Volunteers Sought as Archeology Docents

For the native Chumash people, the Santa Monica Mountains held food, shelter and medicine. For today’s youngsters, those same wooded hills hold wonder and mystery.

The Cold Creek Docents, a group that helps children grasp the large lessons of history and nature the mountains offer, is looking for volunteers to help guide children through those lessons.

“The children are able to go through four of the different plant communities on the trail,” said Jo Kitz, president of Mountains Restoration Trust, which oversees the docent organization. “Each of the plant communities was very important in producing food and medicine for the Chumash to be able to live quite comfortably.”

Archeology docent training sessions begin on Jan. 17, said Kitz. Subjects include fire ecology, Chumash culture, geology, rock identification and how to interpret information learned on the mountain trails.

“A lot of people like to take the class just for education for themselves,” said Kitz. “But we are really looking for people to help with the docent work.”

Docents work with children from public and private schools from Los Angeles County and Ventura counties and Oxnard.

The children go on ecology hikes and help recover, clean and sort artifacts from the soil. They learn about the artisanry of the highly skilled Chumash.

Last year, the program won the Take Pride in California Award from the state Department of Parks and Recreation and the Governor’s Historic Preservation Award.

For more information and registration, call (818) 591-9363.