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Call to Artists!

LAKE COUNTY LAND TRUST IS LOOKING FOR ARTISTS!

The Lake County Land Trust is putting out a call to all interested artists to donate a photograph or painting of nature or landscape art to help support the mission of the Land Trust: to protect and preserve Lake County’s open space.

In return for the donation, all accepted artists will receive a chance to win one of five monetary awards: $200 Best of Show and four $100 Merit in Show.  Artists will also be invited to a field trip on April 21, 2010 to create art at Montesol, a family-owned ranch on the slopes of Mt. St. Helena, which is managed by Pete McGee, President of the Land Trust.  In addition, artists will be featured on the Lake County Land Trust website.  If you are interested in donating a painting and participating in the field trip, call Barbara LeVasseur, (707) 274-1393; Pete McGee, (707) 942-4689; or Roberta Lyons at (707) 994-2024.

The donated artwork will be displayed at our annual benefit “Spring Dinner” for the Land Trust on May 11th at the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro in Kelseyville.  All donated and juried pieces will be hung at the Saw Shop and will be for sale the evening of the dinner.  Those pieces that aren’t sold will be auctioned at the annual Land Trust dinner in October.  All proceeds from the art sales go to the Land Trust, a non-profit organization that among other things operates the Rodman Slough Preserve, which is a favorite painting area for many of the county’s plein air artists.

Artwork must be no smaller than 5”x 7” and should be matted and framed.  Art must be received by the Land Trust no later than May 7.  The judging committee is made up of well-known local artists.

The annual Spring Dinner on May 11th is an enjoyable evening for Land Trust supporters.  Tickets are $60 each and include a four course dinner served with local premium wines.  Social hour is 6 p.m. with dinner served at 7 p.m.  A whimsical basket raffle is planned, and those attending always enjoy perusing the art that is for sale.  Services, food and wine are graciously donated by the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro owner Marie Beery.  All proceeds go towards projects of the Lake County Land Trust.  Please call the Saw Shop at 707-278-0129 for reservations.  Payment can be made on the night of the dinner.  For more information call Roberta Lyons at 707-994-2024.

Special Events

The Lake County Land Trust holds its annual dinner every year on the second Saturday in October. The Trust tries to alternate the location of the dinner to accommodate our supporters who live throughout Lake County. For 2007 and 2008 the Annual Dinner was held at the beautiful Lodge at Blue Lakes; in 2009, the dinner was at the Clearlake Community Center in the City of Clearlake.

The annual dinner was started in 1999 to celebrate the completion of the Rodman Slough Preserve acquisition project. The tradition has continued now for over 16 years. The trust honors its supporters of the year at each dinner and also hosts interesting guest speakers. Invitations are sent to Land Trust members but the public is also cordially invited to attend this event.

The Annual Dinner is an important fundraising effort, with most of the funds coming from the evening’s Silent Auction. The Silent Auction is a popular and fun event with many supporters donating services and items.

The annual Spring Dinner is held the second Tuesday in May, at the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro in Kelseyville.

Events at the Rodman Slough Preserve
Nature Education Center

Besides weekly Saturday walks, the Lake County Land Trust is developing an educational program at the Rodman Slough Preserve Nature Education Center.  The Rodman Slough Preserve Nature Education Center is located at the corner of Westlake Road and the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff, off of Highway 29 between Lakeport and Upper Lake.  The address is 6350 Westlake Road.

Programs have been held on “The Oaks of Lake County,” presented by Dr. Harry Lyons, professor of biology at the Clearlake Center of Yuba College. A program on resident and migrating birds and waterfowl was presented in December of 2008 and a presentation of zooplankton and insects living in the waters of Clear Lake was presented on May 13, 2009.  On January 30, 2010, local archeologist John Parker presented a program on the early history of Lake County.

Archeologist presentation at Rodman Slough
Preserve Center focused on early Indian History

Dr. John Parker presented his fascinating power point program to over 40 interested visitors at the Rodman Slough Preserve Nature Education Center on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010.  Dr. Parker covered 20,000 years of Native American history and answered many questions from people attending the program.

Parker shared his extensive knowledge of the area’s history; including villages that at one time were located at or near the present Rodman Slough Preserve.  He had artifacts to share and explained to the crowd how Native Americans were able to adapt to their environment from the last ice age, through global warming (thousands of years ago), up until the arrival of European man.  He described the various village sites around Clear Lake, and explained that the Pomo culture, also prevalent in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties, originated in Lake County and migrated westward.  Early residents of the Clear Lake area most likely came from the Central Valley, he explained.

Archeologist John Parker presented a power point program
to a large group of interested visitors at the
Rodman Slough Preserve Nature Education Center.
 

Dr. Parker discusses a type of stone used by early
Native Americans with visitors to the Jan. 30, 2010
program at Rodman Slough Preserve.

Dr. John Parker presented a power point program
to over 40 people at a Jan. 30 program at the
Rodman Slough Preserve Nature Education Center.

Lake County Vector Control District representatives
presented a fascinating program at the Rodman Nature Center.

The May 13, 2009 presentation by biologists from the Lake County Vector Control District (LCVCD) was informative and fascinating. Over 20 people gathered at the Rodman Slough Preserve Nature Education Center to learn about the programs and projects of the Lake County Vector Control District, as well as to look at the fascinating creatures that live in the waters of Clear Lake and Lake County.

Biologist Brittany Mills, discusses the different
insects and arthropods seen through the
microscopes at a Rodman
Nature Center program.

Jamesina Scott addresses the audience at the
LCVCD program at the Rodman Slough
Preserve Nature Education Center.

 Visitors enjoyed looking through microscopes at Daphnia, gnat larvae, “water boatmen,” and other interesting animals as part of the program entitled: “What’s That Swimming With Me?” Presenting the program were: Jamesina Scott, Ph.D. District Manager and Research Director for the LCVCD; Bonnie Ryan, vector biologist, and Brittany Mills, assistant biologist. The Lake County Land Trust will be presenting nature education programs at the center on a regular basis throughout the year.

 

Member Benefits

As part of our member benefits program for the Rookery Membership Club, the trust presents an annual “Lake County Land Trust Coffee,” and a Lake County Land Trust Invitational Reception. 

In 2009 the annual coffee was held in March and the invitational reception was held in July. Special guided hikes at the preserve are also offered to Rookery Club Members at the Osprey level.

Enjoying a beautiful day at the Rodman Slough
Preserve were Doug Epps, Iola Bartlett, and
Elaine Lavagnino at the March State of the
Land Trust Coffee.

Enjoying the State of the Land Trust Coffee
at the Rodman Slough Preserve, were Land Trust
supporters, Katherine Lindley, left, and
Bill and Lou Brown.

Lake County Land Trust treasurer, Kristine Groff,
enjoys visiting with Land Trust supporters,
Richard and Ann Snow at the State of
the Land Trust Coffee for members of the
Rookery Membership Club.

Saturday Walks

Toni Scully of Lakeport and her granddaughter,
Hanna, enjoy a winter outing at the
Rodman Slough Preserve.

Walks are held at the Rodman Slough Preserve, 6350 Westlake Road, every Saturday throughout the year, weather permitting. Walks start at the Nature Center on the corner of Westlake Road and the Nice-Lucerne Cut-off at 9 a.m. September through May and at 8 a.m. June through August. Call Gaye Allen Roberta Lyons at (707) 994-2024 for more information. Only guided walks are offered at the Preserve because of the need to protect the abundant wildlife that makes this area so special.