June 17, 2022

Top Five: 'Naturelly' Funny Photos

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve
State Natural Reserve

Photo Title: Whispering Sweet Nothings

Caption: We’re busy right now. Sorry, no time for your photo contest.

“Naturelly” funny because: “With spring in the air, nature enters its period of renewal, with plants and animals procreating. While they may appear rough and scaley, the Mojave rattlesnake has a very tender courtship ritual that includes twisting together, nudging and 'cuddling.' I captured this photo at a time where it appeared one snake was whispering sweet nothings to the other (snakes don’t actually have ears).”

Date taken: April 5, 2022

Photo by: Matthew Williams, Great Basin District. Matthew is a supervising state park peace officer in the Mojave sector and has been with the department for 14 years.

Malibu Lagoon State Beach

Photo title: Double-Crested Cormorants

Caption: The Malibu “Lagoonatics” winging away!

“Naturelly” funny because: “These double-crested cormorants look goofy, but they are actually drying out their feathers after diving for fish.” 

Date taken: April 5, 2022

Photo by: Ann Hagerman, North Coast Redwoods District. Ann is currently a visitor services park aide at Richardson Grove State Park. She took the photo when she worked at the Adamson House at Malibu Lagoon State Beach as a senior maintenance park aide in the Angeles District. She has been with the department since 2015.

Providence Mountains State Recreation Area

Photo title: Knock, Knock, Knock

Caption: When you forgot to hang the no-soliciting sign. 

“Naturelly” funny because: “Desert woodrats (Neotoma lepida) are a constant feature at this park and essential part of the natural community. Handsome rodents and a valuable species though they are, they are always trying to sneak into buildings, car engine compartments and so on. When confronted, they look disconcerted and kind of annoyed that we are disturbing them. While observing this one, I got the feeling from it that one gets when a canvasser or salesperson appears unbidden at your door.”

Date taken: April 30, 2022

Photo by: Andrew Fitzpatrick, Inland Empire District. Andrew is a state park interpreter I and has been with the department for 13 years. He currently works at Providence Mountains State Recreation Area, Home of the Mitchell Caverns. Andrew has also been a multiple top-five winner in previous photo contests.

Providence Mountains State Recreation Area

Photo title: SQUIRREL!!!!!!

Caption: I'm getting hints of mesquite with overtones of acorns.

“Naturelly” funny because: “A scurry of baby white-tailed antelope squirrels (Ammospermophilus leucurus) enjoying their first encounters with the desert. These little guys measured 2 inches; at full maturity, they will only reach a weight of 4 ounces.”  

Date taken: April 2, 2022 

Photo by: Holly Turner, Inland Empire District. Holly is a park aide and has been with the department since 2018.

San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area

Photo title: Rude!

Caption: This young Tule elk bull is too bratty for his own good! He’ll never get a herd of his own with that attitude. 

“Naturelly” funny because: "I was driving by and noticed how close this elk was to get a good photo. I stopped and thought to myself, 'How cute! A young elk! He might stay still long enough for a photo.' He did, but I didn’t expect him to be rude about it!"

Date taken: April 29, 2022

Photo by: Renee Souza, Central Valley District. Renee is a senior park aide at San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area and has been with the department for five years.

WHAT'S NEW

California Department of Public Health Hosts Livestream Video With Partners on Staying Safe From COVID-19

Story from: Laura Kujubu, Communications and Marketing Division

Click here or above to watch recording of "Working Together to Keep Families Safe From COVID-19" livestream video.

The "Working Together to Keep Families Safe from COVID-19” press briefing on Wednesday, June 15, brought together partners from different departments, including State Parks, and organizations to discuss and celebrate how these partnerships are helping to keep communities and families informed and safe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The California Department of Public Health's (CDPH) Press Secretary for the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Ashley Clark served as moderator during the video, who was then joined by Aubrey Fong, senior external affairs officer for the Vaccinate ALL 58 campaign. Ms. Fong discussed CDPH’s recent “Family and Kids” nine-week campaign created to increase awareness about the availability, safety and efficacy of vaccines and boosters for the whole family.

The campaign included reaching out to key partners and statewide organizations to help get the word out through social media, newsletter blasts and in-person events. The partner organizations represented in the video press briefing were Sara Bachez, deputy director of external and governmental affairs for First 5 California; Gloria Sandoval, deputy director of public affairs for State Parks; Lisa Nowlain, parks pass manager for the California State Library; and Nat Rosales, program coordinator of policy and outreach for the California AfterSchool Network.

