Director Quintero Visits Point Lobos State Natural Reserve During Earth Day Week and Participates in Podcast
Story and photo from: Lisa Maldonado Bradford, Monterey District
 Left to right: Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students, Interpreter I Alec Knapp; State Parks Director Armando Quintero; Monterey Sector Superintendent and Public Safety Chief Ranger Sean James; and Senior Producer-Podcasts, Capitol Public Radio, Jennifer Picard.
California State Parks Monterey District State Parks staff hosted Director Armando Quintero on Wednesday, April 20, at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve for an interview with Capitol Public Radio Senior Podcasts Producer Jennifer Picard for a soon to be released podcast, “How to Outdoors.”
According to Ms. Picard, the seasonal podcast is designed to give people with limited knowledge of the outdoors the basic skills to make their outdoors experiences better. Director Quintero shared many personal anecdotes, as well as compelling insights into the department’s focus on meeting the needs of Californians’ accessibility to outdoor park experiences. He spoke about two new pass programs, the California State Park Adventure Pass and the California State Library Park Pass programs.
Despite a forecast of rain, sunny weather prevailed that day, and the magical beauty intrinsic to Point Lobos State Natural Reserve provided the perfect backdrop for Director Quintero’s interview.
Park Maintenance Assistant Improves Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area Campground Entrance
Story and photos from Edgar Chavez, Oceano Dunes District
 Top two photos: The campground entrance to Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area prior to the improvement project. Bottom two photos: The improved entrance after Oceano Dunes District staff upgraded the area with bark mulch.
The visitor center here at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area is the first impression of the park as visitors drive into the campground. After discussing with the district chief about ways to improve the park for our community and visitors, I was given a project to visually enhance the Oceano Campground entrance parking lot.
After planning and discussing how we could improve the entrance parking lot, seasonal staff and I started to get our gloves dirty by grading down our work area to the level needed for the bark mulch to go into the parking lot planter islands. As we worked, we realized there was a faster way to level and grade the soil from the planter islands.
After speaking with my supervisor, we squeezed in time to get help from our equipment operators to get the ground set and the level we needed it. Not only did the equipment operators assist with that, but they also helped by bringing in yards of bark mulch for us to spread throughout the parking lot planter islands.
Once the project was finalized, I could sense that the crew was very pleased with the outcome. This project was not only a great learning experience for me, as a new park maintenance assistant, but also for the amazing crew helping with this campground project. It was the first of many projects I see our maintenance crew and myself doing here to improve our park in the Oceano Dunes District.
Sahara Sandbar & Pizza Debuts at Huntington State Beach
Story and photos from: Michelle Figueroa, Orange Coast District
 Left to right: Madelynn Hirneise, CEO of Families Forward; California State Parks Orange Coast North Sector Superintendent Kevin Pearsall; Sahara Whitney; Alicia Whitney, CEO of PRJKT Restaurant Group.
A press conference and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at Sahara Sandbar & Pizza on Tuesday, April 19, in celebration of its much-anticipated opening. Alicia Whitney, founder of PRJKT Restaurant Group, has revamped the restaurant experience at Huntington State Beach, starting with her highly popular Huntington Beach House, which opened in July 2021.
She continues her legacy with Sahara Sandbar & Pizza, named after her daughter, featuring house-made, from-scratch California-style pizza served to you right on the beach!
The restaurant officially opened on Wednesday, April 20, and donated $1 to Families Forward for every pizza sold. Families Forward is a nonprofit organization that aids families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Alicia Whitney will continue her sights on opening California Fork & Spoon in 2023, completing the trifecta of restaurants to open on the coastline of Huntington State Beach.
 Left: California State Parks Orange Coast North Sector Superintendent Kevin Pearsall shares a few words at the Sahara Sandbar & Pizza opening press conference. Right: The colorful entryway of the restaurant, which officially opened on Wednesday, April 20.
California State University Interpretation Students Converge on Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Story from: Griff Griffith, North Coast Redwoods District
 Interpreter Griff Griffith explains redwood ecology at Founders Grove, Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Photo from Ryan Spencer, North Coast Redwoods District.
