A hidden treasure in the Back Bay

Danette Goulet

BACK BAY -- Every day, people jog, bike and walk their dogs along the

Back Bay, many never realizing that nestled in the hillside is an

unobtrusive treasure.

That is the goal of the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center, which

opened in the Upper Newport Bay in October -- to see humans and their

habitat live in harmony.

Although the center appears to be hidden, it is not meant to be a

secret. In fact, more than 300 guests made their way down the winding

dirt path Saturday to explore the center during its first open house.

Children were invited to dive into the fun in the hands-on activity

center.

There, children could do fish printing, a custom the Japanese used to

record their catches 100 years ago. They would paint a fish and press a

piece of paper on it, said Grace Yick, the senior park ranger at the

center.

“We’re using rubber replicas and not real fish,” she assured.

Another favorite was the “touch table,” where children could examine

skulls and fossils and animal furs.

“Oh, the bunny is my favorite,” said Alexandra Steiner, 6, rubbing the

rabbit pelt to her cheek.

Children were also invited suggest names for four permanent residents

of the center, a red-eared slider turtle and three snakes -- a gopher

snake, a king snake and a rosy boa. If the center chooses their name, the

child will win a guided canoe or kayak trip for four around the bay.

“I think I would call him Noah’s Ark,” said 4-year-old Caleb O’Neil,

eyeing the turtle.

Children were also invited to color, decorate a picture of a snake

with glue and seeds to create a textured picture, or create mud flat

creatures out of clay.

“There is a rich source of food for birds in the mud flats -- clams,

worms, fish -- it’s one of the things people don’t realize,” Yick said.

“When you look at [the mud flats in the Back Bay] it doesn’t look like

there’s a lot going on.”

That is one the challenges of preserving life in the bay, Yick said.

People walk on the mud flats thinking all that is happening is that

their shoes are getting muddy, when in fact they are destroying life and

killing a major food source of birds.

Already packed with exhibits and hands-on learning tools, the center

invited the Wetlands and Wild Life Care Center of Orange County and the

Birds of Prey Center to come and share the day. The wetlands center

brought a snake, a desert tortoise and tons of feathers, fossils and fact

sheets to the party, while the birds of prey facility, naturally, brought

birds -- two kinds of owls and a falcon.

Visitors were also invited to help plant a butterfly garden in front

of the center.

Children could choose a plant from nine different species toplant and

water. Next to the plants, they stuck color-coded flags bearing their

names.

“The butterflies will like it,” said JulieAnn Hamano, 7, holding up a

purple flag on which she had drawn a butterfly next to her name.

With plenty of turtle and snake name suggestions, 150 new plants in

the ground and an increased awareness, the open house let the hidden

center’s secret out.

FYI

WHAT: Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center

WHERE: 2301 University Drive, Newport Beach

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday

COST: Free

CALL: (714) 973-6820