Advice from Owlie - California Biodiversity Week 2024

 Q: Dear Owlie, 

I’m new to your blog, and I’m so excited to have discovered your column! There’s so much valuable information here, and I can’t wait to share it with my friends and family. I’m currently studying ecosystems in school, and after a recent visit to the Chino Creek Wetlands Park, I’ve been wondering—what exactly is biodiversity, and why is it so important for places like the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park?

Sincerely, 
Wetlands Wonderer

A: Dear Wetlands Wonderer,
 
What a great question! 🌍 At the Park, we are actually celebrating California’s biodiversity this week. 😊 Let me break it down for you. 🌿

Biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth, and it is what makes Earth so special! California boasts more species of plants and animals than any other state in the nation. From the tiniest insects to the tallest trees, every species plays a role in keeping our ecosystem healthy.
In fact, California’s communities and economy depend on its biodiversity, which forms the complex ecosystem that makes up California’s iconic landscapes. At the Chino Creek Wetlands, our diverse habitats support a vast array of life—plants, animals, and even microscopic organisms.

🌱 Why does biodiversity matter?

Some examples that may paint you a more vivid picture can be found in my home, the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park.

• Bees and butterflies are pollinator friends and are part of the ecosystem. Their work help pollinate the plants that give us food.
• Wetlands filter and clean water naturally, including the duckweed you can occasionally find on the surface of our Park ponds during warmer months.

Another often overlooked reason biodiversity matters is soil health. Diverse, climate-appropriate plants contribute to richer, more fertile soil, which in turn grows large, healthy plants that fill the atmosphere with rich oxygen for people and for all of my wetland pals! 🦉🦆🐰🐝🦋🐞🦎

Did you know that 75% of Earth’s land and 85% of the Earth’s wetland areas are significantly altered by human activities, leading to a loss in biodiversity? Let us work together to protect and preserve the interconnected web of life that sustains us all.

👧👦 Please share these three tips with your friends and family to help contribute toward the Earth’s biodiversity health:

• Consider planting California native plants: They provide food and shelter for local wildlife.
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Less waste means healthier habitats.
• No littering: Keep our Park and communities clean for all species by throwing away your trash and recyclables in the appropriate bins.

Let’s work together to protect California’s amazing biodiversity – not just during California Biodiversity Week, but every week!🌎✨

Thanks for your question, Wetlands Wonderer! Stay curious and keep exploring the wonders of nature at the Chino Creek Wetlands!
 
I’ll talk to you all soo(HOO)n!
 
Owlie

Advice from Owlie – World Water Week

Hi Owlie,

I just learned that this month we are celebrating World Water Week! Can you tell me more about it so I can tell all my friends and family! How can we get involved?

Sincerely,

Water-wise Warrior

Hi Water-wise Warrior,

So glad you're excited to learn about world water week! It’s going to be a total Hoot! World Water Week began in 1991, when Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) first introduced this week-long convention. According to SIWI, they are responsible for creating content and hosting an annual conference to discuss water-related topics, development and climate. They work together to raise awareness of the importance of water conservation. Kind of like my friend Wally and I do with all of you!

There are plenty of ways for you to participate as well! You can do simple things at home like educating yourself on water conservation and environmental stewardship! You can do this by playing waterwise games, reading educational books, watching documentaries or your local news, and especially by getting involved with your local water partners. This way you can learn various cool facts that you can share with your family and friends so they can be environmental stewards too!

Being mind-full of our water is key, friends. Try new habits like turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth, and reusing water when you can to do things like water our plants instead of letting that water go to waste!

These are both things you can do year-round to help conserve water! Here at the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park (CCW), we are always working towards responsible water use and conservation. We do this through the natural filtration of water in our ponds, planting California native and drought resistant plants, and of course using recycled water throughout the Park!

Thank you so much for being an environmental steward and participating in World Water Week, and don't forget to share everything you’ve learned with your friends and family!

Sincerely,

Owlie

P.S. Remember that purple pipes mean recycled water, do you see purple pipes in your neighborhood?

Advice from Owlie - The Spooky Special (Jumping Spider)

Q: Dear Owlie,

This week, I visited the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park with my Scout troop to earn my Water Scout badge, and guess what? I saw the spookiest spider I have ever seen! It was super tiny like the size of a dime, but that’s not all, this spider looked like it could fly! Can you help me figure out what type of spider this is?

Thanks Owlie!

Sincerely,

Spooky Spider Scout 

A: Dear Spooky Spider Scout,

HOO-HOO-Hurray! Congratulations on earning your Water Scout badge! Taking part in the Water Scout Badge Program is a great way to explore everything that the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park has to offer.

Now, to answer your question, it seems that the spooky spider you are describing is a jumping spider! These curious little spiders have two features that make them super unique. First, jumping spiders have amazing vision! Unlike most spiders, jumping spiders do not spin a web to catch prey. Instead, jumping spiders rely on their front set of eyes to measure the distance they need to leap and catch prey.