Some might say that being an interpreter at Humboldt Redwoods State Park (HRSP) is easy. I would agree, to a point. Of course, it’s simple for us to pull a compelling story out of this ancient forest. These fog-scraping giants are like celebrities—even their most mundane facts are fascinating. Nor does it take much effort to conjure up a heartbreaking, inspiring or paradigm-shifting tale from the pages of this land’s history. That’s what makes this park the perfect place to train “Loraxes” (referencing Dr. Suess' book "The Lorax") who can “speak for the trees.”
On the weekend of April 15-17, the Loraxes-in-training were 40 interpretation students from three different California State Universities: Chico, Sacramento and Cal Poly Humboldt. They learned from the North Coast Redwood District’s interpretive team that their future careers will entail far more than just “speaking for the trees.” Students were guided on walks, activities, discussions and dances (yes, dances) that challenged them to practice seeing parks from multiple perspectives and through multiple lenses. They learned to be authentic when interpreting difficult subjects. And HRSP, with more than its share of difficult history, was the right place to study this. The Lolangkok Sinkyone land that Humboldt Redwoods is embedded in is a place marked by genocide, eugenics, extreme resource exploitation and catastrophic floods. But it was also saved by the generosity of millions of donors, voters, volunteers and State Parks staff—Loraxes in their own right! By reflecting on the tumultuous past of this land, and the courage of those who saved it from the ax, the students learned to construct stories that will help visitors to understand our unfolding park legacy and to work to protect places like Humboldt Redwoods State Park for the future.
The appreciation from the participating professors and students was worth all the efforts. According to Jennifer Tarlton, lead instructor in the Environmental Education and Interpretation Program at Cal Poly Humboldt, “As a lifelong student, and now instructor, of interpretation, I walked away from the weekend feeling truly re-inspired. You all are taking the lead by growing, adapting, listening and trying new and innovative interpretive techniques to ensure our public spaces are for everyone. Thank you so much for your time and effort in putting together such a meaningful growth experience for these emerging interpreters. You’re modeling the bravery, humility and authenticity that I hope these students will bring with them when they enter the field.”
A special thanks to the HRSP maintenance team for supporting this event even with their very, very busy schedule. You guys rock!
 Top: Interpretation students from three different California State Universities join forces with North Coast Redwoods District (NCRD) interpreters at Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Bottom: NCRD Interpretive Manager Marnin Robbins (center) works with students to rethink park history. Photos from Ryan Spencer, North Coast Redwoods District.
California State Parks Recognizes Volunteers During National Volunteer Week
Story from: Rachel Young, Partnerships Division
 Left to right: Kathy Stark, Russ Danielson, Steve Haas, John Salcido (on the “air shovel”) and Rick Bielat at Venice Beach at Half Moon Bay State Beach. Photo from Kathy Gianassi, volunteer for Santa Cruz District.
California State Parks, its staff and visitors all greatly benefit from the presence, hard work, talent and dedication of volunteers. This year’s National Volunteer Week, held April 17-23, provides a special opportunity to recognize our parks’ amazing volunteers.
This year, National Volunteer Week arrives on the heels of the publication of the California State Parks "Volunteers in Parks Program 2020 Annual Report," which details the contributions of 10,940 volunteers who provided over 500,000 hours of service in 2020. While volunteer services were greatly impacted in 2020 due to COVID-19, our volunteers stepped up amid difficult circumstances. We want to take this opportunity to recognize volunteers’ contributions to the State Parks System through the challenges in 2020 and 2021 and now in the current times, when most of our volunteer programs have been able to resume their regular service to parks.
In 2020, despite the many challenges that year brought, volunteers continued to enable state parks to enhance outreach and community engagement activities, including helping with adapting many of the programs to a virtual format, and to provide services to the increased number of visitors who flooded state parks that year. Volunteers continued to help with public safety; provide for the ongoing stewardship of natural and cultural resources; monitor local wildlife populations; interpret history; maintain grounds, gardens, beaches and trails; help campers; and so much more.
