Natural History Wanderings

This talk will focus on the co-evolution of grass and

grazing animals, and the importance of grasslands as an ecosystem worldwide.

Native grasslands once were almost half of the land area of the contiguous 48 states; now most of the remaining grassland is seriously degraded.

Guide Cindy Kimmick has been a board member of CIR for 15 years and an L.A. Zoo docent for 30 years, specializing in hoofed mammals and plant/animal interactions. She traveled to Mongolia to study Eurasian grasslands and the reintroduction of Przewalski’s horse.

This walk will focus on the interconnectedness of the grasslands with geology, the animals, and the natural, seasonal rhythms of the San Marcos Foothills.

Guide Scott Orlosky has been a long-time supporter of the San Marcos Foothills Preserve and an active contributor of time and effort that helped save this beautiful area from development.

His weekly reports have helped shape CIR’s management plan, and he is a key volunteer assisting with the San Marcos Foothills docent program.