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 February 9, 2024
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 Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area
After the winter storm.
For the latest on the record-breaking winter storms, check out our story under "Field Reports."
Photo from Bobby Scruggs, Great Basin District
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State Parks and Natural Resources Agency Celebrate Black History Month With In-Person and Virtual Events
Story from: Communications and Marketing Division
 Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation earlier this month declaring February 2024 as Black History Month, a time dedicated to uplifting, learning and appreciating Black heritage and culture.
This year’s Black History Month theme is "Roots and Resilience in Nature," which aims to pay tribute to the Black race and culture and those who have always sought refuge in nature. There is a long history of Black communities setting roots and creating a foundation to recover and flourish through life’s ever-changing ecosystems.
Through virtual and in-person events, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and State Parks will be honoring Black leaders in the environmental field who work to protect the environment for current and future generations and encourage others to become environmental stewards.
Join CNRA and State Parks this month with several events, including:
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Saturday, February 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Join the in-person event “StoryWalk: Alvin Coffey The True Story of an African American Forty-Niner” at William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park in Red Bluff, California. Learn about this inspiring local historical figure while creating related crafts and playing games with California State Parks staff. For directions to the park, please click here.
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Friday, February 16, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Join the California Conservation Corps (CCC) and California State Parks, as CCC crews conduct a brush cleanup, tree removal and preparation for native planting at Black Miners Bar in Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. Parks staff will be on hand to give an overview of the significance of the area. For more information on this event, please click here.
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Tuesday, February 20, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Join the virtual panel discussing “Career Pathways for Blacks and African Americans in State Service.” Building on this year's theme "Roots and Resilience in Nature," this panel is designed to highlight the importance of the contributions of Black and African American people in state service and to help inspire and grow the number of Black and African American people who work in natural resources for state service. Benefits of working in state service, recruitment and outreach, and information on how to apply for state service will be some of the topics discussed. To register, please visit this link.
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Tuesday, February 27, from noon to 1 p.m.: Join the CNRA for its virtual Secretary Speaker Series titled “Celebrating Conservation Roots With Black Environmental Leadership.” Explore the rich history and contributions of the Black community leading environmental and conservation efforts. Become inspired by their deep-rooted connection to nature, emphasizing resilience, heritage and the ongoing journey toward equity. To register, please click here.
For information on how to register for these events and other upcoming events, visit Resources.ca.gov/BlackHistoryMonth.
Recognizing Black heritage and culture is a year-round effort at State Parks.
As part of the department’s Reexamining Our Past Initiative, we are working collaboratively with the California African American Museum to research and recover histories, and design and implement innovative and engaging interpretive exhibits in approximately 24 state parks. The African American History and Engagement project is a five-year effort that will also institutionalize restoration of neglected histories through interpreter training programs and archival practices. We look forward to sharing progress on this project.
For some interesting facts about our California state parks and Black History Month, please visit our blog post.
California State Parks and Partners Announce Arts in California Parks Advisory Committee
Story from: Communications and Marketing Division
 Arts in California Parks Advisory Committee members (top image, left to right, from back row to front) Caryl Hart, Stan Robinson, Kate Bickert, Ivy Ross, Mona Abadir, Katie Hazard, Jeff Williams, Emily Womack, Alme Allen and Melecio Estrella visited the California Natural Resources Agency building in Sacramento on Monday, January 29. Other members, including Jenny Kane and Roman Sanchez, joined the meeting with State Parks staff virtually. Photos from Brian Baer, Communications and Marketing Division.
State Parks this week introduced the Arts in California Parks Advisory Committee, a collective of visionaries from both the public and private sectors who will advise and inform the development and implementation of the Arts in California Parks Program announced in October 2023. The goal of the program, which is a collaboration among State Parks, the California Arts Council and Parks California, is to help make California’s parks more inclusive and welcoming.
Individuals representing diverse geographic, multicultural and organizational perspectives and interdisciplinary expertise in a range of art forms were invited by the Program Partners—California State Parks, Parks California and the California Arts Council—to participate in the Advisory Committee.
Members of the committee include Mona Abadir, Alme Allen, Kate Bickert, Melecio Estrella, Caryl Hart, Katie Hazard, Jenny Kane, Cava Menzies, Luz Perez, Kim Stanley Robinson, Ivy Ross, Roman Sanchez, Jeff Williams, Emily Womack and Sue Bell Yank.
