Pardon our dust,
We're still under construction
Check back, there's much more to come.
Riley Wilderness Park
Welcome to our world
Riley Park welcomes all new residents of the neighboring communities of Wagon Wheel, Stonecliffe, Las Flores and Coto de Caza. Our staff would love to meet you. Please come down and take a hike on our trails. There are 7 interconnected trails totaling 5 miles. Mountain bikers and horseback riders are welcome as well. Please check our schedule of programs available throughout the winter months. There are NO DOGS permitted on Park premises (see NO DOG article). The Park is managed as a Plant and Wildlife Sanctuary, so every plant, animal, rock and natural thing remains in the Park for everyone else to enjoy. We welcome you to your expanded "backyard." I know you will treat this Sanctuary with the care and respect as you would your own home. See you on the trail! Stop in and say hello!
Join us in the dream
Wagon Wheel Natural History Association announces the launching of an exciting community campaign to raise funds for a new facility that will offer more space for the public and, most importantly, will offer state of the art interactive laboratory experiences complimented by onsite field research within the park. The project is funded entirely by private donations and grants and is a private/public partnership supported by community, corporations, schools and Orange County Harbors, Beaches and Parks. Our goal is to stimulate a student's curiosity and quest for knowledge through investigation and interpretation of the wilderness at Riley Wilderness Park.
The Butterfly Garden
As you may have noticed, the garden on the east side of the driveway as you enter the park, has been expanding further and further into the field. Many people have volunteered their time to the planning, planting and upkeep of this garden. This isn't just an ordinary garden. The plants in this garden are specifically chosen as larval host plants for the butterfly caterpillars and nectar plants for the adult butterfly, and also for attracting the hummingbirds. Any time one plants native plants that grow naturally in this area (not introduced) one will enjoy many wildlife visitors. You have provided them some new habitat in which to live. When you supply the food, shelter and space for these animals to survive you will have full occupancy within a year or two. We purposely chose to attract butterflies because their populations have dwindled considerably within the last ten years, since they too are an insect, they are susceptible to pesticides which are spread to eliminate pests like aphids, scale bug, earwigs and others. Butterflies, along with Honey Bees, are the major pollinators of the local flora. They are responsible for pollinating five major staple foods that make up man's diet. Providing a place that is herbicide and pesticide free will be a haven for many species. Be sure to take a walk down the gravel paths of the garden. Most of the plants are labeled for identification. If you like the idea, you can get more information about starting your own garden. Volunteers of all ages have helped out to bring this garden alive. Kids from first grade Home School, to Junior Girl Scouts, to Eagle Scouts, to College Interns to Ranger Reserves have taken part in the effort. It is hoped that when the garden is complete, it will provide a valuable learning tool and viable ecosystem. It will also be a pleasant place to spend some time! You are welcome to "Adopt a Plot" to plant and care for it. Be sure to join us in late June as we hike the park during the annual Butterfly Census. Data from this count will be added to the database of North American Butterfly Society.
Butterfly Habitat Project
Riley Park is fortunate to participate as a partner in a project created by Laura Cohen, director of Rancho Mission Viejo Land Conservancy. This project is funded by an Environmental Education Grant Program from the California Department of Education and will reach seven schools in the Capistrano Unified School District. Riley Park staff and the conservancy will team up and teach selected grades the meaning of biological diversity and the importance of native plant communities to insects such as the butterfly. It will empower the students by involving them in Internet research, tours of wilderness areas remaining in Orange County, and planning schoolyard re-vegetation. The curriculum A Child's Place in the Environment will be used by teachers and Rangers at the park to teach the interdependence of organisms, and conservation of natural resources. Children will create, plant, and maintain a butterfly garden at their school and also one at Riley Park. They will keep journals on their findings and submit their data to a website created by Dr. Bryant, Professor of Biology at UCI.
Why do we go to such lengths to teach our children about habitat and their natural inhabitants? Natural habitat in Orange County is declining. It is estimated that only 5% of coastal Sage Scrub (found only in Southern California) remains, and in the State of California, only 1% of pristine native Valley Grasslands remain. Native plants are declining in number and the animals depending on the plants face extinction. As inheritors of our planet, our children will learn to understand and respect the richness of what this part of the world has to offer and take an active responsible role in guaranteeing its survival. Riley Park is proud to be a representing partner forging new multi-agency cooperative efforts with Rancho Mission Viejo Land Conservancy and the Capistrano Unified School District in its role as host and educator
to the people of our communities.
Would you like to learn more about our local butterflies? You may join our local Orange County chapter of NABA, North American Butterfly Association. Ask the Ranger for an application or call (949) 459-1687.
Outreach Programs
Have you recently been trying to reserve a program with the Ranger and have had to re-schedule because of rain? Consider inviting the Ranger to come to your facility to give an indoor program. A program for school classes can be specifically designed to coincide with curriculum subject matter. Be sure to give the Ranger advance notice if possible so proper preparations can be made. The fee is $2 per student per session.
