Hey Kids!
The Junior Stewards is a branch of the Bolsa Chica Stewards. Our main objective is to get kids out to the Bolsa Chica to help restore the natural habitat there by clearing out non-native plants and putting in native plants like coastal sage. The Bolsa Chica is one of the last remaining wetlands in California, and a very important stop for birds on their migration routes. Kids up to age 13 are welcome to come help out!

Here are some reasons for joining the Junior Stewards:

it's the right thing to do you can get dirty and your parents won't mind it's fun! you get a stylin' t-shirt you get documented volunteer hours pride in helping the environment build muscles make new friends you get a membership card be in a beautiful place outdoors

The Junior Stewards come out on the Bolsa Chica Stewards' volunteer days – the third Saturday of each month – to help restore the Bolsa Chica Mesa. We meet at 9 a.m. in the parking lot on Warner Avenue near PCH, across from the fire station. Sometimes we clear weeds and non native plants and plant the species native to the wetlands. Other times we water plants we put in earlier in the year. On the volunteer days, we are there from 9 a.m. to noon, and we have delicious cookies for snacks!

There also are occasional special events and activities for Junior Stewards. For instance, in October 2009 we were part of a Native American ceremony on the mesa, and planted some sage plants to honor the Native Americans' ancestors who lived there. Other planned events include special talks by rangers and scientists, and a guided tour of the mesa into areas the public usually doesn't see.

For more information on the Junior Stewards, contact Kim Kolpin, Stewards Director, at (714) 717-6304 or Kkolpin@socal.rr.com, or just come out on the third Saturday of the month. (Wear closed-toe shoes and long pants, and don't forget to put on sunscreen!)

Interesting Links
(or if you're doing a report for school)

Environmental Nature Center: www.encenter.org
Back to Natives: www.backtonatives.org
Surfrider Foundation: www.surfrider.org
Sierra Club: www.sierraclub.org
Audubon Society: www.audubon.org
California native plants: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_native_plants
California native fauna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Endemic_fauna_of_California
Bird migration: http://www.wbu.com/education/birdmigration.html
Southern California butterflies: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabala/gallery.htm