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 June 3, 2022
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 Sue-meg State Park
Park staff performing intertidal monitoring.
Photo from Katrina Henderson, North Coast Redwoods District
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View California State Parks 19th Annual Director's Recognition Awards Ceremony Video
Story from: Laura Kujubu, Communications and Marketing Division
 Click here or above to watch the 19th Annual Director's Recognition Awards Ceremony.
Congratulations to the 19th Annual Director's Recognition Awards awardees! Through this awards program, California State Parks recognizes the exceptional and outstanding accomplishments that further the mission, goals and core values of the department.
As with last year’s ceremony, due to the ongoing pandemic, the Director’s Recognition Awards Ceremony was done virtually. During the awards ceremony video, you will see and hear about the accomplishments of your fellow State Parks employees that have been nothing short of remarkable—all demonstrating their immense dedication, bravery and creativity, and tireless work ethic.
“Providing safe and equitable outdoor spaces for the enjoyment and mental and physical health of all Californians, and preserving the state’s natural and cultural resources is more vital than ever before,” said State Parks Director Armando Quintero in the video. “All of us, whether in the office or in the field, are providing safe havens for those who need to de-stress, exercise or simply spend valuable time with family. You’ve accomplished so much this last year …”
Some of the award categories were leadership and vision, inspiration, professional integrity, resilience and innovation. Individuals or teams were also honored with special commendation and special act/service awards. Click here to view the ceremony program.
The Director’s Recognition Awards Program is also intended to remind employees of the proud heritage of public service that has become a tradition in our department. This tradition has been established and shaped by some of the most important and inspiring figures in the history of the American Parks Movement.
A thank you to all employees for their dedication to the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Through your efforts, you help to improve communities across the state, protect natural and cultural resources, promote recreational opportunities and preserve California’s heritage.
“Thank you all for jobs well done, for caring for each other, the park visitors, the cultural and natural resources … Remember that we are the ancestors who will pass on these extraordinary places, these stories of humanity and the natural systems on into the future,” said Director Quintero during his remarks in the video. “We are truly fortunate to work for the California Department of Parks and Recreation.”
Add Your Voice to Discussion About Climate Change
Story from: Office of Historic Preservation
 Did you know that California has an intragovernmental Cultural Resources Climate Change Task Force dedicated to addressing the impacts of global warming on our cultural heritage?
Climate change is one of the most significant and fastest-growing threats to people and their heritage worldwide. To understand climate impacts on historic and cultural resources, the California Cultural Resources Climate Change Task Force was established as part of the overall state climate change ambitions outlined in the document "Safeguarding California Plan: 2018 Update." Over the last few years, the task force worked to analyze the state’s climate ambition and develop ways in which cultural heritage can be included in these ambitions for greater outcomes.
Come and learn more about the current work of the task force, share your ideas and provide input on future work and priorities. The task force will host a free webinar, on Friday, June 10, 9 a.m. to noon, in the margins of the Annual Conference of the California Preservation Foundation. To register for the webinar and for more for details, visit the Office of Historic Preservation’s Climate Action webpage.
 Email photos to the WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
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State Parks Staff to Speak to Students Underwater at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve for World Ocean Day
Story from: Doug Johnson, Communications and Marketing Division
 A diver speaking to students from Whalers Cove in Point Lobos State Natural Reserve during 2021 World Ocean Day underwater broadcast.
On Tuesday, June 7, and Wednesday, June 8, California State Parks will deliver live underwater broadcasts from Whalers Cove in Point Lobos State Natural Reserve to several classrooms across the state.
The underwater world is brought to life by expert divers from State Parks and the Monterey Bay Aquarium through live two-way audio and video. This feed is incorporated into a broadcast to the public on social media and delivered directly into classrooms through the California State Parks PORTS (Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students) Program.
PORTS has been pioneering live video opportunities for K-12 students for almost two decades and is now bringing the magical and mysterious underwater world to students who may have never visited the ocean. On June 7 and 8, State Parks will deliver a number of live programs in honor of World Ocean Day on multiple social media channels, with followers that number in the millions. In collaboration with partners, including Microsoft Education and Zoom Video Communications, the program will also present directly to students in classrooms in California and around the world who will be able to ask questions directly to the divers.
