September News
Month's Highlights
Oh August! It flew by. This August was an exciting one. We welcomed our new AmeriCorps VIP member and we have been preparing ourselves for a busy school program and weekend event season. Of course, the greenhouse programs have been going strong year round. This time of the year is about new beginnings and we are ready for it all. Read along for a surprise!
Upcoming Community Events
Everyone is welcome to our family-friendly FREE community events.
We provide gloves, tools, and supplies.
Sun protection, reusable water bottle, and closed-toe shoes are recommended.
We are currently in the process of planning upcoming community weekend events, keep checking our "Events Calendar" for updates or join us at DONS which runs year long!
EVERY TUESDAY | Email Laura Lee Lienk at llienk@csumb.edu
10:30AM-12:30 PM
DONS (Docents of Native Species), greenhouse native plant volunteer group
SAT SEPT 21st 2024 | Email Azalea Wiley at awiley@csumb.edu
9:00AM-12:00 PM
California Coastal Cleanup Day at Upper Carr Lake in Salinas
New website announcement!
by HSP team
We are so excited to announce that we have a new website! Please explore the "Visit our Website" link at the top of this website and let us know what you think. If you click on "Events Calendar" that will also take you to our new Events Calendar page.
Natividad Creek Park is Alive
by Laura Lee Lienk, HSP Director
These images were taken by Laura Lee at Natividad Creek Park after an inspiring partner meeting.
Salinas' Natividad Creek Park is bursting with plant excitement. HSP started planting natives in the park in 1995 and those little tree saplings now tower high above the creek and the trails. HSP (then called RON) partnered with the City to make the park a natural haven for both humans and wildlife-especially birds!
Great kudos go to Local Urban Gardeners, and their dynamic coordinator, Leticia Hernandez. Leticia and her team of volunteers have created a wonderful community garden and extended it into the nearby Children's Discovery Garden. It is wonderful to see corn and squash plants thriving alongside milkweeds and native trees. A true food forest.
Visit their facebook page to learn more: Salinas Luggers
If you haven't been to Natividad Creek Park lately, it's time to go to see the evolution of this true community treasure.
A New Park in Salinas
by Laura Lee, HSP Director
Big Sur Land Trust's Carr Lake Native Plant Demonstration Garden was the first step in fulfilling the dream of a large community park in the center of Salinas. That dream is becoming a reality, and HSP has been an active partner since the beginning about 10 years ago.
The new park is to be called "Ensen Community Park". "Ensen" is an Indigenous word meaning blackberry. The name was suggested by Louise J. Miranda Ramirez, Tribal Chairwoman of the Ohlone/Costanoan Esselen Nation (OCEN). Blackberries were an important food source for the native people living in the area.
NEWS FLASH: 7+ acres of the new Ensen Community Park is currently under construction to become what we traditionally think of a park--ie., picnic tables, parking, restrooms, dog park, playground etc, with a grand opening slated for Spring 2025.
NEWS FLASH: The Garden is thriving while giving us an idea of what native plants will be best suited for the 66 acres of the Ensen Community Park to be a restored wetland park with hiking trail etc.
The images below were taken by Laura Lee. The yellow flowering plant is goldenrod and the picture below is the demonstration garden at Ensen Community Park.
