Water Wonders at Stow Lake

June 2nd, July14th, August 4th (CANCELED) 9:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.

Join us for an exploration of an important freshwater ecosystem in Golden Gate Park, Learn about aquatic food chains through hands-on activities and fun educational games. Find out about the latest water-related issues the Bay Area is facing and what you can do to help.

For ages seven and up (children 7-12 must be accompanied by a parent). Participants should wear comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes for outdoor activities.

Reservations: Academy admission plus $3 per person. Buy the tickets online or call 415-379-8000 (press 0 for a reservation representative). Limited space available. Meet at the Business Entrance

Wild Woodlands

June 9th, July 7th, August 25th 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Come explore the oak woodland in Golden Gate Park. Take a closer look at the fascinating world of plants through fun hands-on activities. Learn about the importance of maintaining biodiversity in our parks and the controversial issue of native versus invasive species.

For ages seven and up (children 7-12 must be accompanied by a parent). Participants should wear comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes for outdoor activities.

Reservations: Academy admission plus $3 per person. Buy tickets online or call 415-379-8000 (press 0 for a reservation representative). Limited space available. Meet at the Business Entrance.

Photo: Rick J. Pelleg, 2005.

The tree we saw during our Wild Woodlands programs on April 25 and 26 is a silky oak (Grevillea robusta), sometimes also referred to as a silver oak. It is native to Australia and is a member of the protea family. It is not in the oak family but got its common name from the oak-like grain of its wood.

Height: 15 – 40 m

Leaves: 10 – 30 cm long; 9 – 15 cm wide; bi- or tri-pinnately compound, making it fern-like in appearance; alternate on the stem; dark green with grayish-white or rusty undersides; leaves tend to be variable within the species.

Flowers: large, showy, gold to orange-yellow flowers; held in pairs on racemes (a type of stem) 7.5 to 10 cm long; each individual flower is slender and about 2.5 cm long; bottlebrush-like shaped; require summer heat to flower so those planted in San Francisco often do not flower.

Fruit/Seeds: a pod-like follicle, 20 mm in diameter, is slightly flattened and has a long-curved style; hard, dark-brown to black follicle splits open in late fall releasing the one or two seeds it contains; seeds are about 10 mm long, flattened, and surrounded by a membranous wing.

Further information:

• http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=GRRO
  
• http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/GREROBA.pdf
  
• McClintock, Elizabeth. The Trees of Golden Gate Park and San Francisco. Berkeley, CA: Heyday Books, 2001.
  
• Olde, Peter & Marriott, Neil. The Grevillea Book. Vol. 3. Portland, OR: Timber Press, 1995.
  
• Rodd, Tony & Stackhouse, Jennifer. Trees: A Visual Guide. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008.
  

The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd, August 1, 11.00 am in the Education Classroom

It’s 2015 and the effects of global warming have hit close to home with the “Great Storm” that hit London. In response, Great Britain decides to implement carbon rationing—each person is allotted a miniscule amount of carbon use per year. Good-bye air travel. Good-bye home heating. Laura Brown, a 16-year-old Londoner, shares her diary of what happened in this uncertain and tumultuous future. Join us for a discussion of what the future might hold.

Reservations: Free with general admission to the museum, but please call the Naturalist Center at 415.379.5494 to reserve a space.

Sea Change: A Message of the Oceans by Sylvia Earle June 16th, 6:30 pm in the Naturalist Center

In recognition of World Ocean Day this month, the group will read and discuss noted marine biologist Sylvia Earle’s book which is both a plea for ocean conservation and a very personal story of her own lifelong exploration of life in the deep.

Reservations: Free. Reserve a space by calling 415-379-5494.
Note: Bookworms will not meet in July and August, but will resume in September.

Shark Life: True Stories About Sharks and the Sea by Peter Benchley, June 6, 11.00 am in the Education Classroom

Coming face to face with the jaws of a great white shark. Chasing leaping orcas near Vancouver. Swimming with hoards of hammerheads in the Sea of Cortez. Benchley, the author of Jaws shares his many underwater adventures with sharks and other marine creatures, while helping the reader learn more about these majestic creatures, how to swim with them safely, and why it is vital for us to protect our oceans. Join us for a discussion of Benchley’s fascinating read.

Reservations: CANCELED