Participating classrooms were selected by a contest run by PORTS that asked students to develop a World Ocean Day logo. The winners of that contest came from the following school districts across California: San Diego Unified School District, East Whittier School District and Travis Unified School District in Fairfield, California.
To view the underwater portion of the 2021 World Ocean Day broadcast, click here. To learn more about World Ocean Day, click here. To learn more about the California State Parks PORTS Program, click here.
 Winners from the Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students Program's World Ocean Day Logo contest.
Boy Scouts Donate Opossum Boxes and Remove Invasive Species at Tule Elk State Natural Reserve
Story and photos from: Lori Wear, Great Basin District
 Boy Scout Troop 47 donated three opossum boxes and helped remove invasive species at Tule Elk State Natural Reserve.
On a cool and breezy May morning, 16 members of Boy Scout Troop 47 from Bakersfield, California, and their parents arrived at the Tule Elk State Natural Reserve for a tour and to volunteer.
This outing was as part of earning a Mammal Study merit badge. One of the tasks for the merit badge is to “select and carry out one project that will influence the numbers of one or more mammals.” Boy Scout Troop 47 made three opossum boxes to provide a safe shelter for these beneficial mammals. The opossum boxes will be placed in the reserve near trees and a water source.
The troop’s project counselor, Jackie James, arranged for Troop 47 to visit the reserve and volunteer to complete part of their conservation volunteer requirement by removing invasive species (tumbleweeds). The morning started off with a tour of the visitor center to learn more about the tule elk, a subspecies of elk endemic to California, which were saved from extinction in part by cattleman Henry Miller in the Buttonwillow area, located in the southern Central Valley. Troop 47 then helped to remove tumbleweeds from the reserve for three hours.
The Scouts had a wonderful time learning about the tule elk and working together to make three opossum boxes. The morning wrapped up with photos of the Scouts in front of an interpretive panel detailing the characteristics and history of the tule elk.
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park Welcomes Back Its Lifeguard Program For Second Season
Story and photos from: Ryan Rzab, Northern Buttes District
 Left: Seasonal Lifeguard II Collin Plank (left) and Seasonal Lifeguard II Josh Dotson. Top and bottom right: Collin and Josh doing training in the falls pool to prepare for rescues or recoveries.
The staff, park visitors and local community are excited for the continuation of its lifeguard program that adds another layer of public safety and expertise to McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park (Burney Falls). The State Parks lifeguards at Burney Falls are the only aquatically trained professionals in the local area outside of the Sheriff’s Department Dive Team.
Although the job they do is a serious one, they keep things at Burney Falls and Lake Britton lighthearted:
- Seasonal Lifeguard II Josh Dotson returned for his second summer. “Hi Mom!” Josh wanted to add to this Weekly Digest article.
- Seasonal Lifeguard II Collin Plank got his fins wet at the falls with his first shift being over Memorial Day weekend. “I saw this place in TikTok!” noted Collin.
The water in the falls pool is a blustery 42 degrees from the snowmelt in the surrounding area. Lake Britton was a relaxing 60 degrees this week. As the summer crowds head our way, the lifeguards are sure to be safe, stay kind and make some rescues!
Early-Season Wildfire on Mendocino Coast: Owens Fire
Story and photos from: Bill Maslach, Sonoma-Mendocino Coast District
 Top: A northeast wind pushed the Owens Fire last month to the edge of the bluff in Schooner Gulch State Beach (SB) above Bowling Ball Beach. Bottom: Fire severity was patchy throughout the 16 acres burned in Schooner Gulch SB. In a few areas, fire crowned in stands of bishop pine trees.
