The Issue
The learning circle in BioTrek's Ethnobotany Garden is a place where K-12 students interact with animals, professors in several colleges hold classes, and Cal Poly Pomona students gather to discuss their coursework or take their lunch. Unfortunately, the learning circle receives little shade from mid-morning through late-afternoon because it is at the southwestern corner of the garden. For several years, to provide shade for our visitors we have used pop-up canopies, which provide shade to most of the learning circle; however, the legs of the canopies do get in the way as people walk to their seating and as docents show animals to students on tours. Further, the canopies can be damaged in high winds.
The Solution
A permanent canopy to cover the learning circle.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of the BioTrek facilities, this gift will help us get started on the road to success!
The acorns of the local oaks were the food staple of the Tongva and other Native Americans in Southern California.
Southern California Black Walnut is the most common native tree on the campus of Cal Poly Pomona and was an excellent source of fats and proteins for the native Tongva.
Galileo is our resident iguana and the newest member of the BioTrek family. He became locally famous because of his naming contest in August. This donation level is a ninth of our goal.
Our Cuvier's dwarf caimans, Jacare and Lara, are the stars of BioTrek. They are our largest animals and when you visit the Rainforest Learning Center, you can often find them hanging out together on the rock ledge of their enclosure. Just one donation at this level will get us within 78% of our funding goal!