ENVIRONMENTAL PIONEERS TOWSLEY CANYON SITE OF FIELD TRIP.Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer NEWHALL - During a hands-on environmentally focused field trip Wednesday, students from La Mesa La Mesa (lə mā`sə), city (1990 pop. 52,931), San Diego co., S Calif., a suburb of San Diego; inc. 1912. It is a retail center and a popular residence for upper- and middle-income professionals in the San Diego area. Junior High school not only spent time learning about nature, they helped preserve it. During a visit to Ed Davis Park in Towsley Canyon, the Pioneers, a team of eighth-graders from the Canyon Country campus restored a hiking hiking Walking, often among hills or mountains, as recreational sport. It represents an activity in its own right and also figures in backpacking, camping, hunting, mountaineering, and orienteering. trail and reinforced a creek at the Newhall wilderness wilderness, land retaining its primeval character with the imprint of humans minimal or unnoticeable. In the United States, the Wilderness Act of 1964 established the National Wilderness Preservation System with a nucleus of 9 million acres (3. park owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy is an agency of the state of California in the United States founded in 1979 and dedicated to the acquisition of land in the Santa Susana and Santa Monica Mountains and the Simi Hills, north and west of Los Angeles, for preservation as open . ``This is really a lot of fun,'' said John Ogle, 13, on the last leg of a hike after finishing work on the trail. ``We get to fix up stuff to make it look better so more people can enjoy it.'' With shovels in hand, Ogle and classmates Classmates can refer to either:
Using rocks the found nearby, the eagar students reinforced and redirected a stream to improve its flow. ``We're happy that we've been able to help,'' said Sarah Garrity, 14, who joined classmates Kristin Cable, Amanda Junco junco or snowbird, small seed-eating bird of North America closely related to the sparrows. Juncos have white underparts and gray (sometimes also brown) backs. They travel in flocks. and Liz Feder, all 13, shift rocks and dirt. ``It will help the environment. Hopefully this will make the earth a better place.'' Teachers Rebecca Goldberg, Mason Miller and Todd Nelson Todd Nelson is the chief weather anchor for fox 21 news at 9 out of Duluth, MN. before he became a member of the fox 21 team, he was the morning weather anchor for the Northlands NewsCenter (also out of Duluth. escorted half of their team to the park Wednesday. The second half of the team will go today. ``I think it's pretty good that we're fixing up the road, because if a fire happened, the fire truck couldn't get up here,'' said Eric Davis Eric Davis may refer to:
At the park, the students were divided into three groups and either took hikes, worked on the trail and creek or conducted science experiments and visited the nature center. ``It's a combination of recreation and an appreciation of nature,'' Miller said. ``We're trying to foster in the kids the appreciation of the environment.'' Inside the nature center, students got to see and touch various rocks, plants, snake skin and animals that had been preserved. They played nature games in the shade and saw a lot of wildlife. On a hike, students observed majestic beauty of the Santa Susana Mountains The Santa Susana Mountains are a transverse range of mountains in southern California, north of the city of Los Angeles, in the United States. The range runs east-west separating the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley on its south from Santa Clara River Valley to the north and as they crossed creeks stepping on stones as they made their way through narrow rails. While hiking, they saw a snake, bats and several lizards. ``It's a day well spent,'' said Miller. ``At the end of the day, we want them to feel that they've contributed to the community. Over the years, hopefully, they'll remember this and the importance of giving back to the community and volunteering.'' CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color) La Mesa Junior High students hike the trails of Towsley Canyon Park while on a field trip. (2 -- color) La Mesa history teacher Nelson, left, gives his students, Ryan Piercacci, center, and Duncan Cogswell a hand at clearing a riverbed of debris on Wednesday so that the water can flow more freely. (3) La Mesa Junior High students shovel dirt to patch up the Towsley Canyon Park trail while on a field trip on Wednesday. John Lazar/Staff Photographer |
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