News 2004...
City of Claremont's Survey Questions on BFS Biased...
7 November 2004
As Claremont's General Plan Update continues, issues arise that concern the Friends. A survey of 400 Claremont residents conducted in Fall 2004 contained several questions concerning the BFS that provided incomplete or misleading information. Read the analysis and comment on those questions by Susan Schenk, FBBFS Chair, and look at the City's report of the survey.
FBBFS Holds Silent Auction...
5 November 2004
The Friends' annual arts and crafts silent auction is being held November 5-21 at the Claremont Folk Music Center.
FBBFS provides fun and facts at Claremont's Village Venture . . .
23 October 2004
The Friends of the Field Station hosted a game booth for kids and an information booth at Claremont's Village Venture Arts & Crafts Faire. Over 20,000 visitors were expected to attend this annual event, which features original art, unique crafts, international food, a children's Halloween costume parade, the Scarecrow of the Year, and The Great Pumpkin Contest.
FBBFS Participates in the Claremont General Plan Community Festival...
11 September 2004
The Friends of the Field Station had a booth at the Community Resource Fair at the first Claremont General Plan Community Festival. Over 400 citizens participated to learn about Claremont's past and present to create the Plan for the future, to review and respond to the Citizens Committee for Claremont draft Vision Statements, and to record any other issues important regarding life in Claremont. In response to open space and land use issues, many mentioned preservation of the BFS. Here's a sample of comments:
- The field station represents both our environmental and cultural (Native American) history . . .Preserve Bernard Field Station and surrounding open space.
- The Bernard Field Station is a very important site!! Even just driving by daily makesmy day. The plants and birds, insects, and little animals, need this area. Many ofBotanic Garden creatures live/visit on the field station.
- Green buildings and water conservation all sound great, but make sure that in allyour conservation you remember the land. No point in doing all this nature-friendlystuff if there is no nature. Please do not let the City or the colleges build on wildlandlike the Bernard Biological Field Station. We need it.
- The Field Station needs to be preserved as an education site. It's a great thing todrive along Foothill and not have developments side by side. The natural habitatnative to the area needs to be protected.
- Does anyone really think that if the field station is built out that Claremont willretain the quality that attracted students and homeowners here in the firstplace? It's a small area, but visually it creates a beauty and easement from thesprawl that has encroached upon every City and suburb in southern California.Driving down Foothill Blvd. this area is a relief to the eyes, the heart, the lungs -- abreathing space. View, vista should not be under rated. Studies show small kids inprojects do better if their apartment houses look out on even a small patch of grass asopposed to those who look onto cement. Think about what Claremont will look likebuilt out.
You can download the Festival Summary [pdf] to find out more about the festival and see more comments.
FBBFS participates in July 4th festivities...
4 July 2004
The Friends of the Field Station participated in Claremont's Independence Day Celebration with a game booth for children, an information booth, and a parade entry. The Friends also sponsored a banner.
FBBFS presents display and games at Folk Music Festival...
2 May 2004
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| Carol Gil staffs the FBBFS display at Folk Music Festival |
The Friends had a booth at the Claremont Spring Folk Festival with informational displays and badge-making with BFS plants and animals for kids (of all ages!).
Claremont Community College proposes building on BFS...
10 March 2004
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| The CCC campus model at Some Crust |
In an article entitled "Claremont's most obscure college makes a display of itself," Daily Bulletin columnist David Allen writes that Claremont Community College, has selected a "stunning . . . site, which [Chancellor Vince] Turner benignly described as 'northeast of the school of Theology.' In other words, the Bernard Field Station, the most controversial piece of vacant land in Claremont."
But don't start firing off angry letters yet! As Allen notes, "The college has no fees, no faculty salaries and, alarmingly, no students. In fact . . . the junior college may not exist other than as a juvenile prank at the expense of the tony, four-year Claremont Colleges."
An architectural model of the proposed campus is on display at Some Crust Bakery, where you can see the College's banner, posters, and merchandise bearing the college motto: "When you have to go somewhere!"
FBBFS sponsors BFS snail survey...
35 March 2004
Dwight Taylor spots a snail at pHake Lake The Friends covered travel expenses to enable Dr. Dwight Taylor, a noted expert on snails of the southwest, to conduct a snail survey of the BFS on March 22-24. Dr. Taylor, now retired, was formerly employed by the US Geological Survey and was a faculty member at Oregon State University. He has published many articles, monographs, and books on snails and was recognized by the Washington Academy of Sciences for outstanding scientific accomplishments.
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