Local Chumash descendant Julie Tumamait-Stenslie is returning again to lead the group’s annual spring spiritual observance. As she has done in the past, Julie is inviting other members of the Chumash community as well as members of the general public to join her and the Citizens group in this annual gathering of celebration. She encourages participants to bring a poem, story, or song to share in the language of their ancestors.

The Mishopshno Meadow is the open space area just north of the Anne and Al Drasdo Memorial Grove of eucalyptus trees at the Carpinteria Bluffs, southwest of the main entrance of the Nature Preserve. Access to the Bluffs is at the Bailard Avenue exit of US 101. Parking is available at the entrance to the Preserve at the end of Bailard towards the ocean as well as in the larger parking area to the east, at the edge of the Viola Playing Fields.

Each year, around 150 Carpinteria 3rd graders from Canalino, Main, and Aliso Schools as well as Carpinteria Family School take an “Earth Day” field trip to the Bluffs, organized and sponsored by Citizens for the Carpinteria Bluffs in partnership with the City’s Parks and Recreation Department.

This special day features a number of scientific activities for the students that include observing and painting nature with local, well known artists; learning more about harbor seals and sea lions; bird watching; and learning about plants and weeds of the Bluffs. In addition, the students often are asked to help plant additional native plants in areas of the Bluffs being restored.

Using this website, teachers and parents can learn more about the Flora & Fauna of the Carpinteria Bluffs or how to use the Bluffs on Earth Day and throughout the year for field trips as an incredible outdoor classroom.
(Click on “outdoor classroom” above to get to our special Field Trip page for teachers and parents.)

For information on the recent community effort to fight Venoco’s Measure J, go to CitizensAgainstParedon.org.

Our Paredon Project Page will give you more information about Venoco’s earlier proposed Paredon Project, where the project was in the City’s planning “pipeline” before this flagrant Measure J attempt to bypass the public process occurred, and a legal challenge that was made to Venoco’s Measure J.

Artists painting along the Artists Passage area of the Bluffs

Native planting work as part of the Sunday celebration



Arturo Tello, Joni Pascal & Ted Rhodes leading the gathering in a special Bluffs version of “This Land is Your Land.”

Send us your photo (in low resolution) or your story, and we will post them on a “Bluffs Corner” page.

Photo at right: Another work party of community volunteers gathered at the Bluffs on February 3, 2007 to help the City plant close to two hundred natives near the Bailard parking area as well as put in, amidst the line of Tamarisks to the west, 7 Sycamore saplings propagated from cuttings made from Carpinteria’s historic Portola Sycamore.

Want to get involved in helping to restore the Bluffs’ native plant communities? If you are a high school student, this is a great way to earn community service hours.

You are invited to join us at one of our weeding parties, held the first Saturday of each month. We meet at the Bailard Ave parking lot at 1 p.m. Be sure to bring water, sun protection, gloves, and shovels and clippers (if you have them). For more information, please contact Andrea at (805) 684-8077 or by email at carp_parks@yahoo.com.

You can learn more about the Carpinteria Bluffs Management Plan and other on-going stewardship issues regarding this special coastal land by attending the regular meetings of the City of Carpinteria’s Bluffs Advisory Board, a volunteer board created to advise the City on all Bluffs-related matters. For meeting dates and times, please contact Matt Roberts, Director of Parks and Recreation, City of Carpinteria, (805) 684-5405, extension 449.

Photo at left: Max Engelsiepen, Anthony Tornello, and Andy Wills planting one of the Sycamore saplings propagated from cuttings made from Carpinteria’s historic Portola Sycamore.

Spring soccer practice on the Viola Playing Fields,
the eastern portion of the Carpinteria Bluffs adjacent to
the Nature Preserve that is dedicated to active recreation.

Carpinteria’s U-12 Girls All-Star AYSO team practice.

The “Boys of Summer.”
Early evening softball
on the west diamond at the Viola Playing Fields.

Graffiti Alert:
If you see any graffiti or other damage to the marker or to other features at the preserve, please notify immediately Matt Roberts at the city, 805 684-5405 ext. 449, or contact Ted Rhodes through this website.