Calendar

Join Reserve staff for a Monday morning maintaining our trails!

Interpretation Level: Low
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 10 and up

Please note: participants must be registered by 4:00 pm on Sunday, October 2.

International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) is an annual worldwide public event that encourages observation, appreciation, and understanding of our Moon.

Enjoy an evening outdoors, as you gaze into the heavens, learn about The Moon, the constellations, and peer through the telescopes of our volunteer astronomers.  Reserve astronomers are all volunteers who enthusiastically share their telescopes and expert sky knowledge with you. (BRING: Warm clothing, Red cellophaned flashlight, binoculars, optional beach chair.)

Interpretation Level: High
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ages: 8 and up

Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Thursday, Oct. 7.

Volunteer to spend a few hours in beautiful surroundings helping make The Reserve trails accessible to our visitors. Join the crew dedicated to protecting our native ecosystems by maintaining trails and eliminating weeds. Volunteer efforts make an impact! Drinks and snacks provided. (BRING: Work gloves if you have them).

Interpretation Level: Low
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 10 and up

Please note: participants must be registered by 4:00 pm on Friday, October 7.

October’s full moon provided the light needed for Native Americans to hunt during the night. Come learn about local Native American hunting techniques and enjoy a moonlit hike under the Full Hunter’s Moon.

Interpretation Level: Medium
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 8 and up

Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday, October 14.

Carol Demcak, President of Archaeological Resource Mgmt. Corp. (ARMC), will present a history of the archaeology of Rancho Mission Viejo.  The talk will focus on the identification and recording of prehistoric and historic sites on the Ranch and the further study of these sites through testing and data recovery.  A display of artifacts from RMV will enable audience members to experience firsthand the material culture of the earliest Ranch inhabitants.

Ages: 8 and up

Participants must be registered or on the wait list by 2:00 pm, Oct. 18.

Orange County Stars

Visitors traveling to sparsely populated areas are usually delighted to discover how many more stars are visible than at home. If you’ve not yet caught a glimpse of the Milky Way, come out to The Reserve for Astronomy Night where you can still view many more celestial phenomena than elsewhere in urbanized Orange County!

Enjoy an evening outdoors, as you gaze into the heavens, learn the constellations, and peer through the telescopes of our volunteer astronomers.  Reserve astronomers are all volunteers who enthusiastically share their telescopes and expert sky knowledge with you. (BRING: Warm clothing, Red cellophaned flashlight, binoculars, optional beach chair.)

Interpretation Level: High
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ages: 8 and up

Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday, October 28.

Join the fun learning about owls and their pellets on this family friendly program. Pellets can provide many clues about what owls eat. We'll take a short walk to see where owls live, then each dissect an owl pellet to identify its contents!

Interpretation Level: Moderate
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ages: 6 and up

Participants must be registered or on the wait list by Friday, October 28.

Join Reserve staff for a Monday morning maintaining our trails!

Interpretation Level: Low
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 10 and up

Please note: participants must be registered by 4:00 pm on Sunday, November 6.

Volunteer to spend a few hours in beautiful surroundings helping make The Reserve trails accessible to our visitors. Join the crew dedicated to protecting our native ecosystems by maintaining trails and eliminating weeds. Volunteer efforts make an impact! Drinks and snacks provided. (BRING: Work gloves if you have them).

Interpretation Level: Low
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 10 and up

Please join us for Volunteer Orientation and Training!

This fun and informational orientation is the first step in joining us as an official Reserve Volunteer. Learn about The Reserve's history, philosophy and mission, as well as skills for working with the public. Meet other volunteers and learn how you can help preserve Reserve lands through conservation and education.

CERTIFIED RESERVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM:
This training is the first step in becoming a Certified Reserve Volunteer.  Certified Reserve Volunteers are specially trained volunteers that lead and co-lead Reserve programs.

 Ages: Adult, 18 and older

Thank you for expressing interest in volunteering for The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo.

Have you ever wondered how California Indians cured a headache or eased the symptoms of the common cold?  Or what plants were used to build houses, boats or hunting tools? Join us as naturalist and docent Janine Peterson discusses the medicinal, spiritual and practical uses of native plants. This lecture will be a hands-on look at the plants and the objects used by California Indians.

Ages: 8 and up

Please note:  Participants must be registered by 5:00 pm on Tuesday November 15.

Bring your Thanksgiving leftovers and join us for a post-holiday picnic and hike. We'll hike up the North Ridge trail, take a shortcut to Wilson's Camp, and enjoy our lunches at the picnic tables under the oak trees. We'll then head back down the Sycamore Loop Trail. Savor the sights, smells and sounds of late autumn in the wildlands, as well as beautiful pastoral views from North Ridge.

Interpretation Level: Minimal
Difficulty Level: Moderate to Strenuous
Ages: 8 and up

Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Wednesday, November 23.