Sacred Grounds Update January 2023

Here’s an update on progress since the November Sacred Grounds meeting, at which various sub-teams were formed. There are many opportunities for you to get involved, matching your interests and skills. Get Involved!

Four people formed a Native Plants sub-team with a focus on getting some plantings done quickly within the optimal planting season. Katie Barrows donated 13 native plants from the Coachella Valley Garden Day native plant sale and Dave planted them around the grounds. Most notably he planted four mesquite and four Palo Verde along the back (south) wall to screen future development. Mesquite is a keystone species, anchoring habitat and food for many other native species. It is also extremely deep rooted, reaching down to the water table. Invasive Tamarisk is the only other species that can do that. The new trees are quite tiny and will take a while to sink their roots. Dave also replaced a few of the desert milkweed and added a few other natives.

Jack designed desert-appropriate front landscaping by the front steps and ramp and Dave installed the irrigation and did the planting. We want to add more landscape rocks and then a front row of plantings. We are also looking at adding plantings in the rock perimeter of the plaza. If you want to be involved in the landscape design, Get Involved!

The fresh rains promise lots of great wildflowers but also weeds. Let’s do a big Weed Pull Party on Saturday, January 28. In the past these have been lots of fun and community building. Rod provides training and pictures to distinguish native from invasive. Can you help promote it, organize stuff like tools, or provide drinks and snacks?

Sue E volunteered to work with the concrete contractors for the new Gardens. John R is playing with design ideas to make the new concrete sidewalks more attractive, such as patterns or colors. If you’d like to join in on the design, give John or Sue a shout.  The cost may exceed our Reserve and require more donations, but it would be great to have more attractive sidewalks than just gray concrete. We want to get the construction (and large expense) done before the end of the fiscal year in June.

Fundraising in the Congregation can’t start until after the Pledge Drive (which starts in a few weeks). But someone could start researching potential grants or other sources of funds. We did that successfully in other areas – years ago for music and more recently for AV. Do you like to do research and want to help find opportunities?

Another sub-team was Education. Fran is assisting the Social Justice team with the Environmental Film series November through April. Rod is scheduling Interpretive Nature Walks in February and April, in conjunction with Life Span education.

A few people offered to form a Communication sub-team but that hasn’t really got started yet. We need to get that sub-team moving and get the congregation involved in all of the activities. We probably need to do another Sacred Grounds meeting with the whole congregation. Does helping on this align with your skills and interests?

We have three congregants signed up (so far!) for the UCR California Naturalist course this year (every Saturday morning February 11 – April 22). On January 15, our Share the Plate recipient is the UCR Conservation Biology program, including funding scholarships to make the California Naturalist class available to a more diverse group of people.

We could also take advantage of the numerous UCR activities such as the Wild & Scenic lectures, the Boyd Deep Canyon lectures, the Wild & Scenic Film festival and more, assembling a UUCOD contingent at these events (a number of us already attend). Would you like to help organize and promote any of this?

As you see, there are lots of opportunities for you to get involved and increase your connection to the land and the community. Whatever your skills and interests there is a perfect match for you. Get Involved!