On a warm Wednesday in April--the warmth in temperature matched by warmth in feelings of camaraderie--MEMBG and the UCLA Institute of the Environment (IoE), with some help from UCLA's Stunt Ranch Santa Monica Mountains Reserve (SMMR), hosted Earth Day 1998 at The Nest. This was the first time an event such as this has been held at UCLA, and the first time the campus's various environmental centers have come together for a common goal. We hope it was also the first of many wonderful, jointly planned events.
UCLA professors, students, staff, and visitors gathered at The Nest to honor the power, fragility, and preciousness of nature. All in attendance were committed to establishing and maintaining a personal relationship with and sense of responsibility toward the natural world.
The day's program included a series of short talks, docent-led tours of the garden, and delicious refreshments. Question-and-answer sessions provided a time for sharing among participants, all experts in terms of their concerns about the conservation and preservation of all they hold to be of value. Presentations covered a wide range of topics:
All of the information was presented in a way that was equally accessible for people who are knowledgeable about the earth sciences and those who simply love trees, flowers, and bees. And all of the presenters exhibited a welcoming sense of humor and openness to dialog. Our MEMBG docents served as gracious and informative hosts. Everyone who attended--including those behind the podium and those seated on the benches--came away with common-sense as well as more esoteric tips on how to be responsible to themselves, each other, and the environment.
Carol Felixson
Docent and Communications Coordinator