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The Butte Environmental Council’s 39th annual Endangered Species Faire is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Cedar Grove in Bidwell Park. The event’s theme is “Finned Migrations: Connecting Warming Oceans to Inland Streams.”

CHICO — Nestled inside lower Bidwell Park is where the wild things were during the 34th annual Endangered Species Faire Saturday. Some children, adults, and furry and scaly creatures were in attendance at the fair that ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Cedar Grove. Butte Environmental Council's event, which began in 1979, is the longest running environmental fair in northern California, said Robyn DiFalco, BEC executive director. The fair is meant to give schools, government and environmental organizations, and community groups a forum to present information on ecology wildlife and environmental issues, according to the BEC. It also allows those who attend to appreciate and broaden their knowledge of nature.

Chico residents disguised in intricate handmade animal puppet costumes celebrated the environment through acoustic melodies Sunday at the 34th annual Butte Environmental Council’s annual Endangered Species Faire. The fair, hosted at Cedar Grove in lower Bidwell Park, featured a “Procession of the Species” parade where hand-make unique puppet costumes were created and worn by participants. Those participating filled out an application and can also attend the Butte Environmental Council puppet-making workshops months prior to the event.

The Endangered Species Faire has been in Chico since 1979 to give the public information on ecology, wildlife and environmental happenings, according to the Butte Environmental Council website.

A free workshop on how to make the large and small puppets featured in the Procession of the Species, an annual puppet parade that is part of the Butte Environmental Council Endangered Species Faire, will take place Jan. 26 From noon to 5 p.m., master puppeteers Kathy Faith, Jessica McDougal and Cheetah Tchudi will give instruction and assistance in designing and creating puppets ranging in size from hand-held papier-m chŽ stick puppets to multi-person puppets that tower more than 10 feet.

Participants are encouraged to bring materials and art supplies, cloth remnants, glue, newspaper, dowel roads and other craft elements. Instruction will also be offered in mask- and costume-making. The session will be held at Habitat Lab, 199 E. 13th St. This is the third year the Procession of the Species (www.facebook.com/ProcessionOfTheSpecies) will be part of the faire, put on by Butte Enviornmental Council's on May 4. Besides puppets, there will be costumes and masks that represent the most vulnerable creatures. The workshop is open to all ages. Pre-registration may be done at susan@turkeytailfarm.net or by calling 781-4122.

The annual event is hosted by the Butte Environmental Council as a way to share information about the environment and promote the protection of endangered species.

It rained for the entire four hours the group was setting up their booths, but once 11 a.m. rolled around, the skies were mostly clear, BEC executive director Natalie Carter said.

shows, music, local food vendors, demonstrations, more. Walking, biking or bus transportation to the event encouraged. Hosted by Butte Environmental Council. 891-6424.

37th annual Endangered species Faire, Chico: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Group Picnic Area, One-Mile Recreation Area, Lower Bidwell Park. Learn about environmental issues and enjoy live music and food; 30 environmental booths. Hands-on experiences/activities; eco-scavenger hunt, vegetable starts, raffle, puppet parade featuring paper mache puppets made by elementary students. Free bike valet by Chico Velo; hydration station by Klean Kanteen. Hosted by Butte Environmental Council. www.becnet.org/endangered-species-faire.

The students will get a chance to parade their puppets during the Procession of the Species at this year’s fair on May 7, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at One-Mile Recreation Area.

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) - The U.S. government owes more than $210,000 in legal fees to environmentalists opposing residential developments they say will destroy vernal pools near Sacramento.     The Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers met with local landowners and agencies in June 2004 to design a conceptual strategy that would guide development in the area according to a set of specific principles.

California Native Plant Society joined the Defenders of Wildlife and Butte Environmental Council in a challenge against the conceptual plan in June 2007. Among other things, they claimed the government failed to assess the conceptual plan under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and failed to follow NEPA guidelines in the environmental assessments. They also claimed the agencies failed to issue permits without studying the projects' impacts to endangered species in violation of the Endangered Species Act.

When the plaintiffs won an injunction in July 2007, the court maintained that the groups were unlikely to succeed on their first, third and fourth claims. It nevertheless ruled that the government failed to address cumulative impacts of development projects to vernal pools, which would be permanently destroyed.

Endangered Species Faire to return to its original (shadier) location in Lower Bidwell Park

For the 35th anniversary of its Endangered Species Faire, the Butte Environmental Council is returning to where it all began. The May 3 event will take place in the One-Mile Recreation Area in Lower Bidwell Park—site of the inaugural festival in 1979. Specifically, the booths and stage will be at the group picnic area next to the playground, across from Sycamore Field.

BEC, which has held the fair at Cedar Grove for decades, decided to move back to its first location for better accessibility as well as more shade.

The Butte Environmental Council organized a brunch in honor of Earth Day in Chico and all the proceeds helped an organization, aimed at educating people about endangered species.

Butte Environmental Council’s Endangered Species Faire has celebrated efforts to protect the environment for decades. The free gathering gives children and adults information and hands-on learning experiences that stress efforts to protect the earth and its creatures. This year’s event will take place at the picnic area at One Mile Recreation Area from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Engangered Species Fair runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the group picnic area at One-Mile Recreation Area in lower Bidwell Park. The 37th annual event is put on by the Butte Environmental Council and is free.

The theme is “Back from the Brink” which celebrates the removal of three species from the endangered species list, including the gray wolf, bald eagle and maguire daisy. Highlights include an eco-scavenger hunt, free vegetable starts, a raffle and a puppet parade featuring papier mache puppets made by local elementary students.

But in the northern half of the Central Valley, most people want the tunnels stopped. They say it will suck the Delta dry, destroy farming business in the Delta and the Sacramento Valley, devastate the river’s ecosystem and lead to overuse of groundwater supplies. “This is one of the rare times when farmers and environmentalists can agree that a project is going to be devastating for both their interests,” said Robyn DiFalco, executive director of the Butte Environmental Council. DiFalco notes that the tunnels will not only increase Southern California’s dependence on Northern California’s water, but “they will also make it easier for [Southern California] to get it.”

Many critics of the BDCP have described the tunnels as a means of transferring away the wealth of Northern California to powerful water agencies to the south, which will be paying for a great deal of their enormous cost.

John Merz, executive director of the Chico-based Sacramento River Preservation Trust, says he has little faith in the components of the BDCP intended to restore the Delta’s health. He recognizes that there will be legal limits to how much water the tunnels can remove from the river. “But we don’t think those limits will be enough to protect the river,” Merz said. He added, “Frankly, when it comes to restoring the health of the Sacramento River, we just don’t trust the Brown administration to do the right thing.”

Butte Environmental Council: 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Earth Day Brunch to benefit Endangered Species Faire. $25 advance, $30 at door. Tickets www.benet.org. 891-6424. Humboldt Community Garden, corner of Humboldt Road and El Monte in Chico.