Saturday Morning Hike
2018-03-17 09:30 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Get outside. See great views.
Learn about the natural world.
Sound good?
Join naturalist Harold Hirsch for guided morning hikes at China Camp featuring stunning vistas and spring wildflowers!

3/17 Knight Drive Gate trailhead-9:30am Intermediate hike. 2-3 miles. Topic: Vistas of the San Francisco Bay

Hikes range from easy to moderate, ranging from 1.5 to 2 miles. Please bring appropriate hiking gear, warm clothing water, snacks, sunscreen and a hat.
This hike is brought to you by Friends of China Camp. If you are bringing more than 5 people, please RSVP to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or (415)456-0766, otherwise you can just show up!

CANCELLED -Village Talk: Beauty and Mystique of Butterflies
2018-03-17 17:30 - 18:30
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN
CHECK UPDATES FOR RESCHEDULED DATE

Join Dr. Peter Oboyski, curator and manager of the Essig Museum of Entomology at UC Berkeley as he discusses the biology and diversity of butterflies. There will be specimens of local butterflies to view and information about how to attract butterflies to your yard.
Butterflies are some of the most conspicuous insects we see when hiking and gardening, yet they still hold many mysteries. Some are territorial over a few square meters of habitat, while others migrate great distances. Some are common pests, while others are endangered, and one local butterfly has gone extinct. And they have complex relationships with the plants they feed on and the predators that attack them, both as larvae and adults.

Peter Oboyski is an entomologist who has been studying Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) in the western US, Hawaii, Tahiti, and Indonesia for over 20 years.
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Date: Saturday March 17th, 2018
Location: Lower Village Museum, China Camp State Park
Time: 5:30pm -6:30pm
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.

Gentle Walk Around Turtleback
2018-03-18 09:30 - 12:00
Sunday March 18th, 2018
9:30am -Noon
Meeting place: Turtleback trailhead, San Pedro Rd
Join naturalist Susan Edwards as we uncover the secrets of the Heart of China Camp: Turtleback trail. We’ll start at the Turtleback trailhead and wander among the pickleweed marsh and the oak woodlands to discover the plants and creatures that make it home. This will be a slow, joyful walk to see, smell, taste, hear and feel as much as we can. Susan is a seasoned naturalist who loves to share her knowledge of the intricate secrets of natural world along the trails of China Camp.
Families with children of all ages, welcome!

Please bring appropriate hiking gear, water, and sunscreen. Weather conditions may cancel event. To RSVP or for directions please contact chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or
call (415)456-0766.

CANCELLED Park Champions Work Day
2018-03-24 09:00 - 16:00
Cancelled because of rain. Please join us on Saturday, April 7. Sign up at CalParks

Saturday Morning Hike
2018-03-24 09:30 - 11:30
Get outside. See great views.
Learn about the natural world.
Sound good?
Join naturalist
Harold Hirsch for guided morning hikes at China Camp featuring stunning vistas and spring wildflowers!
Hikes range from easy to moderate, ranging from 1.5 to 2 miles. Please bring appropriate hiking gear, warm clothing water, snacks, sunscreen and a hat.

3/24 Back ranch meadows- 9:30am Intermediate. 2 miles. Topic: Views and wildflowers.

This hike is brought to you by Friends of China Camp. If you are bringing more than 5 people, please RSVP to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or (415)456-0766, otherwise you can just show up!

Full "Sap" Moon Hike
2018-03-30 18:00 - 19:00
MARCH: “Full Sap Moon”
China Camp State Park
Date: Friday March 30th 2018
Time: 6pm -8:30 pm
March 31st is the “Full Sap Moon”. This moon is named for this time just after the spring equinox when the sap from sugar maple trees really begins to flow. We will hike the day before on the 30th to go on a moderate, 2 hour long hike and watch the radiant full moon cast glittering light over the bay.
Admission: Members- Free
Non-members-$5
RSVP to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or (415)456-0766 to sign up. You will be notified of the meeting location once you RSVP. If rain is predicted, you will be notified if the hike is cancelled. Please bring warm clothing, appropriate hiking gear, water, and a flashlight. We will meet at 6pm sharp.

Park Champions Work Day
2018-04-14 09:00 - 16:00
Who needs a fitness center when you have FOCC offering a well rounded, all major muscle group workout?
We will pick up where we left off last year with the restoration of the Shoreline Trail behind the campground. The work will involve clearing the trail of all organics, removing split rail fencing, incorporation of gravel, leveling, compacting the tread, and replacing split rail fencing. A mini excavator, toters, roller compactor and other large equipment will be in use.
We would love to have some strong, energetic volunteers to help with this work. If you are a frequent biker on our trails, this is your chance to give back and improve the tread.
Lunch will be provided. Limited free camping is available for registered volunteers. To volunteer, please go the California State Parks Foundation Champion web page. They will contact you by email with information about where to meet, what to wear, what to bring, how to sign up for camping, etc.

