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OUR MESA NEIGHBORHOOD

When in Santa Barbara,
linger on the Mesa
  

 
Friends of Douglas Family Preserve (DFP)

Audubon
Audubon

 
DFP
Sun-gilded Sea by Susan Belloni

Dear Friends of the DFP,

Just wanted to thank those of you, Doug, Tom, Dennis, Cathy, David, Kathleen & Susi, who came out to remove ripgut brome, foxtails, cheese weed and wild radish from the restoration areas. With your help it sure looks a lot better for the natives without the serious competition from invasives.

Thank you to City Staff, also, for bringing bags and hauling the weeds away.

Have you seen the native giant rye grass in the 2008 area? It's so tall and very impressive. I was reading recently that native grasses in California were as high as a man on horseback, back in the day. You might see ladybugs on our plants when you visit next, and Kathleen and I wonder if there are more birds there now, needing the DFP after the fire.

I want to thank The Mesa Paper for putting a webpage for Friends of the DFP on the new "Our Mesa Neighborhood" website for us! That is fantastic. Here is the link.... http://ourmesaneighborhood.com/friendsOfDP.html

Again, many thanks to all of you who have planted, watered and weeded at the Preserve. You are really making a difference and are very much appreciated.

Lastly, here is the good news about native plant restoration because it:

  • Provides food and shelter for birds, butterflies and other native wildlife.

  • Allows propagation of native species through natural processes such as seed dispersal and pollination. Native plants and animals have co-evolved for millenia and habitat restoration allows this process to continue.

  • Bridges gaps between protected conservation areas with newly created restoration sites. Larger, more connected native plant populations helps their ability to migrate in response to changes in climate and sea-level.

  • Reduces water use and maintenance for public spaces as an alternative to landscaping with non-native plants.

  • Builds community, caring and stewardship among restoration participants and provides colorful flowers and fragrant shrubs for visitors to enjoy in public nature preserves and open spaces.

Spread the word and..."Grow Native"

Susan Belloni
DFPRestoration@yahoo.com

WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN
The Friends of the Douglas Family Preserve
for our
NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION DAY

SATURDAY May 16th
9 to Noon

  • We will remove invasive plants from the 1st & 2nd restorations and water our newest native habitat planting

  • Wear gloves, sturdy shoes and bring hand tools. Meet near the Medcliff entrance.

  • Bring your friends & family for fun & fresh air!

Friends of the DFP thanks the City of Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation Department and Parks & Recreation Community Foundation for their ongoing support of habitat restoration projects at the Douglas Family Preserve.

Donations are welcome and are tax deductible.

For more information, please call Susan Belloni at 805.962.1492 or DFPRestoration@yahoo.com

First, we want to thank the terrific volunteers who came out and helped on February 28th with our most recent Community Planting Day. It was a big success with 60 volunteers and 900 plants in the ground!!! Kathy Frye at City Parks & Rec has sent everyone thank you letters, so we hope you got your letter in the mail last week. We want to thank City Staff for all their help in making the planting days possible for the community and to the PARC Foundation for their bookkeeping assistance.

Fortunately, the plants benefited from some rainfall and an intern is tending them, as well. I noticed a lot of beautiful bumblebees on the flowers last week. Our next goal is to get back out there and weed our restoration sites.

This Sunday, April 19th, Kathleen Modugno and I will have a Friends of the DFP table for Earth Day at Alameda Park in downtown Santa Barbara. We could sure use your help sitting with us for an hour or two, anytime from 10-5, just let us know when you’d like to come and do a shift or stop by booth #26 near Anacapa St. and say hello.

Thank you, again, for all you do!

Susan Belloni

Learn about our next community day at DFP; discuss future plans and activities/ meeting speakers about native plants, monarch butterflies, etc.; help for website, brochure, fundraising, publicity.

Contact: Susan Belloni,962-1492

Planting day at the Douglas Family Preserve on February 28, 2009 Planting day at the Douglas Family Preserve
on February 28, 2009
Volunteers put in native plants Volunteers put in native plants
Organizers Susan Belloni of Friends of Douglas Family Preserve and Kathy Frye of the city's Parks and Recreation Dept.(left and right respectively of trio on left  of photo). Organizers Susan Belloni of Friends of Douglas Family Preserve and Kathy Frye of the city's Parks and Recreation Dept.(left and right respectively of trio on left  of photo). Organizers Susan Belloni of Friends of Douglas Family Preserve and Kathy Frye of the city's Parks and Recreation Dept.(left and right respectively of trio on left of photo).