On the warm, windy afternoon of Friday, May 20, a wildland fire broke out near a ranch in the bishop pine forests of Point Arena, and it quickly spread onto the 50-acre park unit of Schooner Gulch State Beach. Within an hour, two air tankers were laying retardant, several helicopters were dropping water and 150 personnel, including inland CAL FIRE crews and local volunteer fire departments, were responding on scene. The objective of what was to be called the Owens Fire was apparent: Stop the fire from spreading in 80-degree weather, in winds gusting to 30 mph and adjacent to multiple structures.
Wildfires in coastal Mendocino County are uncommon. However, drought, fire suppression, senescing trees and pathogens all have increased the probability of wildfire, even in the fog belt right on the coast. Then throw into the mix an increasing wildland-urban interface and warming trends, and you have a volatile situation. This new pattern of larger, infrequent fires is evident from a look at fire scars under the bark of ancient redwoods. Scientist have shown that fire-return intervals in some areas of the Mendocino Coast were as frequent as six to 20 years.
The coastal vegetation of Mendocino and Sonoma Counties follows a general gradient from the shore to inland areas. Shore pines and grasses grow on the bluffs above the ocean, a thick belt of bishop pines sometimes touches the ocean bluff but is firmly established eastward, and these pines soon give way to the vast forests of redwoods and firs. Interspersed on ridges within the redwood forests are patches of Mendocino cypress and dwarfed bolander and bishop pines that grow on nutrient-poor soils of ancient marine terraces. These cypress woodlands, or pygmy forests, and the huckleberries and shrubs growing there are very well adapted in their resilience to fire.
With the Owens Fire last month, as fire personnel mopped up the 36-acre fire during the following two days, Sonoma-Mendocino Coast District Resource Advisors documented 0.85 miles of fire suppression hand line and 500 feet of dozer line. Two pit toilet restrooms were burned, and the wooden treads of steps leading to the famous Bowling Ball Beach were charred but still in place. Although not without some costs, damage to cultural and natural resources and facilities was relatively minimal to recent fires.
 Left: A fire-weakened bishop pine tree was flagged off as a hazardous area. Right: Approximately 16 acres west of Highway 1 burned in during the 36-acre Owens Fire in Schooner Gulch State Beach. Near the point of the fire origin, fire retardant (upper right) was dropped by CAL FIRE air tankers from Ukiah, California. A hose lay and fire suppression hand line are visible at the bottom of the photo.
State Parks and California Department of Public Health Services Partner to Promote A Healthier California
Story from: California Department of Public Health
 The California Department of Health Services and California State Parks partnered this week to promote a healthier California.
California is committed to providing Californians with resources to keep them healthy. With summer approaching, we encourage traveling to California’s 279 state parks to enjoy the warm weather and activities like camping, hiking, biking and swimming, as they are great ways to help boost your mood and get some exercise. State parks are the perfect places to visit to reconnect with nature, as well as family and friends. Step into the outdoors and away from your day-to-day responsibilities while supporting your long-term health and wellness.
Enjoy your favorite recreational activity by getting vaccinated. Everyone ages five and up can get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. Vaccines are the safer way to stay protected against serious illness, hospitalization or death from COVID-19. They also can prevent long COVID, which can last for months, even in people who had mild or no symptoms.
Find a vaccine near you by visiting MyTurn.ca.gov or call (833) 422-4255.
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To view current job openings within California State Parks, please visit our jobs webpage at www.LiveTheParksLife.com.
State Parks Job Spotlights and Open Exams
 JOB SPOTLIGHTS
Park Maintenance Assistant – Final filing date: Dates vary. California is hiring multiple Park Maintenance Assistants throughout California. If you have an interest in working outdoors, keeping California state parks safe and operational, and enjoy being part of a dynamic and hardworking team, then explore this exciting career path today. Salary: $3,337-$3,819 (monthly). Click here for more information.
Seasonal/Part-Time Positions – Final filing date: Ongoing. There are plenty of great seasonal/part-time opportunities waiting just for you. With no exam needed, apply to our Park Aide, Maintenance Aide, Environmental Services Intern, Park Interpretive Specialist and/or Forestry Aide openings today. Pay: $15-$20.98 (hourly). Click here for more information.