Ms. Fong stated that through the “Family and Kids” campaign and CDPH's collaborations and work with other partners, vaccinations increased by 25,000 doses for ages five to 11 years old and one in three kids in the five-to-11 age group was vaccinated as of April 2022. She further stated that the campaign is “a launch for long-term partnerships with organizations that are seen as trusted messengers in their communities and can really help us get to the communities that need us the most.” Next steps are to gear up for the soon-to-be available vaccines for children under five years old.

In addition, during the video, Ms. Clark from CDPH invited Gloria Sandoval to discuss the California State Park Adventure Pass and State Library’s Lisa Nowlain to give details about the California State Library Parks Pass.

To watch the video, click here.

FIELD REPORT

Seismic Safety Webinar Series Offered by Office of Historic Preservation

Story from: Office of Historic Preservation

The California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) is pleased to announce a series of free webinars that provide the latest information and guidance about retrofitting historic properties against the threat of earthquakes. The “Home, Safe Home: Seismic Safety and Rehabilitating Historic Homes” webinar series is offered by the OHP through a grant from Federal Emergency Management Agency and produced in collaboration with the California Preservation Foundation (CPF) and other preservation partners.

Beginning Thursday, June 23, six webinar sessions are scheduled throughout the remaining months of this year and will include case studies as well as guidance from preservation professionals on how to seismically protect properties without compromising historic character or integrity. Topics covered will include, among others, understanding historic integrity and significance as pertaining to historic homes; distinguishing between different types of retrofits; working with programs such as the Earthquake Brace + Bolt Program; and how to apply the lessons learned from case studies.

To register and for details about each webinar session, visit CPF’s Home, Safe Home webpage.

Cannabis Watershed Protection Program Helps Restore and Improve Trails to Deter Cannabis Grows

Story and photos from: Doug Johnson, Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Division

Top left: Park Maintenance Worker I Shawn McGrath uses tools to split rocks for trail projects at Jack London State Historic Park (SHP). Top right: Cedric Cunningham using his carpentry skills to install a footbridge. Bottom left: Newly installed boardwalk on the Vineyard Trail at Jack London SHP. Bottom right: California Conservation Corps and Statewide Trail Crew helps install new trail features.

When the Cannabis Watershed Protection Program (CWPP) was originally structured, the department recognized that having safe and sustainable "ingress and egress" within parks was essential for patrols and land management activities that discourage and prevent illegal cannabis cultivation. That’s why CWPP Roads and Trails Crews were included during program development. Program funding supports district roads and trail maintenance, as well as projects for access route improvement, construction and removal and restoration, in areas affected by cannabis cultivation. 

Recently, CWPP program leaders visited Jack London State Historic Park (SHP) to see how the program is helping to restore and improve the Vineyard Trail, just south of London Lake.

“This provides major connectivity from one side of the park to the other. Without this trail, you have to get back out onto Highway 12 and drive through the Sonoma Development Center facility; it could be up to 30 minutes to get over to the other side of this park without this being a functioning route,” said Park Maintenance Chief I Gardner Cline-James, with the CWPP.

CWPP Roads and Trails Crews are installing new structures, like drain lenses and boardwalks, to get water off the trail as quickly as it gets on. While the public is not allowed to ride all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) at Jack London SHP, the trail is currently being widened to 6 feet to allow for emergency crew ATVs to drive on the trail in case of an emergency. But Cline-James said that it is also wide enough to allow for bicycles and horses to pass each other without conflict. The more visitors using the trail, the better.

“Very nearby to our trail location were some cannabis grows that were identified in the last 15 years. So, these trail improvements are going to allow increased patrols. And it’s also going to bring more people into this area, which is a big preventative," said Cline-James.

Similarly, at George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area (SRA), a CWPP-funded roads and trail project is currently restoring a trail along the Merced River, which will traverse through several historic cannabis grow sites. The idea is to make the area more accessible and then less likely to attract future growers.

“It is our intent to discourage illegal cannabis cultivation by making the park more inviting to the public,” said Nathanial Wigington, environmental scientist with the CWPP. “The goal of the new trail is to provide an accessible access point for the public to enjoy the beauties of our parks.”

The trail is expected to be completed at George J. Hatfield SRA in 2024 and will be reconstructed to accessible standards, according to Wigington. Similar projects are taking place at Great Valley Grasslands and Caswell Memorial State Parks. At Jack London SHP, the Vineyard Trail improvements are expected to be completed next year.

