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Portola Valley Nature & Science Committee reviews wildlife event, plans school outreach and youth video contest
Summary
The committee reviewed its recent wildlife awareness event and spending, agreed to focus on April native-plant outreach to schools, and discussed next steps for a bird walk, fall star party and a youth climate-action video competition using remaining committee funds.
The Portola Valley Nature & Science Committee on its February meeting reviewed a successful wildlife awareness event, discussed outreach for April’s California Native Plant Month and sketched plans for a youth climate-action video competition and future guided bird walks.
Chair (S1) opened the meeting and led a review of the wildlife awareness event. "We spent $1,000 out of our approved $1,300 budget," the Chair said, noting that about $300 remained to apply to a planned bird walk. Committee members described attendance as substantial—"somewhere between 200 and 400 people," one member said—and said the children’s activities and information tables drew steady engagement.
Jean Murphy, who identified herself as a member of the conservation committee, asked to partner with the Nature & Science Committee on school outreach for April, saying, "April is California native plant, declared so by the state and the native plant society," and described plans for educational posts and possible classroom projects. Members recommended using school newsletters and the town forum for promotion and suggested coordinating with existing community walks to boost turnout.
On programming, members weighed shortening speaker segments and giving more time to interactive tables at future events so attendees could circulate the exhibits. The committee discussed bringing raptors or other live demonstrations but cautioned that any live-animal programming must be compatible with the committee’s conservation goals and town rules.
The group also considered logistics for guided bird walks, including possible sites at Jasper Ridge and Searsville Lake, permission requirements for private or restricted properties, docent availability and early-morning timing to reduce conflicts with other recreational users. One member noted the broader regional debate over Searsville Lake’s dam and potential ecological tradeoffs between fish restoration and seasonal waterfowl habitat when identifying the site’s suitability.
Members proposed a youth climate-action video contest for kindergarten through eighth-grade students who attend Portola Valley schools (including students who live in neighboring communities). The committee discussed a 3–8 minute video length, a submission timeline that could begin in March with awards at a June community event (PV Palooza was suggested), and modest prizes or trophies funded from remaining committee funds. The Chair asked for a written proposal and said the idea could be refined at a special meeting if needed.
Planning for a star party in the fall was also discussed. Members named a volunteer organizer, Andrew Pierce, as a potential lead and said the event should be scheduled around a known celestial event and coordinated well in advance. Several members flagged new town insurance requirements and the town’s role in approving event insurance as a constraint on holding multiple events under the current budget.
Procedural items: the committee approved minutes from the January 8 special meeting after a motion and second, and later moved to adjourn; the meeting ended at 5:58 p.m.
Next steps include drafting the youth video-contest rules for committee review, confirming dates and docent availability for a spring bird walk, coordinating native-plant school outreach with the conservation committee and following up with town staff on insurance and permitting for larger fall events.