Saturday Hiking Program
2018-04-14 09:30 - 11:30
Saturday Hiking Program
Exercise! Views! Wildflowers!

Sound good?
Join naturalist
Harold Hirsch for guided morning hikes at China Camp featuring stunning vistas and spring wildflowers!
Hikes range from easy to moderate, ranging from 1.5 to 2 miles. Please bring appropriate hiking gear, warm clothing water, snacks, sunscreen and a hat.

4/14 Knight Drive Gate trailhead-9:30am Intermediate hike. 2-3 miles. Topic: Vistas of the San Francisco Bay

This hike is brought to you by Friends of China Camp. If you are bringing more than 5 people, please RSVP to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or (415)456-0766, otherwise you can just show up!

CANCELLED-Kate Marianchild-Special Guest Speaker
2018-04-15 17:30 - 18:30
THis EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED
THE SPEAKER CANNOT MAKE IT DUE TO AN UNEXPECTED ILLNESS. APOLOGIES FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.

California’s oak woodlands host at least 147 bird species, many of which are so common they are often
dismissed as ordinary. But can we use the word “ordinary” for the birds who build one of the most intricate nests in the world? What about the avian clans whose members engage in simulated sex rituals every evening before bedtime? Or the jays who have planted almost all of California’s oaks and whose intelligence may surpass that of the great apes? And let’s not forget the ducks who eat acorns and the “little brown jobs” who never move more than 1300 feet from the nests where they were born. This talk will open your eyes to the marvelous survival strategies, behaviors, and social structures of birds we see everyday in California’s oak woodlands, and these common birds will never again seem ordinary.

Kate Marianchild is a naturalist and author of the renown book Secrets of the Oak Woodlands: Plants and Animals among California’s Oaks (Heyday, 2014). Currently in its fifth printing, this
award-winning bestseller is a delightfully narrated and beautifully illustrated romp through California’s most diverse and widespread ecosystem.
Date: Sunday April 15th, 2018
Location:
Lower Village Museum, China Camp State Park
Time: 5:30pm -6:30pm
Admission: $10
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.

Earth Day at China Camp
2018-04-21 09:00 - 15:00
This is the 20th annual Earth Day event sponsored by California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) and once again FOCC is participating. Please join us for a morning of invasive plant removal, split rail fence repair, wood splitting, firewood bundling and trail grooming. There is something for everyone. This is your opportunity protect and improve this unique part of the ecosystem.
Date: Saturday, April 21
Registration and coffee/tea: 8:30am – 9:00am
“Work”: 9:00am – noon
Lunch: Noon – 12:30pm
To participate please register on the CSPF website. They will provide you with information about where to meet, what to wear and what to bring (in addition to your Earth Day smile). Your registration helps us plan for equipment, supplies and, of course, food.
After lunch, there is an easy hike from 1pm – 3pm focusing on new growth and wildflowers. Meet at the Upper Village parking lot. If you are a group of 5 or more, please please RSVP to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or (415) 456-0766, otherwise you can just show up!

Saturday Hiking Program
2018-04-21 13:00 - 15:00
Saturday Hiking Program
Exercise! Views! Wildflowers!
Sound good?
Join naturalist
Harold Hirsch for guided morning hikes at China Camp featuring stunning vistas and spring wildflowers!
Hikes range from easy to moderate, ranging from 1.5 to 2 miles. Please bring appropriate hiking gear, warm clothing water, snacks, sunscreen and a hat.

4/21 Village Parking Lot by China Camp Point – 1-3pm. Easy Hike. 2-3 miles. Topic: New growth and Stunning April wildflowers

This hike is brought to you by Friends of China Camp. If you are bringing more than 5 people, please RSVP to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or (415)456-0766, otherwise you can just show up!

Saturday Hiking Program: Back Ranch Meadows
2018-04-28 09:30 - 11:30
Saturday Hiking Program
Exercise! Views! Wildflowers!
Sound good? Join naturalist Harold Hirsch for guided morning hikes at China Camp featuring stunning vistas and spring wildflowers!
Hikes range from easy to moderate, ranging from 1.5 to 2 miles. Please bring appropriate hiking gear, warm clothing water, snacks, sunscreen and a hat.

4/28 Back ranch meadows- 9:30am Intermediate. 2 miles.

Topic: More wildflowers!
This hike is brought to you by Friends of China Camp. If you are bringing more than 5 people, please RSVP to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or (415)456-0766, otherwise you can just show up!