“A lot of people come together to make this project happen, especially here in a concessionaire run park. You’ve got the concessionaries, you’ve got the California Conservation Corps and you’ve got from State Parks, the Statewide Trails program, the CWPP and the local Bay Area District. You’ve got a lot of people in here all working together to get the same thing accomplished,” Wigington said.

Left: Existing trail brushed out along Merced River at George J. Hatfield SRA. Right: CWPP Environmental Scientist Nathanial Wigington points out the site of a previous cannabis grow.

River Patrol at Picacho State Recreation Area

Story and photos from: Tony Grubb, Ocotillo Wells District

River patrols on the Colorado River at Picacho State Recreation Area. 

Ocotillo Wells District has a vast variety of terrain throughout the different parks in the district. Rangers often are asked why there is a boat in a district where most of the activity is off-highway vehicle desert riding. The answer, Picacho State Recreation Area (SRA). Picacho SRA is located 25 miles North of Yuma, Arizona, along the Colorado River. Twelve miles of the lower Colorado River are the recreation area’s eastern border. The Colorado River splits the border of California and Arizona.

Picacho SRA is an off-grid park, and four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended to access the park. To get to the park, you can take a few different ways. One is Picacho Road from Winterhaven, California. Picacho Road is 18 miles of dirt road, sometimes nicely graded, traveling north from Winterhaven, California. The second entrance is through Indian Pass Road traveling east from Ogilby Road. Four-wheel drive vehicles and high clearance are required for this trek. Another way to access the park is by boat. Boat-in campsites are available in areas of the park.

Patrolling on the Colorado River is unique. Unlike lakes, the Colorado River is constantly moving with a continuous flow of water pushing you down river. The moving water of the river presents challenges while making contacts on the water. Our patrol boats are outfitted with an electric windlass to allow for the operator to remotely drop the anchor. Once the anchor is deployed and caught, the patrol boat can maintain its position and even hold another vessel in place. The uniqueness of patrolling on the river comes when water levels are low. At low water levels, sandbars become exposed or linger just below the surface of the water. Sandbars make navigating the river difficult. It takes a keen eye and lookout to ensure that you miss the sandbars. If you do run upon a sandbar, you may get the patrol boat stuck. 

Law enforcement on the river is provided by different agencies: California State Parks rangers, Imperial County Sheriff, Yuma County Sheriff (Arizona), La Paz County Sheriff (Arizona), Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, California Fish and Wildlife, and Border Patrol, just to name a few. Because the Colorado River runs along the California and Arizona border, the Colorado River Crime Enforcement Compact was enacted in 1987. The Colorado River Crime Enforcement Compact gives law enforcement officers concurrent jurisdiction of any land mass within 25 air miles of the Colorado River or within 25 air miles of any lake that is formed by or is a part of the Colorado River. California State Parks rangers provide mutual aid to outside agencies along the Colorado River for search and rescues and other law enforcement purposes.

Holiday weekends are always busy for state parks. Summertime on the river is usually busy, but on holiday weekends, the Colorado River gets a lot of use. Every sandbar is full of boats and visitors to the river. Picacho SRA sees a bump in visitation where river and park patrols are increased. Calls include a range of incidents, including search and rescues, rescues, drownings, heat emergencies and boats getting lost or stranded in the backwaters of the rivers.

River patrols on the Colorado River at Picacho SRA is an experience like no other.

New Interpretative Panels at Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park

Story from: Leigh Patterson, Sierra District

Panels recently installed at Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. Photos from Colt Russell, Sierra District.

Interpretive panels were recently installed at Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park along a new Americans Disabilities Act trail along the pit. The panels highlight the importance of Malakoff as habitat and discuss the continued erosion of the pit walls, setting the stage for the remediation project that will take place next summer.

The sounds of machinery clanking, blasting water and hillsides collapsing echoed throughout the Sierra Nevada during the 1800s. Miners forever altered the landscape as they blasted away the land with high-powered water cannons in search of gold buried in ancient streambeds. They washed rocks, debris and fine sediment downstream, flooding farm fields and other land in the Central Valley. The hydraulic mining activity caused the San Francisco Bay to fill up with sediment at the rate of about 1 foot per year. The quest for gold at Malakoff Diggins continued until 1884 when Judge Lorenzo Sawyer greatly limited hydraulic mining activities. The Sawyer Decision is considered one of the first environmental laws.

