VENTURA — Ventura Land Trust is pleased to partner with renown native plant guide and educator Lanny Kaufer for a wildflower walk at Harmon Canyon Preserve on Saturday, March 26th from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. There are 20 spaces available for the hike at $35 each.
Kaufer is well-known in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties for his Herb Walks, interpretive native plant walks and nature hikes, which he began leading more than 40 years ago in 1976. This will be the first hike led by Kaufer at Harmon Canyon Preserve.
Kaufer’s hike will include plant identification and information for the beginning to experienced botanist. The hike will cover approximately two miles in Harmon Canyon Preserve. Wildflowers such as wild hyacinths, lupine, Douglas’ fiddlenecks, California peonies, and threatened mariposa lilies make their home in Harmon Canyon Preserve’s conserved 2,123 acres of land, amid roughly 1,000 acres of endangered coastal sage scrub. Rain-fed wildflowers are blooming in earnest at Harmon Canyon Preserve after lying dormant through recent drought years.
Courtesy of Lanny Kaufer.
Lanny Kaufer is the author of Medicinal Herbs of California: A Field Guide to Common Healing Plants. From Kaufer’s website (https://herbwalks.com):
Medicinal Herbs of California introduces the principles of herbal remedies and guides readers through finding, harvesting, cultivating, and incorporating more than 70 locally abundant medicinal plants into daily life. Complete with color photos and detailed descriptions of each medicinal herb, conservation status, and recipes to put their botanical healing power to work, this guide is a vital addition to the California herbalist’s bookshelf and forager’s backpack.
Mariposa lily, photo credit — Melissa Baffa.
The book will be available for sale after the hike. All hike participants should bring a water bottle and wear sturdy shoes, long pants, a hat, and sunscreen. RSVP online at https://www.venturalandtrust.org/wildflowerhike.
Harmon Canyon Preserve Hike, photo credit — Heather Burton.
Harmon Canyon Preserve — Harmon Canyon Preserve is located at 7511 Foothill Road, Ventura, CA 93001. Harmon Canyon Preserve, established in 2020, is Ventura’s first large-scale nature preserve. At 2,100 acres, visitors enjoy hills and canyons that feature oak groves, stream crossings, and breathtaking views of Southern California mountain ranges, coastlines, and Channel Islands National Park. This spectacular recreation destination offers miles of trails for hiking, biking, running, and exploring. Leashed dogs are allowed in Harmon Canyon Preserve. The Preserve is open daily from dawn to dusk for free.
About Ventura Land Trust — The mission of Ventura Land Trust is to permanently protect the land, water, wildlife and scenic beauty of the Ventura region for current and future generations. Founded in 2003, Ventura Land Trust believes that preserving open space and providing public access enhances the economy, quality of life, and public well-being of Ventura and surrounding communities. The organization currently owns and manages land along the Ventura River and in the Ventura hillsides, including the 2,100-acre Harmon Canyon Preserve. All preserves are open to the public daily from dawn to dusk for free. Ventura Land Trust is an accredited member of the Land Trust Alliance. Learn more and become a member at www.venturalandtrust.org.
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