Accounting Officer (Specialist) – Final filing date: June 7, 2022. We are now hiring an Accounting Officer (Specialist) in Sacramento, California. This position is responsible for the review and approval of the purchase orders, contracts and grants. Take the online assessment and apply today. Salary: $4,701-$5,885 (monthly). Click here for more information.
Staff Services Manager I – Final filing date: Dates vary. Are you ready to take the next step in your career? There are multiple Staff Services Manager I opportunities available at California State Parks. If you possess excellent communication and analytical skills, looking to make a difference and are highly self-motivated, explore these rewarding opportunities today. Hiring counties include Sacramento, Orange and Monterey. Learn more about the online assessment here. Salary: $6,403-$7,954 (monthly). Click here for more information.
EXAM SPOTLIGHTS
Water and Sewage Plan Supervisor – Final filing date: July 1, 2022. As a Water and Sewage Plant Supervisor, you will oversee and supervise water treatment and sewage plant operations, direct day-to-day treatment processes and maintain operating equipment. If you have a Water or Sewage Treatment Plant certificate and three years of water or sewage treatment plant experience, then explore the online assessment today. Salary: $5,911-$6,377 (month). Click here for more information.
State Park Equipment Operator – Final filing date: Sept. 1, 2022. California State Parks has released the State Park Equipment Operator assessment! From developing new recreation areas to restoring our parks, our State Park Equipment Operators are essential to keeping visitors safe, preserving our precious resources and ensuring our state parks are operational for all to enjoy year-round. This assessment now has a biannual cut-off date. Salary: $5,094-$5,864 (monthly). Click here for more information.
State Park Interpreter I, II, III – Final filing date: Until filled. The State Park Interpreter I, II and III assessments are now available online. State Park Interpreters help develop interactive and educational programs to teach the rich histories of California. Take the online assessment and apply today. Salary: $4,276-$6,142 (monthly). Click here for more information.
Park and Recreation Specialist Series – Final filing date: Until filled. The Park and Recreation Specialist Series assessments are now available and online. From creating new outdoor parks in California communities to leading outdoor recreation programs, the opportunities are endless. From entry-level to management, explore our Park and Recreation Specialist Series assessments today. Click here for more information.
If you have any questions regarding these opportunities, connect with us at Recruiting@parks.ca.gov. We’re happy to help!
Interested in more jobs and exams like this? Explore www.LiveTheParksLife.com to discover the possibilities.
Join the Parks Jobs mailing list here. We can send you updates on jobs and exams that interest you!
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Style time! Here are this week's tips to help spread the word about our departmentwide style guidelines:
Keeping a consistent writing style ensures the Weekly Digest looks and sounds its best. Each week, the Communications and Marketing Division reviews submitted articles for proper grammar and punctuation and style consistency––from capitalization and hyphenation to proper acronyms and active/passive voice usage. In general, we follow the Associated Press style and Merriam-Webster, but at times we use our own department-specific style.
We always welcome your feedback on how to “Live the Parks Life” in (writing) style. Connect with us via email at weeklydigest@parks.ca.gov.
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 Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area
We just finished an extensive project: an exterior renovation of our historic schoolhouse, Vineyard School, built in 1892. We scraped, sanded and painted all the siding, trim and flagpole. We also found termite damage in the porch area, necessitating replacement—using the same wood species—of all the decking and some structural components.
Left: "After" photo of the schoolhouse. The crew (top row, left to right): Maintenance Supervisor Matt Courtney and Maintenance Worker I Disun den Daas; (bottom row, left to right): Senior Maintenance Aide Osten Vargas, Maintenance Aide Yolanda Nicole Gonzalez, Senior Maintenance Aide Timothy Jackson, Maintenance Aide Ian McAfee and Senior Maintenance Aide Connor Leslie. Right: "Before" photo of the schoolhouse.