Village Talk: River Otters!
2018-04-28 18:00 - 19:00
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!
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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.

Felucca Launching
2018-04-29 14:00 - 17:00
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!

NEW! Book Club in the Park
2018-04-29 16:00 - 17:30
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.

Sudden Oak Death Blitz!
2018-05-05 10:00 - 12:00
Learn How You Can Stop the Disease as a Citizen Scientist!
This event will take place at:
Dominican University
50 Acacia Ave, San Rafael
Science Center, Room 231
Saturday May 5th, 2018 10:00am

Click the link below for more details
2018 SOD-Blitz Marin County

SOLD OUT: Kayak By the Wetlands!
2018-05-12 09:00 - 12:00
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT: WAITLIST ONLY
STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES ON UPCOMING EVENTS
Friends of China Camp is offering a rare opportunity to have an up-close experience with this ecosystem.

China Camp State Park is home to the largest intact wetlands on the San Pablo Bay, including a sensitive tidal marsh. What better way to see and learn about these treasures than with a wetlands naturalist and a kayak instructor?
Sarah Ferner, the Education Coordinator from the National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) will provide us with a glimpse into the ecology or our salt marsh estuary and enlighten us with the latest research conducted at NERR…all from a kayak!
Sean Morley, a world renowned kayaker and advanced open water instructor, will provide safety instructions and guidance during the tour.
101 Surf Sports, San Rafael’s local water sport outfit, has kindly donated the use of the kayaks for the event. Thank you!
Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018
Location: Lower Village Museum, China Camp State Park
Time: 9am – Noon
Cost: $75. Please bring cash, a check or a credit card with you to make your payment.
Lunch is included and will follow the kayak excursion.
100% of the profits of this fundraiser go to FOCC, the operators of the park who protect and preserve this natural treasure.
Space is limited and reservations are required.
To reserve, send email to: chinacamp.programs@gmail.com, or call (415) 456-0766.
Please indicate a) your name, b) your phone number, c) the total number of spaces you are reserving. We will reply to confirm your reservation and provide information about where to meet.

Saturday Hiking Program
2018-05-12 09:30 - 11:00, 2018-05-19 09:30 - 11:00
Saturday Hiking Program
Exercise! Views! Wildflowers!
Sound good?
Join naturalist Harold Hirsch for guided morning hikes at China Camp featuring stunning vistas and spring wildflowers!
Hikes range from easy to moderate, ranging from 1.5 to 2 miles. Please bring appropriate hiking gear, warm clothing water, snacks, sunscreen and a hat.

5/12 Village Parking Lot by China Camp Point – 9:30am. Easy Hike. 2-3 miles. Topic: New growth and Stunning April wildflowers

5/19 Back ranch meadows- 9:30am Intermediate. 2 miles.

Topic: More wildflowers!

This hike is brought to you by Friends of China Camp. If you are bringing more than 5 people, please RSVP to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or (415)456-0766, otherwise you can just show up!

Author Event at Book Passage
2018-05-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Spring 2016
Shu Wei’s Revenge by Jackson Fahnstock
Please join Jackson Fahnstock as he discusses his background and his novel Shu Wei’s Revenge at Book Passage in Corte Madera on Saturday May 12 at 7:00 P.M. Shu Wei is a seventeen year old boy growing up in Shanhou, China in 1898. His misadventures cause his family to emigrate to San Francisco’s Chinatown. Caught up in the underworld he must struggle to survive and to regain his family’s honor; his own future hangs in the balance.
Mr. Fahnstock’s years of travel as an architect to Asia and Southeast Asia served as the genesis for the book. A book signing will follow his reading and presentation. The book won a New York City Big Book Award and was a finalist in the 2015 William Faulkner Wisdom Creative Writing Competition.
All proceeds of this event will be donated to Friends of China Camp.

Chinese Exclusion Act Film Screening
2018-05-22 17:00 - 20:00
Rotary Club of San Rafael, Rotary Club of San Francisco #2, and Rotary Club of China have generously underwritten a pre-release screening of the PBS documentary film The Chinese Exclusion Act on May 22 at the Marin Yacht Club.Join us for this history of American civil liberties, immigration and culture. All proceeds will support Friends of China Camp.
RSVP by May 15 to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or call 415-456-0766.
Admission is $75 per person, cash, credit or check accepted. Payable at the door and fully tax deductible. Please make checks payable to Friends of China Camp.
Location: Marin Yacht Club, 24 Summit Avenue, San Rafael.

Pre-Release Screening of the Documentary Film The Chinese Exclusion Act
to Benefit Friends of China Camp.

