Time:  6-7pm

Admission: Members- Free

                    Non-members-$5

Space is limited and reservations are required.  To reserve, send email to: chinacamp.programs@gmail.com, or call (415) 456-0766. Please indicate a) the date of the program you would like to reserve b) your name, c) your phone number, d) the total number of places you are reserving. We will reply to confirm your reservation.

Join us as we christen the felucca Franca on the China Camp Village beach outside Frank’s Boat Building Shop. The ceremony begins at 2:00 and the boat will be launched at 2:30 sharp, as the tide demands. Music, libations, dancing to follow!

What’s a felucca?  A felucca is a fishing sailboat that Italian immigrants to San Francisco built locally and used to work on the San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. These very Mediterranean-style watercraft were local contemporaries with the Chinese shrimp junks, like the Grace Quan.

For the past ten years, Frank Quan and friends have been chipping away, building this felucca in Frank’s shop at China Camp Village. This has been a labor of love and on April 29 this beautiful and historic vessel will meet the waters of San Pablo Bay. Don’t miss it!

Special Note: Pt. San Pedro Road will be closed until noon for the Marin Half-Marathon. Come soon after or come by boat as early as you like!

Announcing! A New Book Club for Nature-Lovers:

Join us at this monthly gathering at the China Camp led by seasoned naturalist Harold Hirsch. April’s engaging selection will be The Natural Navigator by Tristan Gooley. We’ll gather to share the wondrous information revealed in this book. 

This month we will be reading  The Natural Navigator by Tristan Gooley

Exerp from Goodreads.com:

Starting with a simple question – ‘Which way am I looking?’ – Tristan Gooley blends natural science, myth, folklore and the history of travel to introduce you to the rare and ancient art of finding your way using nature’s own sign-posts, from the feel of a rock to a glance at the moon.

With Tristan’s help, you’ll learn why some trees grow the way they do and how they can help you find your way in the countryside. You’ll discover how it’s possible to find north simply by looking at a puddle and how natural signs can be used to navigate on the open ocean and in the heart of the city. Wonderfully detailed and full of fascinating stories, this is a glorious exploration of a rediscovered art.

Available from your favorite bookseller or from Amazon

When: Sunday, April 29th 2018

Time: 4pm-5:30pm

Meeting Place: You will be notified of the meeting location when you RSVP

Please RSVP to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or (415)488-5161. Please include the number of guests attending.Please bring warm clothing, water and snacks.