Second, as the name suggests, jumping spiders like to jump! In fact, they can jump up to 40 times their body size! Scientists suggest that jumping spiders can rapidly increase the blood pressure in their legs which gives them the boost they need to leap through great distances effortlessly.

Be on the lookout for the jumping spider during your next visit to the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park!

Talk to you all soo(HOO)n!

Owlie

Advice from Owlie - Water Quality Month

Q: Dear Owlie,

I am officially back in school and am so excited! I think my teacher is planning to book a field trip to the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park this school year so that I can come visit you again! My teacher also told me that the month of August is National Water Quality Month. How can I celebrate? Thanks, Owlie!

Sincerely,

Swimming Sixth Grader

A: Dear Swimming Sixth Grader,

Welcome back to school! I hope you can come visit me as well! Be sure to let your teacher know there is also a virtual field trip option where you can visit me, learn about water, participate in engaging activities, and take a virtual tour of the Wetlands all from the comfort of your own classroom. In the meantime- Yes! I’d love to tell you about National Water Quality Month and how you can help celebrate.

In case you didn’t know, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the United Nations founded August as Water Quality Month in 2005. Since then, Water Quality Month has been dedicated to raising awareness of water-use efficiency and the importance of clean water on individual health, collective agricultural needs, and the needs of our environment.

IEUA's Water Quality Laboratory

My friends over at IEUA do this in a variety of ways from groundwater recharge to wastewater treatment and more, but they ALL help to secure a clean, reliable, and high-quality source of water for the region. There are many ways you can contribute as well such as picking up your trash (and recycling when possible!), taking shorter showers instead of baths, turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth, as well as collecting cold shower water while you wait for it to heat up and using it to water your plants.

Thank you for doing your part to be water-wise! I’ll talk to you all soo(HOO)n!

Owlie

Advice from Owlie - California Ground Squirrel

Q: Dear Owlie,

I recently learned about keystone species. Can you help me understand what that is and if there are any keystone species at the Chino Creek Wetlands? Thank you!

Sincerely,

Species Specialist

A: Dear Species Specialist,

What an exciting topic! A keystone species is an organism that helps define an entire ecosystem. This means that if that organism were removed from the ecosystem, the environments they live in would change drastically.

One of the keystone species that can be found at the Chino Creek Wetlands is the California ground squirrel. California ground squirrels have a gray, brown, and white coat. Its shoulders, neck, and sides are a lighter gray, and its bushy tail is a combination of the colors that appear on its back. California ground squirrels are a keystone species because of its digging. Their digging helps to turn soil and move seeds, and their abandoned burrows serve as homes to many animals like burrowing owls and endangered frogs and salamanders.

Be sure to let me know if you see a California ground squirrel during your next trip to the wetlands!

I’ll talk to you all soo(HOO)n!

Owlie

Advice From Owlie – Smart Irrigation Month

Q: Dear Owlie,

I heard that next month is Smart Irrigation Month. Can you help me understand what Smart Irrigation Month is and how I can participate? Thanks, Owlie!

Sincerely,

Water-Wise Wonderer

 

A: Dear Water-Wise Wonderer,

I am so glad you asked! Smart Irrigation Month is celebrated throughout the month of July and recognizes water-wise practices in our lawns and gardens and celebrates the technologies, products, and services that allow us to do so.

Not only is practicing smart irrigation beneficial to help alleviate our current drought, it’s also easy! Encourage your family and friends to celebrate Smart Irrigation Month by implementing smart irrigation practices such as adjusting sprinkler heads so that they hit the desired area, upgrading your sprinkler controller to a weather-based controller, repairing leaks, planting California natives, using mulch instead of grass, and grouping your plants by similar watering needs. My friends at the Inland Empire Utilities Agency also offer free water-use efficiency rebates and programs to help with all of the above! Be sure to tell them Owlie sent you 😉.

Thanks for the great question! I’ll talk to you all soo(HOO)n!

Owlie

Advice from Owlie – Mallard Duck

Q: Dear Owlie,

I recently visited the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park and noticed two ducks that looked very similar but were different colors! One was all brown, while the other had green on its head. Can you help me figure out what ducks these are? Thanks, Owlie!

Sincerely,

Dabbling Duck

A: Dear Dabbling Duck,

I would be happy to assist you in figuring out what type of ducks these are!

It seems that you have come across one of the most popular duck species in the wetlands, the Mallard Duck! Mallards are large ducks with hefty bodies, rounded heads, and wide, flat bills. The reason the ducks looked very similar but had different colors is due to something called sexual dimorphism. This is when there is a difference in appearance between males and females in the same species.

For the Mallard Duck, males have iridescent green heads, bright yellow bills, and brown and black bodies. Female Mallards are a light brown color with orange and brown bills! Now you may be wondering…what is the reason for this difference in color? Let’s find out!

Male Mallards are a bright color because they want to attract mates, while female Mallards are a dull color because they want to camouflage in order to protect their babies during nesting season!

Keep an eye out for the Mallard Duck on your next visit to the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park!

Talk to you all soo(HOO)n!

Owlie