Trione-Annadel State Park Elevates ADA Accessibility for Visitors
Story and photos from: Alexis Jones, Bay Area District
 The ADA equestrian mounting ramp (left) and an all-terrain wheelchair for ADA visitors at Trione-Annadel State Park.
Trione-Annadel State Park, working with Friends of Trione-Annadel (FOTA) cooperating association, has elevated accessibility within the park this past year. FOTA purchased an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) equestrian mounting ramp and an all-terrain wheelchair for ADA park visitors. FOTA competed for and was awarded a California State Parks Foundation grant that funded the purchase of the “GRIT freedom chair”– a self-propelled wheelchair that can accommodate all the ups, downs and rocks within the park.
The wheelchair is a first come, first served item that is available at our visitor center year round. This wheelchair was chosen for its versatility as another person “push” type wheelchair and its ability to be self-propelled. The wheelchair also has anti-tip devices in the back to prevent an unintentional flip backwards. The forward wheel can be hooked up to a bike or person to be pulled uphill.
FOTA’s annual signature donation, “fund-a-need”, was dedicated to the purchase of the equestrian mounting ramp, which will allow our equestrian users to easily mount and dismount their horses, regardless of their mobility status. This year-round ramp was installed in our main Warren Richardson parking lot, which is the hub for all our equestrian users.
These two purchases elevate Trione-Annadel SP as a well-rounded inclusive destination for all bikers, hikers and equestrian park users in the area, and statewide!
Tahoe Live Dive Engages Audiences In Underwater Exploration of Scuttled Fishing Boat
Story from: Jeremy Lin, Sierra District
 Top: The Lake Tahoe live dive broadcast team after a successful program. Top row: Senior park aides Sam Bell and Christian Harvey (Sierra District), Interpreter I Alec Knapp (Monterey District), Senior Park Aide Camden Dahms and Interpreter I Kaytlen Jackson (Sierra District), Dive Team Instructor Eric Dymmel (Retired Annuitant), Interpreter II Lydia Stinson (PORTS Program), Cultural Resources Chief Alex Neeb (Sierra District), Interpreter I Ashley Wemp (Santa Cruz District), Interpreter II Brandon Caskey (PORTS Program). Bottom row: Ranger Taylor Jackson and Interpreter II Jeremy Lin (Sierra District), Interpreter II Erika Delemarre (Interpretation & Education Division), Associate State Archaeologist Glenne Tietzer and Ranger Phillip Hauk (Channel Coast District). Bottom left: Topside Interpreter Kaytlen Jackson engages with participants and shares the history of Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe. Bottom right: Interpreter Jeremy Lin describes the process of photogrammetry to build 3D interactive boat models while Ranger Taylor Jackson demonstrates data acquisition. Photos from Sierra District.
The Sierra District staff, State Parks Dive Team, and Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students (PORTS) Program delivered a “live dive” underwater interpretive program on September 29, highlighting a 1940s-1950s fishing boat that had been purposely sunk–or scuttled in Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe. More than 200 classrooms with approximately 2,500 students tuned in to watch the live PORTScast program and engage with the State Parks divers!
The clear, sunny weather provided an exhilarating backdrop for Interpreter Kaytlen Jackson to introduce the history of Emerald Bay’s resort, fishing culture, and early 20th century Lake Tahoe recreational activities.
Sierra District Interpreter and Dive Team Member Jeremy Lin communicated directly with live viewers at a depth of 35 feet next to the sunken wooden boat. Covering topics including water safety and natural history, the program’s main focus was a demonstrative presentation about photogrammetry, a data acquisition technique where photographs of an object are stitched together to build a 3D model to assess the condition of the object. Ranger Taylor Jackson demonstrated this technique on the wooden fishing boat and Archaeologist Denise Jaffke is working on constructing a 3D model with this data to share with the teachers and students who tuned in to view the program.
Marine Protected Area Outreach and Education Project Coordinator and Dive Team member Erika Delemarre operated the underwater camera and the statewide PORTS Team coordinated the technical operations, audio-visual connections, and the livestream broadcast. Parks Information Technology Specialist Chris Gresham provided network support for the broadcast.
This Lake Tahoe Live Dive was truly a team effort, engaging staff from multiple program areas who traveled from all corners of the state to make the program a success. Viewers who missed the live broadcast can view a recording on the PORTS Program YouTube channel here.
 Top: Interpreter Jeremy Lin answers live participant questions and describes the animal adaptations in underwater environments. Bottom right: Interpreter Kaytlen Jackson, PORTS interpreters Lydia Stinson and Brandon Caskey, and topside line tenders Ashley Wemp and Alec Knapp broadcast from the Emerald Bay Boat Camp dock. Bottom left: Wooden fishing boat 3D model created with photogrammetric data acquisition. Photos from Sierra District.
