On Tuesday, March 22nd at 7 pm, the Friends of San Pedro Valley Park welcome Dr. Stephanie Dole with a beetle program entitled “The Extraordinary Diversity of Beetles.” All insects are critically important and in a severe decline, but her focus will be specifically on beetles. She will discuss these arthropods, their biodiversity, ecological roles, and their importance in the web of life. Dr. Dole is an eminent scientist who has traveled far and wide to conduct her research.  She is an excellent speaker and will present a program that will inspire all of us to see insects in a new light.

On Tuesday, April 19th at 7 pm, the Friends of San Pedro Valley Park are pleased to welcome back the very popular Mark Hylkema in the program entitled “Mammoth in the Artichokes.” He will discuss the remains of an Ice Age mammal found near Castroville in 2011 and the research team that investigated and recovered these remains. He will connect the lives and diet of the first Native Americans with the huge animals that roamed this area at the time of the Ice Age, and uncover a completely different landscape and a fascinating natural history of the Monterey Bay region.

On Tuesday, May 17th at 7 pm, the Friends of San Pedro Valley Park welcome Robert Lewis, an avian specialist, for a lecture entitled “A Bird’s Rainbow.” It is springtime and what could be more welcoming and cheerful than the glorious variety of birds we hear and see. Birds are gorgeous and we will have an expert explain where all the colors come from that we so much admire. It’s not as straight forward as we may think. The photographs will be exceptional. Please join us for a fascinating lecture into the avian world of color.