CARLSBAD — Local residents learned about trees, seeds and more during the Family Talk on Trees lecture at Carlsbad’s Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center on Dec. 15, one in a series of monthly lectures hosted by the nonprofit organization.
Self-proclaimed “Tree Lady” Anne Spindel led the free lecture and discussed the many features found in trees around California. She spoke on behalf of the Forest Foundation’s Talk about Trees program, which is aimed at third- through sixth-grade students.
“There’s no way to foster future stewards of one of our best resources without providing them with real experiences,” Spindel said of the hands-on program. “It’s great to see nature coming in to classrooms and inspiration going out with the students.”
During the program, Spindel shared plenty of facts — some already known, others not as commonly understood — with the audience. She focused on some of California’s most popular trees, including the giant Redwoods, and highlighted their importance.
“We have the tallest trees, the biggest trees and the oldest trees here in California,” Spindel said. “The world’s oldest trees are in the Bristlecone Forest and you can drive there from here.”
Following the lecture, attendees were encouraged to take a closer look at the many samples Spindel provided. She has collected cones and bark from trees across the country and pointed out interesting aspects of each, making the lesson come alive.
Lastly, guests sat down to create holiday cards that incorporated sage from the Discovery Center’s garden, while discussing what they had just learned during the lesson.
“This was really interesting; I always learn something when I come to these lectures,” nature enthusiast and Vista resident Cheryl Davis said.
The Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center schedules educational events each month that touch on a variety of environmental topics.
On Jan. 13, the Discovery Center will host its next lecture, Land and Sea Creatures of the Lagoon. Biologists Jordan Ahle and Nathan Spindel will explore the many creatures that call the Agua Hedionda Lagoon home.
“We try to mix the topics up — some months it’s geared more towards kids or adults, and like this month, we have some for the whole family,” Discovery Center representative Terry Brown said. “Kids can come to any of them though, it just depends on what they are interested in.”
Upcoming events at the Discovery Center also include a Family Movie Night showing of “Babe” on Jan. 14 and World Water Day in March.
For more information about events hosted at the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center, visit aguahedionda.org or call (760) 804-1969.
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