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News from the Friends of The Bernard Biological Field Station of the Claremont Colleges

Volunteer for Village Venture!

    Be part of this fun event! Spend a couple of hours at the info booth or game booth on October 25th. Send an email to bfsfriends@earthlink.net if you can help.

A Good Friend Lost

    On Monday, September 8, 2003, Lyle Gustaveson died unexpectedly of a heart attack at age 66. Lyle w as a civil engineer for 30 years, in charge of many projects both in the US and abroad. He later earned a teaching credential and taught mathematics in several local schools. Lyle worked hard to help keep Claremont a good place to live. He was president and treasurer of the Friends of the Claremont Library, a scoutmaster and AYSO coach, as well as a member of Active Claremont, and of course, he was a Friend of the Bernard Field Station. His engineering expertise was extremely welcome during the efforts to prevent approval of the North Campus Master Plan. Lyle will be very much missed by all who knew him. Our most heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Valerie, who also volunteers many hours serving the community, and to his son, Jan-Erik.

General Plan Revision

    General Plans provide long-term, comprehensive guidance for the physical development of a city and for land outside of its boundaries over which it has control. Ours was last revised in 1980 and no longer accurately reflects the state of the city.

    The City has begun looking for volunteers to work with the Planning Commission as part of a General PlanAdvisory Committee. The Advisory Committee will be as representative as possible in terms of qualifications, special interests, geography, age and cultural diversity. It is most likely that the members of this committee will head subcommittees whose membership will be open to all those interested.

    There are seven mandatory elements to a General Plan: Land Use, Circulation, Housing, Conservation, OpenSpace, Noise, and Safety. Claremont also includes several optional elements: Historic Preservation, Community Design, Scenic Routes, Social and Redevelopment. This is a great opportunity to influence the future direction of City growth since all specific plans which are proposed (including the forthcoming Claremont Colleges Master Plan) must be in accordance with the General Plan.

    If you would like to help shape the future of Claremont, call the City Clerk at 399-5460 to receive an application.

Silent Auction
October 7-28 at the Folk Music Center, 220 Yale Avenue

    This is our major fundraiser, so please stop by and make a bid on one of the wonderful artworks. Get an early start on your holiday shopping!

 

***Sightings
__________________________________

  • Harvester ant nest openings surrounded by rings of russet buckwheat petals.
  • Lacy skeletons of prickly wild cucumber fruit underneath the oaks.
  • A few, last, lingering cherries on the trees, and their remains in coyote scat.
  • Birds landing on dried flowering spires of white sage, knocking out dozens of small, dark seeds.
  • California sagebrush with thin summer foliage.
  • Rabbits and ground squirrels dashing around.
  • Quail flying to provide a distraction from their offspring hidden in the poison oak.
  • Maturing acorns and pale new growth on the oaks.
  • The bright green accent of goldenbush in fields of autumn colors.
  • Stems of orange deerweed, gray popcorn flower, olivegreen sagebrush and coppery penstemon.
  • Late Lysingia with delicate purple or yellow flowers.
  • Shady nooks around the lake, with green, cone-like flowers of alder towering above.
  • Coyote brush ready to burst into bloom.
  • A flash of wings as a blue heron takes flight.
  • Orange and black dragonflies buzzing mosquito fish.
  • Wind rustling the willow leaves.
  • The endangered least Bell's Vireo in the west.
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