Tot Time
This fall Riley Park hosted a program series for children ages two to five. Ranger Reserve Linda McKelvie introduced the wonders of nature to the children through songs, mini-hikes, and hands-on crafts. Linda has eleven years experience in teaching pre-school children and is currently an employee at Clark Regional Park in Buena Park. The program was well received by the many families with younger children in the local area and have expressed an interest in having another session this spring. So join the Association to receive your flyers and newsletters automatically or contact the Ranger.
Eagle Scouts soar at Riley Park
Eagle Scouts help to protect sensitive habitat and help to make the park a quality place to be enjoyed by the public. Riley Park has always been a great place for Eagle Scouts to find a project to contribute to the lasting well being of the park. This last year six Eagle Scouts completed their projects. Nick Olson of Troop #636 made a trail map for the bulletin boards showing the different slope grades and conditions of the trails and a pamphlet with the map to take along on the trails. Ben Lightburn and Kevin Dunn of Troop #661, each constructed 5 Interpretive Display panels and placed them at various points of interest throughout the park. Britton Sessions of Troop #736 had his Troop make 35 hiking sticks and set them up in a wooden box in front of the Visitor Center to be used freely by park visitors. Travis Oftermatt of Troop #636 constructed a three door, two shelved wooden cabinet to store merchandise for the Gift Shop.
Ryan Payne of Troop #636 constructed a glass enclosed bulletin board for the front entrance to the Visitor Center. With the minimum staffing here at the park, we are most grateful for the efforts of these boys in enhancing both the natural resources and improving the overall quality of the park for the visiting public. Five more scouts are in various stages of progress on their projects and will be featured in the Spring issue. Almost all of the furnishings you see in the park are constructed by scouts.
Our heartfelt thanks for all those who took part in these projects. Community participation in protecting the natural resources of this park is the most effective way to ensure the viability of this sanctuary for the future, regardless of the surrounding impacts.
Girl Scouts are going for the Gold
We are pleased to announce that 1998 is the first year that Riley Park has had Girl Scouts interested in having the Park as a project site for pursuing their Gold Award. Two girls, Kate Navarro and Susan Abe both of Orange will be learning how to conduct an Environmental Enhancement project by cutting slips of Arroyo Willow and Mulefat branches and planting them in two separate locations within the park along Wagon Wheel Creek. These water loving shrubs have a wide root spread that will help to hold the soils in place, preventing further erosion of the banks. Joy Bonlaron of Laguna hills has chosen to monitor 12 of the Bird Nesting Boxes located throughout the park. She and her Troop members will keep a journal on each box once a week through the nesting season. This data will be sent to Cornell Nest Box Network, analyzed by Cornell scientists and shared with other conservation groups, and the scientific community. The data collected will also be useful to the park to record the changes in bird populations as the habitat surrounding the park diminishes.
Service Project Ideas
1. Stencil storm drains in Stonecliffe and Wagon Wheel communities
"NO DUMPING WATER FOR WILDLIFE"
2. Monitor bird nesting boxes in park once a week from February - July. This project is suggested for a minimum of four people to divide the monitoring time between two groups and alternate weekends. Recommended for ages 12 to adults.
3. Keep a journal on butterflies in garden for 4 weekends in the spring.
4. Water and weed Native plant garden as needed.
Why no Dogs?
Many visitors new to the area are surprised when the Ranger approaches them as they prepare to take their dog on a walk in the lovely park. WHY? Well, there is a viable explanation for this. Riley Park is a Wildlife Sanctuary and is home to many of the native species of wildlife, such as the Mule Deer, Coyote, Bobcat and, yes, an occasional Mountain Lion may pass through the area migrating from one hunting area to another. Many of these species have a highly developed sense of smell and rely on this sense to identify established hunting territories of the resident animals. A Coyote, for instance, will mark the boundaries of their hunting territory by marking it with their scat (excrement and urine). By doing so, and keeping it fresh by repeating the sequence of "signposts", the coyote and other animals who pass through the area will spend more of their energies in hunting than in defending their territories. And then, along comes your pet dog. From the first moment the car door is opened he leaps out and puts his well-developed nose to work, sniffing bushes, lifting his leg and scraping the ground. What is he doing? He is RE-marking the territories as HIS! Then, if he is not stopped by the Ranger at that point and the visitor ignores the posted NO DOG signs, he will continue to go along the trail re-marking the entire territory, and if he is let off the leash, he may even take a jaunt through the grassland flushing out the ground dwelling birds or run through the oaks chasing the resident herd of mule Deer or force the owls off their nests.