The Advisory Committee members gathered in Sacramento on Monday, January 29, to discuss opportunities with this multiyear program, explore past examples of incorporating arts into state projects and offer inspiration and guidance on the development of the program.
To learn more about the Advisory Committee and the Arts in California Parks Program, view the press release or visit artsincaliforniaparks.org.
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 State Parks Director Armando Quintero (far right in left photo) and the Arts in California Parks planning team met with some of the Advisory Committee members at the California Natural Resources Agency building at John Grade’s art installation, "Coalition," on Monday, January 29. Photos from Brian Baer, Communications and Marketing Division.
Shout-Out for State Parks' Mission: Submit Your Video for Department’s Online Onboarding Class
Story from: Bob Waller, Training Section
The Training Section is producing the department’s first-ever online onboarding class and would like to involve employees from all over the department. The class, called A Walk in the Parks, will be a one-hour eLearning resource with various segments that call for video submissions from employees all over the state. The first of these segments is on the State Parks mission, and the Training Section is asking employees of all classifications to submit videos of themselves—as individuals or with coworkers—reciting the mission statement.
Here is some additional information regarding the video submissions:
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Guidelines: Nothing fancy. A smartphone will do. Background does not matter, but be sure there is not any background noise. Just record yourself reciting the mission statement—not too fast and with long pauses in between phrases. Record in portrait orientation (vertical, not horizontal). Your video can feature just you or you with coworkers reciting in unison.
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Identify yourself on the video: Before you recite, take a moment to identify yourself on your video. Tell us your name(s) and where you work.
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To get a better idea: Click the link above to see a mock-up version of what the final video will probably look like.
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Where to submit: Please submit your videos here.
The Training Section is excited about this project and eager to receive your video!
If you have any questions, please contact me at Bob.Waller@parks.ca.gov.
 Take the opportunity to nominate your fellow coworkers for a 2023 Director’s Recognition Award for their contributions to improving State Parks’ mission and for going above and beyond the normal call of duty. The nomination period is for the year 2023, and all nominations must be submitted by TODAY, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024.
To access the program guidelines and nomination forms, visit the Director’s Recognition Awards SharePoint site or the intranet (must be on department’s network to access). Any questions and completed nomination forms can be sent to DirectorRecognitionAward@parks.ca.gov.
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Record-Breaking Winter Storms Wallop California
Story from: Adeline Yee, Communications and Marketing Division
 Top and bottom left: Damage and debris at the Thornhill Broome Campground at Point Mugu State Park. Bottom middle: A landslide at Will Rogers State Historic Park temporarily blocked access to the park and the neighborhood. Bottom right: Several feet of the parking lot and shoreline were lost along with a fallen fence at Leo Carrillo State Beach. Photos from Angeles District.
Back-to-back atmospheric rivers poured torrential rains across California for much of this week. The storms created a bomb cyclone with wind gusts along the Northern and Central coasts, with 100 mph in some areas. They then dumped record-breaking rainfall in Southern California, causing hundreds of mudslides and widespread power outages, downing trees and forcing people to flee their homes. Since late January, storms have killed at least 12 people across the state.
As of Friday afternoon, February 9, State Parks has temporarily fully closed six park units and partially closed 24 park units. While the department does not have a full assessment of storm impacts yet, some old-growth redwoods at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park were blown down, the road at San Onofre State Beach is impassible and campgrounds at Doheny State Beach flooded. Parks up and down the state, including in the Channel Coast and Angeles Districts, saw heavy flooding and washed-out campgrounds and day-use areas.
State Parks would like to thank all first responders, staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to protect the public, parks and beaches impacted. As the state begins to dry out and assess the damage, the department thanks all State Parks staff who are working hard to make repairs and clean up the aftermath to reopen the parks to the public as soon as possible.
For the latest updates on the parks impacted, be sure to visit parks.ca.gov/incidents.
 Top left: Flooding at San Buenaventura State Beach. Top right: Debris along the pier at Gaviota State Park. Bottom left: A flooded campground at Gaviota State Park. Bottom middle: Flooding at Refugio State Beach. Bottom right: Debris at the El Capitán State Beach day-use area. Photos from Channel Coast District.
 Left: There were four major culvert failures at Del Norte Redwoods State Park. Top right: Downed trees at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Bottom right: Downed trees at Angel Island State Park. Photos from North Coast Redwoods and Bay Area Districts.