Today, the scar left by hydraulic mining still remains. The “pit” is almost a mile long and a half-mile wide. Sediment continues to leave the pit and degrades water quality in the nearby watershed. In an effort to restore water quality, State Parks is in the process of implementing a number of measures to keep the sediment from leaving the pit. Despite the damage left behind, under the stewardship of State Parks, Malakoff Diggins has recovered a great deal and provides valuable habitat for many important plant and animal species.  

Santa Cruz District Works With Department of Defense for SkillBridge Program 

Story from: Joe Walters, Santa Cruz District

Santa Cruz District staff with Department of Defense SkillBridge Program team and participants (left to right): California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Warden Martenuk, CDFW Warden DeRose, Friends of Santa Cruz Operation Director Peg Danielson, Management Services Technician Debbie Liles, Office Technician Permanent Intermittent Cindy Lim, Office Technician Permanent Intermittent Sean Collier, Staff Services Analyst Gillian Alford, Stacy Pritts of U.S. Air Force (USAF), Andrew Charter of USAF, CDFW Warden Lt. Bailie. Pictured in center: CDFW Warden Prefer. Photo from Kelley Howard, Santa Cruz District. 

Santa Cruz District has partnered with many other districts with the Department of Defense (DOD) for the DOD SkillBridge Program. This program helps service members of our armed forces transition into civilian life/work of a field that interests them. Andrew Charter and Stacy Pritts (U.S. Air Force) have two weeks here in the Santa Cruz District. They are being integrated into many programmatic areas, such as Interpretation, Facilities, Roads and Trails, Resources, Law Enforcement, Aquatics and Cultural.

Their two-week program is packed here in Santa Cruz. We were able to work with our Lifeguard Program and get them exposure to our Rescue Watercraft Program. We were able to connect with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to get them onto their Steelhead patrol boat along with our administrative staff. They launched out of Half Moon Bay harbor and ended up going all the way up to the San Francisco Bay, going under the Golden Gate Bridge. Stacy and Andrew were able to work with CDFW to make some law enforcement contacts with boats on the bay for compliance checks.

We as a district are very pleased to be a part of this program and look forward to this continued partnership with the DOD employees transitioning to civilian life/work. Thank you to Dan Youngren and Daniel Shaw for coordinating this project with our department!

Left: CDFW team gearing up the Zodiac boat. Photo from Kelley Howard, Santa Cruz District. Top right: CDFW patrol boat, Steelhead, in Half Moon Bay. Photo from Kelley Howard, Santa Cruz District. Bottom right: Department of Defense SkillBridge Program participants Andrew Charter and Stacy Pritts, USAF. Photo from Joe Walters, Santa Cruz District. 

Top left: Stacy Pritts, USAF, getting rescue watercraft training. Photo from Stacey Pritts, USAF. Top right: Stacy going out on patrol with CDFW. Photo from Kelley Howard, Santa Cruz District. Bottom right (left to right): Staff Services Analyst (SSA) Kelley Howard, SSA Gillian Alford and Office Technician Permanent Intermittent Sean Collier. Photo from Kelley Howard, Santa Cruz District. Bottom left: Golden Gate Bridge. Photo from Cindy Lim, Santa Cruz District.

NOW HIRING

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

FREE WEBINAR: State Park Interpreter Series

California State Parks is hiring State Park Interpreters throughout the beautiful state. In this webinar, you'll learn more about taking the online assessments, the career classification, the exciting programs run by our current State Park Interpreters, how to apply and more! Click here to register.

• Date: Thursday, June 23
• Time: 10–11 a.m. PDT

JOB SPOTLIGHTS

Associate Park and Recreation Specialist – Apply by June 23, 2022: We are now hiring a Project Officer within our Office of Grants and Local Services. This position will review per capita and noncompetitive grant applications for technical accuracy and ensure compliance with grant program requirements. Take the online assessment and apply! A Park and Recreation Specialist may also be considered. Click here for more information.

Research Data Analyst II – Apply by June 24, 2022: We are now hiring a Research Data Analyst II in the Colorado Desert District. This position will provide expertise, support, guidance and research relating to cultural and natural resources management, visitor services, and facilities management using digitizing, cartograph and reporting. Take the online assessment and apply! Click here for more information.

Associate Budget Analyst – Apply by June 24, 2022: We are now hiring an Associate Budget Analyst at our headquarters in Sacramento. This position will assist in the development, preparation, administration, maintenance, review and control of the department’s support, local assistance and capital outlay budgets. Take the online assessment and apply! Click here for more information.

