Some special programs are being hosted, in person and virtually, through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, during April. The month also brings some workshops and tours.
Nature Bowl 2021: Family Challenge Edition. Hosted by CDFW’s North Central Region, the 2021 Nature Bowl has been reformatted into a virtual nature challenge to all California families with school-age students. Spring is here, and it’s time for rejuvenation, emerging from winter hibernation and getting outside for a healthy dose of nature. Your challenge is to work together as a family to compete in five nature-themed activities – and possibly win cool nature-related prizes. Nature Bowl runs through May 14, 2021. For more information and materials, visit wildlife.ca.gov/regions/2/nature-bowl or contact Genelle Treaster at genelle.treaster@wildlife.ca.gov.
Also offered is the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Scavenger Hunt, sunrise to sunset through Monday, April 11, 45211 County Road 32 B, Davis. Learn about the Yolo Bypass wetlands and wildlife in this family-friendly, self-guided scavenger hunt around the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. Participants will solve clues as they journey to the scavenger hunt stations shown on the provided map. Visit at least five stations and submit the scavenger hunt form to be entered to win exciting prizes. See if you can visit all 10 stations. The Scavenger Hunt is free, though a $10 donation per family to support Yolo Basin Foundation’s environmental education programs is suggested. For more information, materials and instructions, visit yolobasin.org/scavengerhunt.
The Vernal Pool Speaker Series is set for 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, April 13 and 27. Vernal pools are home to a variety of rare and endemic plants and animals. These talks, presented via Zoom, will cover the natural history and ecology of vernal pools of the Central Valley, plant and animal species conservation, and the history of Grasslands Regional Park. For the schedule of talks and to register for these free events, visit yolobasin.org/grpspeakerseries.
Join in a Vernal Pool Virtual Tour, 9 to 10 a.m., on Saturday, April 3. Explore the crucial, incredible habitats of vernal pools with Yolo Basin Foundation staff and volunteers through a virtual experience at Grasslands Regional Park. Discover how vernal pools are naturally created, how they can be restored and how they provide unique habitat. Zoom in more closely to view amazing wildflowers and small creatures that call the vernal pools home. Registration is free and limited to 60 devices per virtual tour. For more information and to sign up, visit yolobasin.org/virtualwetlandtours.
From Tuesday, April 6 through Friday, April 9 it’s the 11th Biennial Bay-Delta Science Conference and 2021 IEP Annual Workshop. The conference and the 2021 Interagency Ecological Program annual workshop will be a combined virtual event this year. The conference acts as a forum for presenting scientific analyses and results relevant to management of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The goal of the conference is to provide new information and syntheses to the broad community of scientists, engineers, resources managers and stakeholders working on Bay-Delta issues. The conference theme is “Building Resilience through Diversity in Science.” Attendance is free with registration. To register for the event, visit baydeltascienceconference.org. For more information on the conference, visit deltacouncil.ca.gov/delta-science-program/11th-biennial-bay-delta-science-conference.
Thursday, April 8 features the Advanced Hunter Education Webinar: Archery Turkey Hunting, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. This webinar will cover many aspects of a successful turkey hunt with a bow. Join in for information on how to bag a wild turkey using archery equipment. Register at www.register-ed.com/programs/california/162-advanced-hunter-education.