The annual report’s statistics reflect the efforts of volunteer coordinators, superintendents and field staff, who are to be commended for their work in building and maintaining this robust program. You can request a copy of the "Volunteers in Parks Program 2020 Annual Report," by emailing Volunteer.InParksProgram@parks.ca.gov.
Despite the challenges over the last two years, our volunteers have proved to be a dedicated group of outstanding individuals, willing to step up and support state parks throughout California. California State Parks thanks our amazing volunteers for their years of service and commitment to the stewardship of parks.
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 State Parks staff and volunteers at work. Top left (left to right): Associate State Archaeologist Hayley Elsken with Colorado Desert Archaeology volunteers Lance Deibler and Mary Lou White review notes while on survey. Photo from John Poole, former Colorado Desert District staff member. Top right (left to right): Chuck Graef, Jen Roger and Nelson Snook mining the river at Marshall Gold Discovery State Histortoric Park. Photo from Jerrie Beard, Gold Fields District. Bottom right: Corrie and Anna Bowman, San Clemente State Beach hosts. Photo from Marie March, Orange Coast District. Middle right: Son Rey Garcia (left) and Andy Mackey doing maintenance work at Mendocino Headlands State Park with a rainbow for a backdrop. Photo from Carrie Durkee, volunteer for Sonoma-Mendocino Coast District. Bottom left: Sasan Sheibanni (left) and Mike Malone installing a sign at Malibu Creek State Park. Photo from by Mohamed Zuhair, Angeles District.
 PARTNER NEWS
Shout-Out to Earth Day Volunteers (Including Director Quintero) at China Camp State Park
Story and photos from: Kevin Smead, Friends of China Camp
 Earth Day event volunteers at China Camp State Park. Director Armando Quintero (center, bottom row) volunteered, helping trim trails, weed-whip and clean culverts.
China Camp State Park hosted a special Earth Day event on Saturday, April 2, sponsored by the California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) and the Friends of China Camp (FOCC). Among the roughly 40 volunteers who chose to honor the day and our natural environment by working to maintain and improve this precious community resource were members of the general public, a large contingent from long-time China Camp supporter PG&E, North Coast State Senator/Majority Leader Mike Maguire, a representative from the office of State Assemblyman Mark Levine and many of our dedicated FOCC volunteers and staff. Another volunteer who came to help with the Earth Day cleanup was State Parks Director Armando Quintero.
After some opening remarks and some instruction by FOCC volunteer leads, about three-quarters of the group descended on a roughly half-mile section of the Shoreline Trail—from the Miwok Bridge No. 6 to the Bullet Hill Trail intersection—to prepare it for the future Americans with Disabilities Act trail rehabilitation. Working in teams, the volunteers raked dead leaves and other duff from the sides of the trail, as well as from the trail itself. Using hand tools and power trimmers they cut back overgrown organics (including copious amounts of poison oak) and trimmed weeds, grass, tree limbs and overgrown shrubs that encroached on the trail.
Others excavated clogged culverts and cleared flood-precipitating fallen limbs, rocks and other debris from seasonal streams that pass under or across the trail. A few even painstakingly removed with small, sharp tools—while on their hands and knees—dirt and plant material from the approaches to and decks of the bridges that span this section of the Shoreline Trail.
It was great to hear the appreciation and encouragement showered on the volunteers by the many bikers and hikers who passed by on a beautiful (and typically busy) Saturday morning in China Camp. The Earth Day event was not just about keeping the park’s trails in tip-top shape: A separate contingent diligently removed—down to their very deep taproots—hundreds (if not thousands) of invasive broom plants from along the roadside at the northwest end of the park. Finally, after several hours of hard work, everyone sat down together in the Miwok Meadows picnic grounds to share lunch and the company of friends new and old.
Thanks to all, including Director Quintero, who joined us and made Earth Day 2022 at China Camp such a success! Whether it’s once a week, once a month or for special events like Earth Day, we need your help. There’s always so much to do––we hope you’ll join us again!
 About 40 volunteers, including Director Armando Quintero (left photo), spent their day on Saturday, April 2, working hard to clean and help maintain China Camp State Park.
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