LGBTQ+ Naturalist Walk: Pride in Biodiversity at Foothills Nature Preserve

Join us and Branching Out Adventures to celebrate queer joy outside this pride month. This year’s rains have our creeks flowing, flowers blooming, and our ecosystems of all sorts thriving. During this walk, you will discover the beauty of our local biodiversity by moving between grassland, forest, chaparral, and creekside corridor ecosystems all in a short time.

Attendees should expect to walk 3 – 4 miles at a slow to moderate pace on gravel and dirt trails, which may be muddy.

This event is for people who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Visit Grassroots Ecology’s Foothills Nature Preserve page to learn more about the ecosystem and accessibility considerations.

Waivers/Registration: All volunteers attending the workday must be registered individually and have approved the online waiver through this Eventbrite page. Youth under 18 must have their legal guardian approve the waiver on their behalf. Volunteers age 12 and under require an accompanying adult.

Parking: Meet at Foothills Nature Preserve Interpretive Center at 3300 Page Mill Rd, Palo Alto 94304. Please carpool if possible. The road up to the site is very steep and curvy. Download driving instructions ahead of time, as there is limited cell reception up on Page Mill Rd. There will be a ranger at the park entrance, and volunteers will receive entry details in their confirmation email.

Alternate Transportation: Foothills Nature Preserve is mainly accessible by car. Strong bikers can lock their bikes to a rack on-site.

Meeting Space: We will be meeting in front of the Interpretive Center. While there is limited cell service, there is public WiFi from the City of Palo Alto. There are several bathrooms and water fountains within a 10 minute walk.

Prepare for Recreating Outdoors:

• Reusable water bottle (filled with water)
• Snacks, if desired
• Long pants, long sleeves recommended
• Sturdy closed-toed shoes that can get dirty
• Hat/sunscreen or rain gear/boots
• Face mask for COVID-19 safety (optional)
• Epi-Pen or allergy medicine, if applicable
• Plan for potential exposure to sun, poison oak, ticks, prickly plants
• Prepare for limited to no cell reception

Event Cancellations:

We are committed to the safety of our staff and volunteers. In the event that we must cancel a workday due to extreme weather conditions or poor air quality, a Grassroots Ecology staff person will reach out via email no later than 5:00 PM the day prior to this event.

Join Us!

Grassroots Ecology encourages people from all identities and backgrounds to participate in our programs. Many of our programs are outdoors and involve moving and working in a variety of landscapes. If you have accessibility concerns (e.g. allergies, limited mobility, learning differences), our projects are flexible and we are happy to work with you. Please reach out to the workday facilitator so we can prepare for your participation.

Accessibility concerns? Questions? Cancellations? Email tyler@grassrootsecology.org