After Work Dusk Hikes With Dawn

Aug 30 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Picchetti Ranch Preserve, 13100 Montebello Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014 

Want to go for an afternoon hike but do not want to hike alone? Join Dawn and stretch your legs during the late afternoon at Picchetti Ranch! This easy hike is 3 miles with only 150ft of elevation gain/loss out and back along the Zinfandel Trail. Bring water and, if you wish, a snack for the turnaround point. Wear sunscreen as some parts of the trail is exposed to the sun.

Seniors Hike for Health

Sep 11, 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Alum Rock Park, 15350 Penitencia Creek Rd, San Jose, CA 95127

Come enjoy a gentle stroll along this flat all paved meandering trail. Mostly shaded by the native oaks and sycamore it’s a great place to escape and enjoy the geologic wonders of nature together.  Be sure to bring water and a hat. Sandwiches are provided for free. There is no cost to park at Rustic Lands parking lot.

Coastal Cleanup Day

September 18, 9:00 AM-12:00 PM

Coyote Creek Parkway Trail, Silver Creek Valley Rd, San Jose, CA 95138

September is Coastal Cleanup Month! Join Saved By Nature Intern Luz Maria Marquez along the banks of Coyote Creek to help remove the trash and plastic pollution along our local waterway. 

Seasons of the Southern Coast Range

Sept 18, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Rancho Canada del Oro Open Space Preserve, 4289 Casa Loma Rd, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Join us among the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains on a gentle 2.5-mile adventure! Stroll around a meadow along the Llagas Loop Trail where encounters of wild turkey, deer and seasonal wildflowers are common.  We’ll take in views along the Longwall Canyon Trail where we can catch a glimpse of an acorn woodpecker granary and see other birds such as oak titmouse and white-breasted nuthatches.

Habitat Havens & Connectivity

Sep 24, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve

Zoom Video Conferencing for those living with disability only.

Our hike begins at the parking lot and takes the Heart’s Delight Trail to the Arrowhead Loop Trail that passes serpentine rock outcroppings, grasslands, California bay and oak trees.  We’ll keep an eye out for coyotes, bobcats, mule deer, ground squirrels turkey vultures, golden eagles and red-tailed hawks.

Hispanic Heritage Celebration

September 25, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve, 

Sierra Road San Jose, CA 95127

Saved By Nature, Latino Outdoors, Open Space Authority and US Fish & Wildlife Service partner to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month.  Please join us in reflecting on all of the contributions Hispanics have made in the past, and will continue to make in the future.  Let's consider how great our tomorrow can be if we hold onto our resilience and hope.  We are stronger together!  Participants will have time to explore Sierra Vista Open Space, enjoy tacos, visit booths and play games. All people are welcome to join us, we hope to see you there!

Craft Your Own Deep Sleep

Sep 26, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Now Virtual or In-Person!

Almaden Quicksilver Park, 19535 Mockingbird Hill Ln, San Jose, CA 95120

In today's busy world, a good night's sleep can be as elusive as the jaguar. Together, we will learn about ancient herbs, crystals and techniques for deep sleep, lucid dreams, and a more energized waking life. We will craft our own dream pillows with herbs and crystals to enhance our dreamscapes, and take home a sample of the signature sleep blend "Egyptian Catnap."  All participants will receive a free Mystical Shaman Oracle, and/or Oneiromancy (Dream Divination) reading.

Giants of the Fog Belt--Redwoods, Mountain Lions, and Historic Ruins

Sep 26, 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Mt. Madonna County Park, 7850 Pole Line Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076

Join Saved By Nature Community Nature Guide Sean Reedy for a shady 6.3-mile hike with 800 feet of elevation gain on the Bayview-Tan Oak-Redwood Lollipop Loop. You’ll learn about redwood forests, hear a tale of a mountain lion encounter, and explore the ruins of cattle baron Henry Miller’s vacation home. Participants should bring snacks and water.

Homeschool Classes at Coyote Valley (Ages 7-12)--Tuesdays 9:30-11:00

What better place for your kid(s) to learn and build an affinity for nature than Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve? It sits on the border of South San Jose and Morgan Hill nestled between the Santa Cruz Mountain foothills and the Diablo Range. Home to burrowing owls, California badgers, endangered tiger salamanders and mammals such as coyote and grey fox, everything we need is right here! An outdoor science laboratory, learning through hands on experiments, observation, and art! What more can a kid ask for, right?

While we deliver themed lesson plans to the students, parents are encouraged to walk on the beautiful Arrowhead Trail to look for raptors, woodpeckers, wild turkeys, deer, bobcat and so much more! Walking in nature is a fantastic way to stay healthy mentally and physically. Bring a lunch so you can hang out at the wooden picnic benches under a 300-year-old Valley Oak. When possible, we bring in special guest speakers with live animals such as turtles and tortoises, bats, owls, birds, hawks, snakes, and lizards.