Park Champions Work Morning
2018-06-09 09:00 - 13:00
Join us for a morning of mowing, weed whipping, broom pulling, deadfall clearing, and possibly firewood bundling. Lunch and friendly co-workers provided.
Sign up at the CalParks website. Minimum age 14, and anyone under 18 years who attends a Park Champions event must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Free camping is available the night of Friday, June 8 and Saturday, June 9. Space is very limited, so available to volunteers only.

Saturday Hiking Program!
2018-06-09 09:30 - 11:30, 2018-06-16 09:30 - 11:30, 2018-06-30 09:30 - 11:00
GUIDED HIKING PROGRAM
Explore China Camp With a Naturalist
Learn about the abundant wildlife in the area.
See amazing views of the park.
Get Outside and exercise by the glittering bay.

Join naturalist Harold Hirsch for guided morning hikes at China Camp. Hikes range from easy to moderate, ranging from 1.5 to 2 miles. Please bring appropriate hiking gear, warm clothing water, snacks, sunscreen and a hat.
6/9 Village Parking Lot by China Camp Point – 9:30am. Easy Hike. 2-3 miles.
6/16 Back ranch meadows- 9:30am Intermediate. 2 miles.
6/23 Knight Drive – 9:30am Intermediate. 2 miles.
6/30 Turtleback Trailhead- 9:30am Easy. 3/4 mile.

This hike is brought to you by Friends of China Camp. If you are bringing more than 5 people, please RSVP to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or (415)456-0766, otherwise you can just show up!

Village Talk: History of China Camp
2018-06-16 18:00 - 19:00
JUNE’S VILLAGE TALK:
THE HISTORY OF CHINA CAMP
& THE CHINESE-AMERICAN DIASPORA

Join us as we journey back in time to see life as it was along the San Pablo shoreline in the mid 1800’s. The gold rush had ended and San Francisco was beginning to develop into a burgeoning city. Faced with war, famine, and poverty, thousands of people left their homeland in China to seek a better life within California’s expanding economy. Those who settled along what is now called China Camp brought with them advanced shrimp fishing and seafaring technology which allowed them to develop a thriving industry- an industry that would later collapse due to rampant discriminatory policies.
Join China Camp Docent Ed Lai to view the story of China Camp as it is woven into the larger experience of the Chinese American diaspora at the turn of the 19th century.

Date: June 16th 2018
Location: Lower Village Museum, China Camp State Park
Time: 6pm-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.

Outdoor Book Club
2018-06-17 19:00 - 20:00
BOOKS UNDER THE BOWER
Monthly Book Club at China Camp State Park
June’s selection:
“The Tide, The Science and Stories Behind the Greatest Force on Earth”
by High Aldersey-William

“Half of the world’s population today lives in coastal regions lapped by tidal waters. But the tide rises and falls according to rules that are a mystery to almost all of us. In The Tide, celebrated science writer Hugh Aldersey-Williams weaves together centuries of scientific thinking with the literature and folklore the tide has inspired to explain the power and workings of this most remarkable force.

Here is the epic story of the long search to understand the tide from Aristotle, to Galileo and Newton, to classic literary portrayals of the tide from Shakespeare to Dickens, Melville to Jules Verne. Throughout, Aldersey-Williams whisks the reader along on his travels: He visits the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, where the tides are the strongest in the world; arctic Norway, home of the raging tidal whirlpool known as the maelstrom; and Venice, to investigate efforts to defend the city against flooding caused by the famed acqua alta.”
-Summary from Goodreads.com

When: Sunday, June 17th 2018
Time: 7pm-8pm
Meeting Place: Back Ranch Campground Parking Lot, China Camp State Park
Please RSVP to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or (415)456-0766
Please bring warm clothing, water and snacks.

Saturday Hiking Program
2018-06-23 09:30 - 11:30

Full Moon Hike!
2018-06-28 19:15 - 21:00
Full Moon Hike
JUNE: “Strawberry Moon”
China Camp State Park
Date: Thursday June 28th 2018
Time: 7:15pm -9 pm
June 28th is the “Full Strawberry Moon”. This moon is named for the time of year just after the summer solstice when wild strawberries become ripe for picking. We will go on a moderate, 2 hour long hike and watch the radiant full moon cast glittering light over the bay. Admission: Members- Free, Non-members-$5
RSVP to chinacamp.programs@gmail.com or (415)456-0766 to sign up. You will be notified of the meeting location once you RSVP. If rain is predicted, you will be notified if the hike is cancelled. Please bring warm clothing, appropriate hiking gear, water, and a flashlight. We will meet at 7:15pm sharp.

Park Champions Work Day
2018-06-30 09:00 - 15:00
Join us for a major trail building day, working on a section of Shoreline Trail circling the campground.
Lunch and friendly coworkers provided.
Sign up at the CalParks website.
