Preserve Dedication and Celebration

Come Celebrate Our Preserves!

June 17th, 2023 at 10:00 am

Saul Wildlife Preserve Trailhead

Please join the Rose Valley EAC and the Rose Valley Next 100 for a celebration of our preserves and those who helped transform them into the accessible, beautiful, sustainable sanctuaries we love!  We will begin with a brief ceremony to thank our volunteers, dedicate the preserves and preview the activities planned for the preserves this summer. 

After a celebratory toast (no-alcoholic options will be available), we will go enjoy Saul Preserve together! There will be field bags for kids, the kickoff of our scavenger hunt and summer-long nature photography contest, a forest bathing / shinrin-yoku session, and tours of Saul’s points of interest.  

Light refreshments will be available.

Parking at the Old Mil will be available until 12:30 pm.

This event is free and open to all!  An rsvp is not required but will help us plan accordingly.  Please do rsvp if you would like field bags for your children.  The guided forest bathing session requires registration ahead of time and payment at the event. 

Schedule

10:00 am: Brief remarks, ribbon cutting, and preview of activities in the preserves scheduled for the summer

10:45 am: Summer-long nature photography contest and scavenger-hunt of the preserves begin. Field bags will be handed out to children in attendance.* (Scavenger hunt can be completed any time! We will be handing out clues after the ceremony and in the field bags. Clues will also be available online in the near future.)

11:00 am: Tours of the preserves

11:00 am - 12:15 pm: Shinrin-yoku / forest bathing session with certified Forest Therapy Guide Erika Hovland Bahij of Rose and Redwood**

12:00 - 12:30 pm: Light refreshments

* Field bags are one per child. Please include the number of field bags you need where prompted when you register.

** Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, is the practice of emersing oneself in nature in order to reap the physiological benefits of trees and nature, as well as the mental and emotional benefits of using your senses to observe and connect with the world around you.  For more information about forest bathing, see the Rose and Redwood website.   

Forest bathing session is capped at 25 participants. Children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult.  $15 per adult and $5 per child under 12. Children under 2 are free.  Please register here.