Another impact from dogs is the fact that their feces may introduce parasites for which the wild animals have no immunities, and vice versa, the wild animal populations may have some that your pet had no immunities to. And, lastly, as you sit back in front of the fireplace that evening and pet your dog at your feet, you will very likely find some blood filled ticks behind their ears or along their collar line or on your carpet.
Well, why are horses allowed? Horses are herbivores and are not predators or hunters so they do not upset any of the delicate balance of hunting territories in this limited space.
With this understanding in mind, we hope that you will more willingly comply with this County Ordinance for Wilderness Parks. Where can you take a dog? Any park that has REGIONAL PARK in their name. Enjoy the vast variety of parks Orange County has to offer but do your part to help them remain in top condition. If you have a house bordering any WILDERNESS PARK, such as Riley, we are counting on you to accept personal responsibility not to let your dog run free in the area of the park.
Why close the park when it rains?
Repeated winter rains set the stage for a rising water table. By the time we have our third heavy rain of the season you will notice much more standing water on the trails. The soils become saturated and the trails stay wet and muddy for more extended periods of time. We close the park to all users during this time to allow the trails to dry out sufficiently for traffic. If a horse, mountain bike or even a footprint is made in soft mud, the water will flow to that area, actually drawing more water to the center of the trail where you walked, thus extending the dry-out time even further. It is most difficult to realize this when the sun comes out after several days of rain and you have cabin fever. We ask for your patience and understanding and we count on you to stay off the trails until the park re-opens. Since this particular park is all trails, the entire park closes. You will see the large PARK CLOSED sign on the gate at the entrance and there will be a message on the park phone informing you of the status of the day. So, during this rainy season, if you would like to check on conditions or park closures, call the park at 949-459-1687. Fortunately, Riley Park's open terrain allows the trails to dry out in a shorter period of time than those parks whose trails are through the deep shady canyons. Not sure if we're open? Give us a call!
Wilderness Peddler
If you haven't noticed, Riley Wilderness Park has its own Gift Shop. Staffed by volunteers, the shop opens most weekends and offers items, most of which are under five dollars. The intention of operating the shop is to generate monies for the Wagon Wheel Natural History Association.
All of the proceeds from the shop go towards funding the park's outdoor education programs for you and your children. Last spring the Natural History Association funded 100% of the supplies needed to offer the Junior Ranger Program. Items you would expect to find are California Native Plant posters, children's books, T-shirts, bug boxes, compasses, puzzles, rubber snakes, stickers, and wildlife note cards. If you would like to volunteer some time on any weekend, please contact Bud or Carol Kilton, Gift Shop Coordinators at 459-1216. Your help and smiling face would be much appreciated.
Volunteers Wanted
Throughout the year many types of volunteer opportunities arise. The Natural History Association is currently looking for a Publicity Chairman. This person would write short articles about events in the Park and, following Ranger approval and clearance, will send out to the various newspapers in the area. They would also post activity flyers throughout the neighborhood.
Time needed for this position never amounts to more than a few hours a month, depending on the season. Another position is Writer - a person with good writing skills to write short articles for the park newspaper. A third opportunity is for the bird lovers. The Park is participating in a program sponsored by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It is called the Cornell Nestbox Network. People are needed to spend an hour or two once a week monitoring some of the bird nesting boxes along Oak Canyon Trail. More information on this program under the article on Girl Scouts.
If any of these positions are of interest to you or you have some other talents that you'd like to offer, please contact Ranger Ginny McVickar at 459-1687, Saturdays - Tuesdays.
W.W.N.H.A.
The Wagon Wheel Natural History Association was formed in 1995 at Riley Park. It is a non-profit organization formed in support of the Park. The mission of the organization is to preserve the wilderness area, enhance the quality of the park and improve its ability to serve the community through environmental education and interpretive activities. Members of the communities in southern Orange County and even points beyond have shown their support of the Park by subscribing annually to become a patron at $20 per year. If you enjoy this park and would like to take part in learning more about it through the outdoor education programs, or maybe you have some time to volunteer your talents to help out, fill out the form on the back page of the paper and send it in with your check and join the growing group of supporters. Does your company participate in corporate sponsorship or matching funds? Mail us the form with your contribution. Contact the park for further information. Contributions for the year of 1999 will go towards the new Outdoor Education Science Center.
Riley Wilderness Park
Is operated by the County of Orange
Public Facilities and Resources Department,
Harbors, Beaches and Parks Division.
Winter Park hours are 7am
to 5pm daily, weather permitting.
The Ranger station in the Park is located at:
30952 Oso Pkwy.
Coto de Caza, Ca. 92679
PHONE: 949-459-1687
FAX: 949-459-1295
Office hours are
8am-5pm Sat-Tues.
(Winter hours)
Riley Wilderness Park is a unit of the
Nature Reserve of Orange County.
Links of Interest
©1999 Wilson Multimedia, reproduction by permission only.