Photos from Disun den Daas, Diablo Range District
Lake Oroville State Recreation Area
STIHL Inc. partnered with California State Parks and Oregon State Parks to support recovery efforts at Lake Oroville State Recreation Area and at Collier Memorial State Park in Chiloquin, Oregon, which were both hit hard by wildfires in 2020. The Hearts of STIHL program planted 2,021 trees in both state parks in 2021. Click on the video button above to watch the amazing partnership and work being done. Thank you to STIHL Inc. for all your support and partnership!
Video from STIHL Inc.
 Carpinteria State Beach
With toes in the sand, an artist captures the unique character of lifeguard headquarters.
Photo from Dave Wilson, Channel Coast District
 Shasta State Historic Park
A busy bee on a California poppy on the Ruins Trail.
Photo from Jonathan Sutliff, Northern Buttes District
 Portola Redwoods State Park
Dragonfly hanging out outside the visitor center. The shadow from its wings is so pretty.
Photo from Lucas Dickey, Santa Cruz District
 Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
Do you have what it takes to find this camouflaged creature? It’s just another day at the river for this little frog hanging out at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.
Photo from Simone DuRand, North Coast Redwoods District
 Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park
Antelope ground squirrel eating the seed pods of a Joshua tree.
Photos from Matthew Williams, Great Basin District
 Fort Tejon State Historic Park
This week's weather prompted our local reptiles to be more prominent in the park. Left: Striped racer (Masticophis lateralis). Top right: California gopher snake. Bottom right: Newly hatched rattlesnake.
Photos from Steven Ptomey, Great Basin District
 Sue-meg State Park
An octopus in Palmer's Point tide pools.
Photo from Katrina Henderson, North Coast Redwoods District
 Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
Top left: A wild flax. Bottom left: Grape-soda lupine flourish along the mountains. Right: A view of Cuyamaca from the Cold Stream Trail.
Photos from Michele Hernandez, Colorado Desert District
 Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
Looking down through the clear water of the Smith River at Society Hole.
Photo from Ian Jones, North Coast Redwoods District
 Kings Beach State Recreation Area
The Stateline Lookout Trail looking down on Kings Beach State Recreation Area on Sunday, May 22.
Photo from Debbie Liles, Santa Cruz District
 Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park
A beautiful Memorial Day weekend at the overlook at Chute Hill Campground.
Photo from Doug Johnson, Communications and Marketing Division
 Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park
Poppies in bloom at the Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park.
Photo from Adeline Yee, Communications and Marketing Division
 Email photos to the WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
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Sue-meg State Park Staff Gets Thank You Note From Visitor
 Park Maintenance Assistant Donald Bergman Receives Kudos
Story from: Jeff Findlay, Oceano Dunes District
 I would like to highlight Park Maintenance Assistant Donald Bergman this week. Donald, who is hearing impaired and completely deaf, graduated from the Oregon School for the Deaf in 1984, then worked for the Camarillo California Conservation Corps crew on an internship from 1986-1988.
After that, he started his career with State Parks in 1991 and worked for five years at Channel Coast as a maintenance aide before taking a park maintenance assistant position up here in Oceano Dunes, where he has worked 26 years. He told me he plans on working another four years to get to 35 total years of service before retiring and spending time with his family and fishing up in the Oregon rivers where he grew up.
 Thank you letter from Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area visitor.
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June 1, 2022
June 3, 2022
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The Weekly Digest includes a collection of news articles related to the
California Department of Parks and Recreation. The views expressed and opinions do not always reflect that of the department.
To view this week's News Clips, please visit www.parks.ca.gov/NewsClips.
Weekly Digest Article and Photo Submissions
If you have an article or photo you would like to submit for the Weekly Digest, please send your entries via email to WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
For an article submission, please include:
- Author’s name and division/district.
- All relevant information (e.g., headline, park name, dates, name of event, individuals’ full names and titles, etc.).
Articles should be no longer than 300 words.
For photos, please include:
- Photo credit info and captions.
- Photo release forms should be kept on file for non-employees or volunteers.
Unless otherwise noted, all photos included in the Weekly Digest are courtesy of the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
The deadline for Weekly Digest submissions is close of business Thursday. For more information, email WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
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