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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Elaine Shaw is a dedicated volunteer who spends a lot of time not only sitting in the information booth at the Arboretum, but she also tries hard to keep it open and staffed on weekends. Lately her job has become much more challenging. Volunteers have been scarce and consequently she has had to sit at the booth multiple times monthly.
Both Elaine and the board are extremely grateful to the loyal corps of dependable volunteers — Jim and Jackie, Rebecca, Cliff, Billie and Dinora — but we need more help.

“I really enjoy meeting visitors and locals and answering their questions about our mountain,” says Elaine. “I also like to find out where people come from, and they come from all over our country and the world. It is also very interesting finding out how they heard about Heaps Peak Arboretum.” Elaine is like all of our booth volunteers. They enjoy helping people find their way around the mountain, whether it be places to hike or swim or where Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear are located. Of course, most of the interest focuses on the Arboretum, and we have much to offer, including a drinking fountain, picnic tables, flowering gardens, restrooms, and a very educational self guided interpretive hike.

The best way to help is to sign up for once a month or even every other month. However, if you would like to be on a list to substitute occasionally, we would appreciate that too. Elaine or I will train any volunteer on what it takes to “ booth sit.” It takes only an hour or so and it is not complicated.
We are open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 AM to 3 PM, but there is flexibility, give or take an hour.

I highly recommend this volunteer opportunity. If you like interacting with the public and providing information about the recreational activities in the San Bernardino National Forest, then please consider being on our “no obligation” volunteer substitute list.

You may call me at 337-2190
or Elaine at 867-7187.
Thank you!

ROBERT'S RAMBLINGS

Once again your Arboretum has had another successful summer! The Mountain News provided a front page in-depth article on The Arboretum in its March 20, 2008 “Mountain Living” section. The article, “Communing With Nature,” was in full color and laid out our evolution from modest beginnings to a highly diverse botanical garden. The color photos of plants in bloom included flannel bush, crimson columbine, wild iris, dogwood, fern-leaf yarrow, and golden stars. It was unprecedented in its comprehensive article about our goals. If you didn't see the article, I encourage you to contact The Mountain News and request a copy. “We think that Heaps Peak Arboretum really offers the opportunity for both residents and visitors alike to commune with nature.”

The Sequoia Trail is an easy walk for young children and it is now accessible for the physically challenged and young families with strollers. The trail guide is loaded with valuable information about local flora, fire ecology, ethno-botany, geology, and botanical signs identifying plants dot the trail along the way. Many people do not take the guide, but simply sit and relax on our many benches and listen to the birds sing.
We led three school groups last spring of over forty children each, and taught them all about how fire plays an important role in a healthy forest, and at the same time, how we protect our homes from fire threat in a forest environment. All of these school groups were from the Inland Empire and found The Arboretum on our web site.
Our Demonstration Gardens have expanded every year and new botanical signs are added annually. We have new plant species that have been imported from, and are native to, the Big Bear area: blue flag, iris, rose sage, lemon lily, Eaton’s penstemon, and stream orchid.
We have also added two more picnic tables and we are trying to obtain another trash can from the Forest Service. Three giant sequoias have been planted along the trail in our Reforestation Project area. There have been many more improvements and each year will bring more, but our main focus as a board of directors is to add more plants to the gardens so that the Arboretum will have plants in bloom from April all the way through October, and we have achieved that goal.
As always, I highly encourage you to visit: www. heapspeakarboretum.com and gain a wealth of information through our hundreds of plant photos as well as updates on our activities and educational programs. The Board of Directors of ROWIA wish to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support!

BOB REED, President

 

BOTANICAL CORNER
Plant of the Month
SULFUR-FLOWER BUCKWHEAT

Sulfur-flower Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum) is a member of the Buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. This woody perennial is common on dry, sunny slopes and ridges at elevations of 2,500 to 10,000 feet throughout the western United States. The plant forms a low, broad mat and individual clumps can reach up to one foot in height and two feet across. The leaves are about an inch long, shiny green on top and woolly underneath. The long-blooming bright yellow flower clusters rise on six to nine-inch stems. Just when other flowers begin to fade in the summer heat, sulfur-flower is just beginning to bloom. They are a great plant for erosion control but require good drainage. Sulfur-flower buckwheat thrives in full sun. It is very drought-tolerant once established. Buckwheat seeds are an important food source for many species of birds, including quail, and small mammals. The bright yellow flowers also attract butterflies. Sulfur-flower buckwheat is a drought tolerant perennial that can be enjoyed all summer long.
- - - Gina Richmond

Native Plant Sale

Saturday, October 4
9 a.m. to Noon

Heaps Peak Arboretum

Featuring over two dozen
varieties of plants and shrubs
zoned for our mountain,
including wild rose, manzanita,
flannel bush, wild strawberries,
coral bells, & penstemon

Spring Tree Sale Photos

Spring tree sale with Elaine Shaw, Director

Fire ecology talk with 5th graders,
Lankershiem Elementary School.

Girl Scout tree planting project

Tree planting demonstration.

installing Wildflower Garden Sign.

Watering newly planted giant Sequoia

Girl SCout Group with Gina Richmond,
Billie Wolff and Bob Reed.