El Modena High School Nature Center

(Click on any photo for the full quality image)

Projects Chris Kiehler from Troop 33 built a platform for performances, sitting, or other activities. There is seating for 50+ people. Drama plans on using it for an outdoor performance. Any group can contact the director to ask about usage.
Jason Pianalto built two sets of steps for his Eagle Scout Project. Footprints of animals plus leaves and flowers were pressed into the concrete for additional learning during the elementary tours.	El Modena HS parent, Gary Gruber, donated his time and materials for a drinking fountain. The fountain is greatly appreciated by students on tours and by workers and visitors at the garden.
Ruben Gomez, Troop 33, built this pergola to provide shade for the bench and to support the native grape vine. It provides a wonderful shady area to sit and look at the stream, monarch butterflies and flowers.
In July, thirty members of a nationwide Baptist church group related to Beacon Church, took a large area and transformed it into a beautiful event area. Adults, teens and children from Canada and the US worked together to accomplish this feat. They put in edging, seating, hard-scape, plants and DG. Two Eagle Scout projects will complete the event area.
Josh Franklin's Eagle Scout Project was the building of four benches for the event area. Josh is the son of two El Modena HS graduates, Rick and Dana Franklin. The benches increase the sitting capacity for the event area which will be complete after a platform-stage is built.	Caleb Zedek, Troop 531, built a display board for his Eagle Scout Project. It is located near the cactus, succulent area and the Channel Island Plant area. Information pertaining to both types of plants will be on display.
Darren Ando, Troop 578, completed a Japanese style garden for his Eagle Scout Project. His grandparents donated a Japanese lantern that was in their garden for 50 years. Placement of the rocks was done by his relatives and other adults who are experts on Japanese gardens. The garden has been named An-non which stands for peace and tranquility for the world. The plants are a blend of Japanese plants and California native plants.
Point of Service Day Chapman University students worked at the garden on their Point of Service day. They created a dry stream bed and added mounds and plants in the Channel Island area. In the desert area they added many new succulents and rocks forming patterns through the different colors and textures of succulents. Both areas are now more interesting and beautiful. Their work was greatly appreciated and they are welcome to come back to just enjoy the garden.
Cooper's Hawks were Banded This summer three baby Cooper's Hawks were banded. Experts were called in to perform the duties. The hawk's nest is above the man's head in the tree where the branches form a bowl. The nest has been there many years but was not used the past few years. This year an immature female produced three healthy babies which are about three weeks old in the pictures. The banding will allow the experts to follow them.
Foothill HS In the fall a group of students from Foothill High School put in community service hours by building this new path of bricks and DG connecting two other paths. This group was formed to specifically perform community service hours. They heard about our needs through one of the parents, Tim Juliano, a former El Modena student.
Girl Scout Project Alana Eldridge completed her Girl Scout Gold Award Project which included planting 100 plants that Native Americans in our area used for all aspects of their lives. Plant signs contain logos depicting how the Native Americans used the plant - medicine, food, clothing-dyes, housing-tools. New lessons were written for 3rd grade students. In preparation for the plants, Mr. Eldridge plus the family put in new irrigation, secured a state of the art controller and connected 13 valves to the new controller. Students at El Modena helped on this part of the project.
Eagle Scout - Clarke For his Eagle Scout Project, Brandan Clarke constructed a new display board to replace the old one which had decayed. Information about Native Americans from our area plus information on California native plants can now be displayed for elementary students and adults visiting the nature center/native plant garden. Unlike the old display board this one has easy access to change the information.
Eagle Scout - Poirer In March David Poirer completed his Eagle Scout Project by replacing the gravel with DG in the sitting area and replacing the benches which were in very bad condition. By putting DG as a base in the area, it provided a better foundation for walking and wheelchairs and it blended the area into the walkway and entrance area. The benches make the sitting area more functional and visually much improved.
Tyke Hike In May Inside the Outdoors held their Tyke Hike at the nature center. Children from 2-6 yrs. old loved exploring the pond and stream. Stations were set up where they could participate in crafts and learning about animals through seeing and touching them.
Rotary Fence In March, Rotary of Orange constructed 185 feet of wooden fence. The fence provides visual separation from the baseball field. Development of a 75 foot area in front of the fence will occur when funding is secured. Rotary has been very supportive of the nature center for 12 years.
Rotary Sign Rotary of Orange donated this interpretive sign depicting life in the pond and stream. The graphic art was done by Sarah Tannas using pictures taken by Jeanne Carter. It provides information about birds, plants and life found in the water.