Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Botany Society

February 13, 2012

10:00 AM

At the State Park Visitor Center’s Discovery Room in Borrego Springs

State parks administrative official Jim Dice will explore the links between plants of northwestern Mexico and those of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in a talk to the Botany Society in Borrego Springs.
Dice, the senior resource ecologist and environmental scientist for California State Parks' Colorado Desert District, will chronicle the highlights of a botanical expedition he made with other botanists in 1982 into extremely remote areas of Mexico.
The public is invited to the talk at 10 a.m. at the state park’s Visitor Center.
There is no charge.
Dice, who has a master’s degree in systematics and evolutionary biology, will retire from state parks this spring, and become the founding reserve manager for the University of California at Irvine's Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center in Borrego Springs. 
Dice and his family live in Borrego Springs. His wife Kathy is the superintendent of the state park.

January 9, 2012

10:00 AM

At the State Park Visitor Center’s Discovery Room in Borrego Springs

Dr. Jon P. Rebman, curator of the Botany Department at the San Diego Natural History Museum, will speak January 9 at a meeting of the State Park Botany Society in Borrego Springs.
          The public is invited to Dr. Rebman’s talk at 10 a.m. at the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center’s Discovery Lab.
The author and researcher will speak about the third edition of the Baja California Plant Field Guide, which he is writing with author Norman Roberts.
The guide is scheduled for publication in the Spring.
          Dr. Rebman is also the director of the San Diego County Plant Atlas project, which has seen more than 54,000 specimens collected since 2003.
He will make two other appearances in Borrego Springs. 
On January 7 he will speak on what makes Baja California and its plants so unique
, and on January 8 will lead a field class.
Both programs are sponsored by the Anza Borrego Foundation.
For information, call the foundation at 760-767-4063.

Jon and daughter Samatha pressing plants in the field.

December 12, 2011

10:00 AM

At the State Park Visitor Center’s Discovery Room in Borrego Springs

Desert ecologist and author Jim Cornett will talk about “The Ocotillo: Not Just Another Pretty Plant” at a meeting of the state park’s Botany Society December 12 in Borrego Springs.
            The public is invited to the illustrated lecture, which begins at 10 a.m. in the Discovery Lab at the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center on Palm Canyon Drive.
            Author of more than 25 books, most of them on desert natural history, Cornett is in the midst of research on the ocotillo, and his talk will focus on the discoveries he has made on this hardy desert plant as well as what research remains to be done.

November 14, 2011

10:00 AM

At the State Park Visitor Center’s Discovery Room in Borrego Springs

Anthropologist Michael Wilken, a specialist in indigenous groups of Baja California, will talk to the Botany Society of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
The public is invited.
His topic will be Native Plants and Peoples of Baja California.
Michael Wilkenis one of creators of the Tecate Kumiai Museum that opened in June.
His illustrated talk is about how Baja artisans and environmental specialists are using the expertise inherited from previous generations to demonstrate their skills at indigenous reservations, museums, state parks and universities.
Wilken is currently a student in the masters program in anthropology at San Diego State University.

Illustration of basket making

Preparation of acorn mush

The Tecate Museum Gardens

Michael Wilken