Park Maintenance Chief I – Apply by July 15, 2022: We are now hiring a Park Maintenance Chief I within the Lake Perris State Recreation Area. This position will travel throughout the southern part of the state to lead and supervise the South Accessibility Construction Unit and complete construction projects and remove accessibility barriers in various state parks. This position may be downgraded to a Park Maintenance Supervisor. Click here for more information.

Seasonal/Part-Time – Now hiring: With more than 60 openings statewide, now is a great time to get started in a seasonal/part-time job at California State Parks. With no exam needed, apply to our Park Aide, Maintenance Aide, Environmental Services Intern, Park Interpretive Specialist or Forestry Aide openings today! Click here for more information.

EXAM SPOTLIGHTS

Museum Curator II – Apply by June 21, 2022: If you have two years of professional experience in museum work and equivalent to graduation from college with major work in museum studies, history, anthropology, archeology, art or natural sciences, then apply to take the Museum Curator II assessment today! Click here for more information.

Aquatic Pest Control Series – Apply by July 1, 2022: If you have equivalent to six months of experience in pest control work or 60 college credits with course work in biology, apply today! These assessments now have a biannual cut-off date. Click here for more information.

State Park Equipment Operator – Apply by Sept. 1, 2022: 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. Click here for more information.

State Park Interpreter I, II and III: The State Park Interpreter I, II and III assessments are now available online! Our Interpreters develop interactive educational programs and teach the rich histories of California. Click here for more information.

State Park Peace Officer (SPPO) Ranger – Lateral/Transfer: You can now lateral or transfer into an exciting career as a SPPO Ranger! The assessment is available online, anytime. We have positions throughout the state. Take the assessment and join us in protecting our precious resources! Eligibility is good for 18 months. Click here for more information.

State Park Peace Officer (SPPO) Lifeguard – Lateral/Transfer: Take the assessment and you can lateral or transfer into a career performing public safety in California’s beautiful state recreation areas and beaches! The assessment is available online, anytime. We have positions throughout the state. Eligibility is good for 18 months. Click here for more information.

Park and Recreation Specialist Exam Series: The Park and Recreation Specialist exam series is now online and continuous. Take the assessment (entry level to supervisory) anytime. From grant administration to outdoor education, the right exam is available to match your education and experience level. Click here for more information.

EMPLOYMENT TIPS

Check out these helpful tips to get you started for the best results before turning in your official state application (STD 678):

• Review the duty statement, classification specifications and minimum qualifications.
• Highlights your tasks, skills and knowledge.
• Use key words.
• Include all relevant experience—be detailed.
• Thoroughly complete your application—no blanks.
• Send your application by the final filing date (due date).

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!

Workforce Planning and Recruitment Office Welcomes New Team Members

Story from: Xochi Prock, Workforce Planning and Recruitment Office

The Workforce Planning and Recruitment Office (WPRO) has a familiar face and some new faces on the team! We are very excited to welcome Recruitment Analysts Forrest Gardens, Laura Estrada Adams and Yolanda Ramirez.

WPRO offers a variety of services to job seekers, including existing staff, such as one-on-one career consultations, application/resume reviews, and mock interviews. We also help hiring managers promote their vacancies. We look forward to implementing many new programs, too.

The additional new staff on board joining the Recruitment Team are sure to continue providing exemplary customer service.  

Some of you may remember Forrest Gardens. He briefly left California State Parks but returned to Live the Parks Life! Forrest has great enthusiasm and has helped rejuvenate the team. He creates great connections with job seekers he meets at the various career fairs.

Laura Estrada Adams joins us from the California Department of Transportation, where she was a recruiter and helped manage the LinkedIn page. She was previously the career center coordinator for American River College. As early adapters to virtual recruiting, the Parks Recruitment Team had the privilege of working with her during the pandemic and we were impressed to say the least. Laura’s expertise in assisting job seekers will help expand our efforts. Laura has already been instrumental in the opening the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) Career Center located in the Poppy Pavilion. Learn more about the CNRA Career Center in an upcoming Weekly Digest article.

Yolanda Ramirez is a dynamo recruiter, with previous experience at Correctional Health Care Services. She has unique experience recruiting for hard-to-fill positions. Yolanda was also a career center coordinator at Sacramento City College and developed programs to help job seekers. She is currently developing resources for State Park Interpreter recruitment.

