Common Name(s): Poison hemlock
Scientific Name: Conium maculatum
Plant Type: Herb
Communities: Wetland-Riparian
Size: 5-8 ft tall
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Last month, the Dunes Center had the pleasure of hosting all of Mary Buren Elementary’s 4th grade students. They completed a scavenger hunt while exploring the Dunes Center’s exhibits that were unveiled last year. Mary Buren 4th graders visit the Dunes Center every school year, and we always look forward to it!
The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) has been spotted recently by visitors to Oso Flaco Lake. Easily identifiable by its color and shape, this heron’s range is extensive across North America. They are blue-gray with a wide black stripe over the eye. When flying, they are distinctive from their slow wingbeats, tucked-in neck, and trailing legs. Their wingspan is about 6 feet, and despite being up to 4 feet tall, they are a relatively lightweight bird at around 5 pounds.
The Dunes Center offers a broad range of education programs, from geology taught at afterschool programs, school field trips at Oso Flaco Lake, and Mammals and Birds taught in classrooms. This school year, we have an exciting new education program offering – a field trip to the Dunes Center. The two-hour field trip incorporates the new exhibit content that was unveiled last August. Students explore the Dunes Center at different stations, including one outside in our native Garden. They take on roles of different professions, including botanists, zoologists, and poets, while asking critical questions and engaging deeply with the content. We are proud to offer a new learning environment and content, and to welcome students to our museum here in Guadalupe. We plan to update and expand the program based on student interest and exhibit content.
If you’re interested in booking a field trip to the Dunes Center, contact our Education Programs Coordinator at meghan@dunescenter.org or give us a call at (805) 343-2455
Common Name(s): Bush sunflower, California brittlebush
Scientific Name: Encelia californica
Family: Asteraceae
Plant Type: Shrub
Communities: Coastal sage scrub, chaparral
Habitat: coastal
Size: 1-2 ft wide, up to 4.5 ft tall (more…)
My name is Gaby, and I’m the Volunteer Coordinator here at the Dunes Center. I have a new-found interest in Botany thanks to my work here. The world of plants has always been a little intimidating with extensive scientific names, multiple plant functions, and established geological history, but after spending some time in the Dunes Center’s Native Garden and the Guadalupe Native Garden, I have found myself stopping to smell the roses more often…literally. Nowadays, it’s been easy for my peripheral vision to catch a brightly-colored flower.