THANK YOU To all the individuals, organizations, businesses, and agencies who made possible the preservation of the Elfin Forest Natural Area and the building of the Elfin Forest Boardwalk. A gift of Nature is an imperishable gift, never broken, torn, lost, worn; that exuberantly gives itself in return not alone to the given or receiver but to all creatures of earth for all time. - Emily Polk, Founder of Small Wilderness Area Preservation

16th Street, Los Osos, United States

Los Osos residents Jeff and Ann Fairbanks and their daughter Siena lost their lives in a 1995 auto accident. Jeff, the editor of the Telegram-Tribune, and Ann, a reporter with the newspaper, helped raise awareness and money for the preservation of the Elfin Forest. Ann and Jeff Fairbanks found their spiritual home at the edge of the Morro Bay Estuary, where land and sea come together. Through words and deeds, Jeff and Ann instilled in their three daughters, and in us, a determination to protect special places such as the Elfin Forest for generations to come. Drenched in sunshine, stirred by winds or wrapped in muffling fog, the richness of the estuary and the Elfin Forest help us link with the universe. Here we reconnect with the spirits of our dear friends Jeff, Ann and Siena. Through a child's eyes, nature is explored, not revered. Imagination breathes life into a tree's branches, creates adventures climbing a sand dune. Nature is a playmate whose friendship is limitless. Siena Fairbanks once wrote a poem imagining herself as a leaf. "When fall comes I will be thrown around by the kids when they have leaf fights... When fall comes I'll look forward to next spring when I turn green again." Stand here for a moment, close your eyes and see the Elfin Forest through a child's eyes. That is Siena's view.

, Los Osos, United States