Alive Outside Adventure Series

Youth Alliance

September 18-19

Henry Coe State Park

In partnership with Youth Alliance and REI we are in the midst of our first ever Alive Outside Adventure Series!

After nature and gear orientation hikes at Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve and Mt. Madonna County Park this summer, we are ready for an overnight backpacking trip to Henry Coe State Park! We are providing a life changing experience for 12 at-promise-youth. Our goals are to:

- Increase youth’s confidence in outdoor settings by developing new skills such as camp cooking, shelter building, and plant/animal identification.

- Show youth an alternative to drugs and gang violence by introducing them to the various hobbies associated with nature and the outdoors.

- Cultivate cultural and spiritual connection to nature through culturally relevant experiences for young participants who might have otherwise not had the opportunity to do so.

- Foster understanding of nature as a vehicle to healing and a guide to manage stress and anxiety.

- Provide rare, free access to professional, guided instruction to outdoor leadership through hands-on activities.

This project was funded in part by the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Urban Grant Program.

#recreateresponsibly #buildingbridges

Cool City Challenge Cool Block Program (San Jose Residents)

Do any of the following statements sound like you?

• I would like to live on a green, friendly, and beautiful block.

• I care about the planet I live on and will leave to the next generations, and I wish to make sure I have done my part to make the future as viable as possible.

• I wish to protect the safety and security of myself, my family and others in case of an emergency or natural disaster, and recognize that my security and that of my neighbors will be enhanced if we know how to support one another.
   
• I don’t really know most of my neighbors and would like to experience a greater sense of community and neighborliness where I live.
   
• I would like to lower my environmental impact on the planet by learning how to better conserve resources.

• I wish to be part of a movement that is creating the future of our cities and planet.

Contact: sean@savedbynature.org 

As a member of Saved By Nature, you become part of our family. We love our members because we couldn't do it without your support and participation. 

Our new partnership with Bay Nature Magazine will provide 2-year digital subscriptions to new SBN members. This fabulous, local resource will energize your nature explorations!

We celebrate our new members:

Individual

Bonnie Crater
Lifang Yu
Ailan Chang
Oliver Valerio
Hazel Hornbeak-Lyle

We here at Saved By Nature are deeply honored and grateful for the generous Anonymous donation of $5000 we received this month. 

The funds will allow us to offer more programing for the disabled, seniors, youth and our community hikes. 
Saved By Nature believes in building community through outdoors experiences and offering virtual programming to those who are unable to attend in person.

 
To the kind soul or organization that chose to support us, we thank you and appreciate you!

-The Saved By Nature Team
#buildingcommunity #togetheroutdoors

Wildflowers of the San Francisco Bay Area

People exploring nature in the greater San Francisco Bay Area can use this handy photographic field guide to identify annual and perennial (non-shrubby) native wildflower species.

The flowers in the guide are grouped by color to make identification as easy as possible, and the accompanying text indicates size, bloom period, and other characteristics of each plant. The guide’s six double-sided panels fold up into a packet narrow enough to fit in a back pocket yet sturdy enough to stand up under repeated use. Lamination has also made the guide waterproof.

Birds of Central & Northern California 

Birds of Central & Northern California is a quick and easy to use, light-weight, durable, all-weather field guide to the inspiring and incredibly varied birdlife of California, north of the San Luis Obispo/ Monterey, Kern/ Kings & Tulare, and San Bernardino/ Inyo County lines. 

Stunning digital photographs depict 130 species of common and notable birds enabling users to identify nearly every commonly-occurring and regional bird specialty they encounter—day or night—in an area spanning from the Big Sur coastline north along the Pacific Coast (including Monterey Bay, the San Francisco Bay region and offshore Farallon Islands) to Oregon, then east to the Nevada State line, including the Coast, Sierra Nevada (including Yosemite National Park) and Cascade ranges, the Sacramento and Owen’s valleys, Klamath Basin, Mono Lake, Lake Tahoe, and all points between.

Trees of the San Francisco Bay Area

This compact field guide covers 45 native trees of the San Francisco Bay Area, providing photographs of key features such as leaves, flowers, fruit, and bark to make identification easy. This 12-panel folding guide is lightweight, pocket-sized, and durably laminated for outdoor use. Authored by a local expert, this guide features a species selection and notes on range and distribution specifically tailored to the region. It offers comprehensive coverage of the native trees found in the nine primary counties of the Bay Area and also includes most native trees found throughout the California coastal region.