2025.12.03 | A Heartfelt Thank You—and Another Chance to Get Your Hands in the Dirt

Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve sends our deepest gratitude to the amazing volunteers who joined us for this year’s Thanksgiving Weekend Tree Planting.  Thanks to you, more than 300 Monterey pines, coast live oaks, and coffeeberry are now taking root across the Ranch.

     We are also grateful to CCSD Facilities for pre-digging the planting holes, and to Brian Morgan, who masterfully coordinated logistics and lovingly grew many of the plants himself.

     But if you missed the fun—or want more—another volunteer day is right around the corner!  Pollinator Habitat Planting Day is Saturday, December 13, starting at 10 a.m.  We will meet on the Victoria Way Trail, just west of the Forest Loop.  Enter at Tipton and please be careful not to block any driveways or mailboxes.  No experience needed.  We will provide tools and training.  Just wear long pants, closed-toe shoes, gloves, sunscreen, and a hat.

     This year’s restoration goes beyond pines.  Volunteers will be planting a beautiful mix of toyon, flowering currant, coffeeberry, and sticky monkeyflower, all selected to support local pollinators and brighten the landscape.  This event is funded by a grant from the Upper Salinas–Las Tablas Resource Conservation District, using locally collected seeds to ensure hardy, coastal-friendly plantings.  Expect a morning filled with community, connection, and conservation, plus plenty of smiles and photo-worthy moments.  Come grow with us!

     Not Into Planting?  Join Our Holiday Docent Walk on Saturday, December 13, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  There is still space available for “Signs of the Season: A Holiday Walk in the Woods.” Celebrate nature’s festive side as you explore winter berries, wildlife surprises, and maybe—just maybe—an elf hiding in an oak!  Guided by the wonderful Joanne Freemire.  Register here: Docent Walks | Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve

     There is still time to get a ticket to Songs for the Season, this Saturday, December 6, from 2 to 4 p.m.  Do not miss this kick off to the holiday season!  Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased online here: Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve