The Trail Companion

Winter 2001

Theme: Giving Back to the Parks

Do'· cent [Ger. dozent (formerly spelled docent) fr. Lat. docent-, docens, pers. part.] : n. TEACHER, LECTURER : 1. Teacher or lecturer, below rank of professor. 2. One who instructs visitors about exhibits at a museum, art gallery, parks, etc., esp. as a guide at historical homes and reconstructions.

The Edgewood Preserve Docent Training Program.

My husband Tim and I signed up for the Edgewood docent training program with a variety of motivations - the opportunity to lead hikes; to learn more species of flower, shrubs, trees and grass; to learn the history of the park; and to glean tips for native landscaping. By Pat Oren.

Docents: Sharing Nature with the Bay Area Community

When I arrived at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, I could see that it was a beautiful place, tucked into the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. I didn't, however, feel much connection to the land and the environment. I needed a bridge between my relative ignorance and the wealth of natural knowledge around me to truly appreciate the Preserve. That's precisely where Steve Hass, my docent guide, came in. By Kiel Rennick.

Meeting the Land at Fairfield Osborne Preserve

Black and Oregon oaks covering a rolling ridge…a perennial stream filled with boulders and frogs that only flows to the valley below during winter and spring…a laboratory for college students and a place of discovery for schoolchildren. Tucked in the ridges of Sonoma Mountain, above the southern Santa Rosa Valley in Sonoma County, lies Fairfield Osborn Preserve. I recently had the opportunity to explore the Preserve with the help of docent Morgan Snyder. By Geoffrey Skinner.

Other Features

A Brief History of Bay Area Parks and Open Spaces.
Part 2. From the 1960s through the Present Day

Interest in setting aside parklands in California took hold in fits and starts during the last quarter of the nineteenth century in a diverse series of preservation drives. During the post-WW2 years, preservation gave way to the housing boom. The 1960s found people waking up to the consequences of this neglect. By Brian Kunde.

Names on the Land
Part 2. Santa Cruz County

From Añno Nuevo Creek to Tin Can Ranch.

Education Stations "Smooth" the Trails

Multi-use trails provide many benefits for responsible users, but a few irresponsible users can cause bad relationships between user groups, evoke restrictive measures from land managers, and cause stereotyping of user groups. ROMP (Responsible Organized Mountain Pedalers) believes awareness and education are critical to foster better use of shared trails. By Rod Brown and Jim Owen.

"Dish" Argument Continues on New Terrain

The "Dish Area" is a popular location on the Stanford campus where many students and members of the community enjoy beautiful landscape and recreational trails. The foothills have been a haven for joggers and nature-lovers for many years. Recently, however, the Dish has become entangled in a web of controversy. By Ben Crowell.

Sudden Oak Death: New Victims

Rhododendrons, huckleberries and Shreve oaks found to be affected by the deadly oak disease. By Scott Heeschen.