by Loretta Drummond

Over the past 2 months, our Emerging Professionals Chair, Loretta Drummond, collaborated with Elisa Horta to help her earn her Girl Scout Gold Award and come up with a conceptual design for a "nature discovery area" at the Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge in Fremont. The original idea was conceived by Carmen Leong-Minch, a long-serving staff member for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, who wanted a space for children to interact with organic materials and learn about Cailifornia native plants. On July 14th, a group of ASLA Emerging Professionals joined Horta and other Girl Scouts to help implement the plan. A grand opening celebration is expected to occur in October.