Outdoor Recreation

  1. mALIBU Monarch Project LECTURES sERIES
  2. Charmlee Wilderness Park Hikes
  3. Legcay Nature PROGRAMS

MALIBU Monarch Project Lecture SERIES

Wednesday, April 15 6:30 - 7:30 PM City Hall 
Wednesday, May 136:30 - 7:30 PM City Hall 
Wednesday, June 10 
6:30 - 7:30 PM 
City Hall 

aPRIL 15, Testing the Limits of Resilience: Fire, Drought, and the Future of a Biodiversity Hotspot bY aNNA jACOBSEN

California’s chaparral shrublands are shaped by disturbance, especially fire. Many shrubs recover after burns by resprouting or germinating from seeds, but hotter droughts, more frequent fires, disease, and repeated disturbance are testing the limits of their resilience. When fires return too quickly, plants may not mature or rebuild seed banks, and repeated fire and drought can weaken resprouting shrubs.

If recovery fails, shrublands can lose diversity and canopy cover, sometimes shifting toward more open, grass-dominated landscapes. Using examples from the Santa Monica Mountains, this talk explores how these combined stresses are reshaping chaparral communities and what they may mean for the future of these ecosystems. 

Speaker: aNNA jACOBSEN

Dr. Anna L. Jacobsen is a Professor of Plant Biology at California State University, Bakersfield, who studies California’s chaparral shrublands and how plants respond to wildfire, drought, disease, and other disturbances. Her research focuses on how water transport within plants influences their ability to survive stress. 

Her work shows that extreme drought and frequent fire can cause sharp population declines and local extinctions. A Fulbright Scholar and author of more than 100 scientific publications, she is widely recognized for advancing understanding of plant resilience in a changing climate. 

RSVP is recommended at MalibuCity.org/Register.


  1. 1 MMP
  2. 2 Legacy Park Bird Photography
  3. 3 Intro to Birding
  4. 4 Nature Walk and Story time
  5. 5 Pollinator Plant Giveaway
  6. 6 Sunset Hikes

Rattlesnake Habitats at City Parks


Rattlesnakes are native to Malibu and play an essential role in the ecosystem. They control rodent populations which lower the spread of rodent-borne diseases like Lyme disease and reduce property damage caused by mice, rats, and ground squirrels. They are cold-blooded, which means they cannot regulate their body temperature, and because of this, they are most active when the temperature is between 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit.

When visiting City parks,  it is important to be aware of your surroundings and treat every location as though a rattlesnake could be present. Please remember to stay on trails, keep your dog on a leash, and check playground areas before allowing children to use the equipment.   Keep in mind that rattlesnakes do not always rattle before striking, so a visual check is needed to guarantee they are not present. If you see a rattlesnake, stay as far away as possible, report the sighting, and do not harm the snake. 

If City staff are onsite, notify them, and they will address the situation.  If the snake is in a high-traffic area and City staff are not present, call the Agoura Hills Animal Shelter at 818-991-0071.  Be prepared to report the snake's location, size, and danger to the public.