by Sharron Walker
On a recent fall afternoon, an inspiring community-based project was unveiled at San Pedro Valley Park – ten artistically designed tree identification plaques, each telling the story of a different native or notable tree species. This unique collaboration between the San Pedro Valley Park nature journaling group and San Mateo County Parks staff has taken signage beyond simple species identification, revealing details about the trees’ habitats and distinctive features. You’ll discover the majestic Coast Redwood, the hardy Coast Live Oak, and eight other species that call this park home.
by Charlotte Seekamp
The creative force behind this project? A group of nature journalers who’ve been meeting at the park since 2021. Started by Friends of San Pedro Valley Park Board Member Sharron Walker, the group ranges from beginners to years-long nature journalers; they welcome all experience levels. They meet monthly to explore, learn and sketch – often focusing on a chosen theme – and share their love of nature in a supportive environment.
What exactly is nature journaling? As described by John Muir Laws, a leader in the nature journaling movement, “Nature Journaling is collecting and organizing your observations, questions, connections, and explanations on the pages of a notebook using words, pictures, and numbers. You do not need to be an artist or a naturalist to begin.”
Annie Blair and Vivan Walz review designs
The tree plaque idea started last year. Since few tree species at San Pedro Valley had any sort of identification, Sharron thought the nature journalers could produce signage that would go beyond simple naming to artistically incorporate details about habitat and identifying characteristics. She took the idea to Matt DelCarlo, Supervising Ranger for District 4, and Katherine Wright, Interpretive Team Lead for San Mateo County Parks. They embraced the idea and it was off and running.
Sharron Walker & Katherine Wright
What makes these plaques unique is the personal touch. Several of the nature journalers volunteered their time and spent months studying their chosen tree, creating drafts, perfecting their illustrations and laboring over the handwriting. They were given free reign to decide what they wanted to include, finding it challenging to distill down to a few key characteristics. The final pages were submitted to the Interpretive Team in the spring, who reproduced them onto 8×10” plaques.
The result? Beautifully crafted signs that combine scientific accuracy with artistic flair, making tree identification accessible and engaging for all visitors. The plaques are located primarily around the south parking area near the Visitor Center (one is located at the Walnut Grove Picnic Area). There is an interactive youth activity related to the plaques available at the Visitor Center and there are future plans for QR codes linking to deeper information about each species.
not pictured: Charlotte Seekamp, Linda Theroff
Meet the Creators:
– Annie Blair (Red Alder)
– Caitlin Corley (California Buckeye)
– Jane Gomery (Creek Dogwood)
– Melanie Heisler (Coast Live Oak)
– Kathy Peix (Giant Sequoia)
– Charlotte Seekamp (Arroyo Willow)
– Linda Theroff (Blue Gum)
– Sharron Walker (Douglas Fir & Monterey Cypress)
– Vivian Walz (Coast Redwood)
by Linda Theroff
This collaboration between the Nature Journaling group and San Mateo County Parks staff demonstrates how innovative community partnerships can create engaging outdoor experiences for everyone. Go out and explore the new plaques and you might learn something new about San Pedro Valley Park!