California State Historic Preservation Officer Julianne Polanco Speaks at The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Conference
Story and photos from: Julianne Polanco, Office of Historic Preservation
 Top: The session group, from left to right front row: Yoloxichitl Lucio with International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), Dr. Francesca Gilberto PRAXIS, Katharine Turvey ICOM, Professor Medina, Gabriel Caballero, Sarah Viexu with United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), Barbara Wolfensberger, Director-General for Culture & Media, Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture & Science. From left to right back row: Claire Mc Guire IFLA, Mario Santana ICOMOS, Cornelius Holtorf UNESCO, Heritage Futures, School of Cultural Science, Linnaeus University, Shanon Shea Miller with the City of San Antonio, Texas, Julianne Polanco, California Office of Historic Preservation. Bottom left: The beautiful hand woven screen from the main stage. Bottom right: The fiesta of cultural dancers from all states in Mexico was among the highlights for the conference attendees.
As the State Historic Preservation Officer, I was a speaker at one of 14 non-governmental organizations side events at the The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Mondiacult 2022 – Conference on Culture and Sustainable Development.
From September 27– 30, 2,600 participants comprised of 135 Ministries of Culture, 83 non-governmental organizations, 32 international governmental organizations (the U.S. is included here as it is not a UNESCO member), and nine UN organizations met, after a 40-year hiatus, to affirm that culture is a ‘global public good’, reflecting an agreement on a common roadmap to strengthen public policies that regard culture inclusive. The delegates also elevated the role of culture in international cooperation to support common humanity. They defined a set of cultural rights in the final declaration that addresses social and economic values of culture, artistic freedom, indigenous communities’ rights to safeguard and transmit their ancestral knowledge, secure digital content, and address illicit trafficking of cultural property.
Over the three days, official hearings were complimented by 14 side events. One of these, entitled “Responding to the Climate Emergency: New Imperatives for Cultural Policy” was organized by the Climate Heritage Network. I keynoted the session, highlighting California’s leading work in the intersection of climate change and cultural heritage, and emphasized the importance of local voices in climate action to create just, low-carbon, thriving communities.
It was an honor to be able to share the forward-thinking climate action work of California with global colleagues at this level. In doing so, we were able to identify areas of collaboration for greater ambition, provide examples to help other countries advance their own ambition, and imagine a world in which communities will, through engagement, drive action to create just, thriving, low-carbon futures we all seek.
The event was a high level forum for which to share and connect with partners on these critical issue facing our communities every day. Through collaboration, I believe we will see greater action that is urgently needed.
 Top: The fiesta of cultural dancers from all states in Mexico was among the highlights for the conference attendees. Mexico share the love of culture in such beautiful ways, it was simply moving! Bottom left: Polanco with the Mexican Minister of Culture Alejandra Frausto Guerrero. Bottom right: The session card featuring Polanco as a speaker.
Donner Lagoon Restoration Project Protects Natural Resources and Improves Recreational Access
Story from: Jeremy Lin, Sierra District
 Top: Donner Lagoon kayak launch area during restoration with heavy equipment. Bottom left: Senior Environmental Scientist Courtney Rowe and park staff planting willow along the streambank for revegetation and stabilization. Bottom right: Donner Lagoon streambank after restoration with rock, gravel, and willow revegetation and stabilization. Photos from Sierra District.
On September 29, California State Parks, in partnership with the Truckee River Watershed Council (TRWC), restored 1.5 acres of riparian-wetland habitat and stabilized 300 feet of streambank to protect natural resources and improve recreational access.
Decades of frequent recreational usage along the streambanks have caused erosion and vegetation die-off resulting in soil compaction and wildlife habitat loss.
This project led by State Parks Senior Environmental Scientis Courtney Rowe and TRWC Project Director Michele Prestowitz, revegetated and stabilized failing streambanks, improved lake access areas, and created roadside loading and staging areas for kayak and stand-up paddle boards.
Donner Lagoon is a unique backwater wetland supporting wildlife resources, particularly for osprey, bald eagle, and waterbirds as well as fish and invertebrates. It is also an important recreation resource, providing non‐motorized boat access to Donner Lake.
Shaded seating areas, concrete picnic areas, and interpretive signage will be installed in this day use area next spring. Sierra District Natural Resources staff and TRWC and I will be monitoring patterns of visitation to assess the need for additional work.
This project is funded by grants from the Martis Fund and the California Wildlife Conservation Board Public Access Program through Proposition 68.
 Top: Donner Lagoon kayak launch area after restoration with resurfaced launch ramp and habitat restoration. Bottom left: Donner Lagoon kayak launch area before restoration project. Bottom right: Donner Lagoon stream bank before restoration with extensive erosion.
Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area Celebrates its Centennial
Story from: Cleo Domingo, North Coast Redwoods District
 Left to right: Bruce Hilbach-Barger; Carla Thomas; State Park Peace Officer (SPPO) Scott Stevens; Maintenance Aides Scott Lewis, James Lynn, Hayley O'Keefe; Interpretive Program Manager Marnin Robbins; Interpreter I Erika Granadino; Supervising SPPO Thomas Gunther; Director Sophia Eckert with the Humboldt Redwoods Association; Interpreter II Ryan Spencer; Supervising SPPO Greg Hall; Maintenance Assistant Corina Letterman; SPPO (off duty) Estephen Gonzales; Jeff Hedin, Ann Hagerman, Veda Hoyes, and Gary Ballard. Photo from Cleo Domingo, North Coast Redwoods District.
California State Parks, Team Standish, Mendocino Area Parks Association (MAPA), Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Association (HRIA), as well as many other community volunteers, helped celebrate the centennial of Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area (SRA) on Saturday, October 1.
In 1922, a 40-acre campground was donated to the state by the Hickey family in honor of their son Edward who was a caretaker for victims of the 1918 flu epidemic, and later died of the disease. In the late 1950s, 500 more acres were donated by the descendants of Myles Standish, who was a member of the Pilgrim expedition that landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620. Save the Redwoods League’s donations later expanded the park to more than 1,000 acres.
In 2011, due to a state budget crisis, Standish-Hickey was proposed for closure. After hearing this, two local groups – Mendocino Area Parks Association (MAPA) and Team Standish – stepped up to support the park. They managed the park for over six years, performing essential duties such as clearing roads, maintaining campgrounds, and interpreting resources for the public. California State Parks resumed operation of Standish-Hickey SRA on November 1, 2018.
Standish-Hickey is the southern gateway to the coast redwoods and is located adjacent to Highway 101. Because of the park’s relative proximity to the Bay Area, it gets many Spanish-speaking visitors from the Santa Rosa-Napa area. These visitors often come to the park during the summer for family gatherings as well as to visit the beautiful trails and swimming holes along the Eel River. Standish-Hickey serves the highest number of Latino families of any park within the North Coast Redwoods District.
Due to the history of community involvement in assisting with park operations, the North Coast Redwoods District worked closely with members of Team Standish, MAPA, and HRIA to throw a celebration, honoring the many people who have cared for the park through the years.
Several months of planning culminated in a wonderful event full of Junior Ranger activities, homemade piñatas, historical displays, local booths, free tacos, and heartfelt speeches and awards. Close to 100 people attended. It was a celebration that both looked toward the past and helped envision the next century for Standish-Hickey SRA, with natural resource restoration and inclusion for visitors at its core.
 View of the Eel River in Standish-Hickey by Jane F. Bertke in 1939.
California State Parks Foundation Opens 2022 Wildfire Resiliency and Prevention Grant Round
Story from: Ashley Tittle, California State Parks Foundation
 The California State Parks Foundation is offering grant support to help create a wildfire resilient state park system through the Wildfire Resiliency and Prevention grant. The Foundation will invest in model programs that focus on wildfire resilience, risk reduction, mitigation, or preparedness. The Foundation is supporting models and approaches that land managers are using for state parks to be prepared for wildfires. This, combined with knowledge of how these models work within specific habitat, environmental, and human conditions, are how California State Parks and California State Parks Foundation are making parks more wildfire resilient.
Proposed projects should fall under one of these three model approaches:
- Use of control burning and debris removal to foster a healthy ecosystem and reduce catastrophic wildfires.
- Restoring native vegetation to landscapes that are overrun with highly flammable and invasive species. This will increase the native biodiversity that has evolved with fire and can better protect and recover from wildfires.
- Educating and activating local communities and all Californians on how they can help to build greater resiliency against wildfires.
Grant Timeline
- October 3, 2022 - November 4, 2022: Accepting applications
- December 15, 2022 – December 15, 2023: Grant term
- July 14, 2023: Midterm report due
- January 31, 2024: Final report due
Applicants can apply for grants up to $10,000. For any questions regarding this grant round and other opportunities contact Haley Gonzales, Partnership Program Manager at haley@calparks.org.
For more information and to apply visit our website at: https://www.calparks.org/2022wildfiregrants.
Applications Now Being Accepted for Adventure Pass Grants Program
Story from: Myrian Solis Colonel, Parks California
 Parks California, in partnership with California State Parks, is accepting applications from organizations seeking to create memorable experiences for fourth graders and their families in parks through its Adventure Pass Grants Program.
Studies indicate that access to parks and greenspace can lead to improvements in children’s physical well-being, social/emotional learning, and academic outcomes, with children experiencing reduced stress and demonstrating more enthusiasm for school. Every child should have easy access to parks. This program is one way we all can make that possible.
Applicants should aim to increase park access for underrepresented and low-income communities who may face challenges getting to or enjoying parks.To learn more about this grant opportunity, please visit this Parks California link. Proposals are due on Oct. 31, 2022.
To learn more about the California State Park Adventure Pass, visit parks.ca.gov/AdventurePass. To learn more about other pass programs, visit parks.ca.gov/OutdoorsForAll.
 Email photos to the WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
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