LIVE THE PARKS LIFE IN STYLE

Style time! Here are this week's tips to help spread the word about our departmentwide style guidelines:

• Juneteenth: The date June 19 commemorates the belated announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865. On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation making it a U.S. federal holiday. President Abraham Lincoln first issued the Emancipation Proclamation declaring all slaves free in Confederate territory on Sept. 22, 1862, but the news took time to travel. June 19, 1865, is the date when word of the proclamation reached African Americans in Texas.
• multiagency: One word, no hyphen.
• ATV: Spell out as “all-terrain vehicle” on first reference. Use of “ATV” is OK for subsequent references.

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. 

Save Our Water

POSTCARDS

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

Ranger Don Crouthamel and I were walking a trail at the park looking for some trail damage, and we found a rooster. Apparently someone dumped three or four of them in the park, and the others were found by hikers and equestrians. A local rescue organization took them all in.

Photo from Phil Bergman, Santa Cruz District

Cuyamaca Rancho State Park

We are back to regular programming (with COVID-19 precautions) at the park. One of our programs is Horses 101, which is presented by our mounted volunteers. The volunteers discuss horse safety in the campground and on the trails, why horses behave the way they do and horse anatomy. They also answer questions about owning horses. The volunteers do a great job of teaching the public—many who have never been near horses—the protocol for approaching horses and the reasons to follow that protocol. My favorite part of the program is when the horses start to doze as the public pats them.

Above: Volunteer John Saxer letting visitors approach and pat his horse, Packer.

Photo from Michele Hernandez, Colorado Desert District

Cuyamaca Rancho State Park

Volunteer Doreen Harlow’s horse, Sierra, relaxing while a park visitor gives her a pat.

Photo from Michele Hernandez, Colorado Desert District

Sonoma Coast State Park

Staff Service Analyst Megan Russell with her pup, Hazel, at Wrights Beach. Learn which state parks allow dogs here. 

Photo from Deborah Krajewski, Director's Office

Empire Mine State Historic Park

Watch your step! Rattlesnakes are about.

Photo from Holly Andreasen, Sierra District

Portola Redwoods State Park

This looks like two native bees on a flower, or perhaps a bee-looking beetle.

Photo from Lucas Dickey, Santa Cruz District

Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area

A red-tailed hawk nest that has two chicks and one photo (top left) of an adult red-tailed hawk in flight.

Photos from Kasey Foley, Stockton, California

Empire Mine State Historic Park

St. John's wort in bloom. 

Photos from Holly Andreasen, Sierra District

Sonoma Coast State Park

Gorgeous view from Wrights Beach.

Photo from Deborah Krajewski, Director's Office

Emerald Bay State Park

Serene early morning at the park.

Photo from Brian Baer, Communications and Marketing Division

Donner Memorial State Park

Left: The monument is surrounded in scaffolding as part of a restoration project. Top right and bottom right: Morning mist.

Photos from Brian Baer, Communications and Marketing Division

Silver Strand State Beach

A sunrise from the beach.

Photo from Anthony Del Bono, San Diego Coast District

Calaveras Big Trees State Park

A little mid-June rain falls at the park.

Photos from Doug Johnson, Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Division

THANK YOU NOTES

Visitor Recognizes Recent CZU Fire Recovery Work at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

Trail crew working on the Fall Creek Trail. Photos from Chris Spohrer, Santa Cruz District.  

Hi there,

North Coast Redwoods District Interpreter John Griffith Receives Words of Gratitude From Visitor

This past weekend, 5/28/22 - 5/30/22, my family and I had a wonderful encounter with Ranger Griff in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. On Sunday, we finished up a hike on the Big Trees Loop Trail. My wife saw Ranger Griff working in the creek and recognized him from the interpretive hike she joined the day before (and had nothing but great things to say about Ranger Griff). She pointed out Ranger Griff to our seven year old and five year old, who immediately ran over to him and started asking questions. Ranger Griff explained what he was doing in the creek and invited my kids and those of our friends to learn about his work. It was a truly magical moment. Ranger Griff showed patience with our kids peppering him with questions and showed them how to do different tasks related to his work. My kids were transfixed -- absolutely fascinated. When we left it was my kids' highlight of the trip. The first thing they said when we asked what their favorite part of the trip was, without hesitation--Ranger Griff! This was exactly the moment you wish to have with your family in a state park and Ranger Griff was the paradigm of a park ranger. We have a memory we will share and cherise forever. Can't express enough how grateful we are to have met Ranger Griff and how special that moment was for our kids.

—Richard Paquin-Morel

NEWS RELEASES

June 17, 2022

• California State Park and Recreation Commission Takes First Step to Rename Negro Bar

NEWS CLIPS

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.