The Rim of the World Interpretive Association (ROWIA) had planned to celebrate the 40th year of its establishment last September. However, the Line Fire forced the cancellation of all anniversary activities.
Those activities have been rescheduled and promise to be fun and informative.
The kick-off event will be the annual spring native plant sale, set for Saturday, April 26. The sale will open at 9 a.m. for members and 10 a.m. for all. This event promotes the use of native plants in mountain gardens while raising funds that support educational activities at Heaps Peak Arboretum.
Then, in May, there will be a variety of free public activities leading up to the anniversary celebration on Saturday, May 17.
- Saturday, May 3: 8 a.m., guided bird walk (60-90 minutes); 10 a.m., edible and medicinal plants in the forest (two hours)
- Sunday, May 4: 2 p.m., children’s nature-focused crafts (one hour, ages 4-11)
- Saturday, May 10: 10 a.m., guided nature walk – forest trees and plants (one hour); 2 p.m., introduction to mountain composting (45 minutes)
- Sunday, May 11: children’s nature-focused crafts (one hour, ages 4-11)
- Saturday, May 17: 8 a.m., guided bird walk (60-90 minutes); 2 p.m., anniversary celebration (one hour); 3 p.m., nature scavenger hunt (15-30 minutes, all ages)
All events will take place at Heaps Peak Arboretum, 29358 Highway 18 between Running Springs and Lake Arrowhead. Visit the website, www.hparboretum.com, to become a member and for more information on other activities offered on a regular basis.
The Sequoia Trail is a popular hiking (or strolling) location for residents and visitors.
The history of the Arboretum
What is the origin of the Heaps Peak Arboretum?
In the 1880s, Fred Heaps built a ranch on 40 acres in the area now known as Heaps Peak. After his death, his nephew built a lumber harvesting company on the site.
In 1893, the area became part of the San Bernardino Forest Reserve and then, in 1905, the Reserve became the San Bernardino National Forest.
It was in 1927 that Mary Putnam Henck – community leader, teacher and founder of the Lake Arrowhead Women’s Club – got U.S. Forest Service rangers, fellow teachers and students involved in planting trees, including Giant Sequoias, as what came to be known as Heaps Peak Arboretum.
In 1931 the site was officially named the Heaps Peak Reforestation project. It was maintained by the Women’s Club until the start of World War II.
Unfortunately, from 1939 to 1982 the Heaps Peak area was neglected and became a dumping ground. But in 1982, the U.S. Forest Service authorized the San Bernardino County Museum to develop the Heaps Peak Arboretum. George Hesemann, a retired Rim school district teacher, worked with the museum and recruited volunteers to clean up the site and create a trail.
Hesemann founded ROWIA and was its first director.
The entire 40-acre site was burned during the 2003 Old Fire. Forest Service crews established a new trail and removed hundreds of downed burned trees. Two footbridges that had burned were rebuilt by Boy Scouts and their fathers. It took more than a year to reopen the Arboretum.
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