Historic Opportunities and Birding in Picacho State Recreation Area
Story from: Anne P. Cooper, Interpretation and Education Division
 Ocotillo Wells District Interpreter III Taylour Unzicker at the Lower Mill’s remains, Stamp Mill Trail. Photo from Anne P. Cooper, Interpretation and Education Division.
Ocotillo Wells District Interpreter III Taylour Unzicker and Park and Recreation Specialist Eric Kung provided a tour of Picacho State Recreation Area (SRA) on Wednesday, January 31, to me and my bird-watching husband.
Taylour and Eric gave us an introduction to this remote park, reached via an 18-mile stretch of unpaved desert road off Interstate 8, east of El Centro, California. We recorded the existing interpretation of the Stamp Mill Trail at Picacho SRA and discussed updates to its interpretation. Funding to improve interpretation on the Stamp Mill Trail will be used to create interpretive panels telling the stories behind the town of Picacho and its mills.
While Eric tended to various tasks, Taylour hiked Stamp Mill Trail with us. The trail has two posted access points: the first not far above the Lower Dock accessing the Colorado River and a second higher up, along the mill’s abandoned rail bed. The trail passes through rocky desert landscape above the former townsite of Picacho. The park is working on a trail rehabilitation project because some of the rocks marked in the self-guided hiking trails brochure are no longer on the trail.
Taylour pointed out historic features along the roughly 1-mile length of the trail. As a town supporting local gold mining, Picacho thrived from roughly the 1880s to the 1920s. The remains of two stamp mills, where ore was crushed before processing and removal south to nearby Yuma, Arizona, still stand above the Colorado River.
The Colorado River Basin is on the Pacific Flyway. My husband amassed the following list of birds sighted that day: Green-winged teal, Gambel’s quail, American coot, Caspian tern, double-crested cormorant, American white pelican, snowy egret, great egret, great blue heron, osprey, northern harrier, Gila woodpecker, black and Say’s phoebes, verdin, several swallow species, ruby-crowned kinglet, rock wren, phainopepla, song sparrow and yellow-rumped warbler.
Thank you to the Ocotillo Wells District for their introduction to this remarkable part of the State Park System!
 Top left: Colorado River from the Lower Dock. Photo from Eric Kung, Ocotillo Wells District. Top right: Signage at trailhead accessed from the Upper Mill’s abandoned railbed. Bottom left: View to the northeast of the inundated townsite from the Stamp Mill Trail. Bottom right: View across Taylor Lake into Arizona. Photos from Anne P. Cooper, Interpretation and Education Division.
California State Parks Pink Bear Patch Program Raises Funds to Support Breast Cancer Research
Story from: Mike Lynch, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division
 State Parks Pink Bear patches authorized to be worn by staff during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
California State Parks first approved the Pink Bear Program in 2018 to highlight National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, celebrated in October each year. As part of the program, State Parks staff are officially authorized to wear the pink bear patches and pins on uniforms for the month of October. The Pink Patch Project is a nationwide program where public agencies produce pink versions of their patches for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to further breast cancer prevention, treatment and research.
The partners for State Parks on the Pink Bear Program are the Ranger Foundation, California State Park Rangers Association and the California State Park Anniversary Committee. These partner groups promote the program, process the orders and provide funding to pay for the pink patches and pins used as fund raisers.
For 2023, $4,167 was raised in the Pink Bear Program sales/donations. This total was donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, rated A+ and four stars by the two principal charity watchdogs, Charity Navigator and Charity Watch. A total of $21,940 has been raised since 2018, and 100% of all sales are donated.
Students Learn About Pollinators With Oroville State Recreation Area Interpreter
Story from: Amanda Sellers, Northern Buttes District
 State Park Interpreter I Amanda Sellers teaches second graders about pollinators at STREAM Charter School in Oroville, California. Photo from Melissa Bosman, STREAM Charter School.
Although power outages and flooding became an issue throughout the state, I stayed the course and visited the STREAM Charter School in Oroville, California. STREAM stands for Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. I presented my program “Pollinators, Plants and People.”
Seeing an email blast from our K-12 Interpreter Noel Lopez, the teacher scheduled the program months ago. Mrs. Bosman’s second grade class was just starting to learn about plant life. “Having a state park interpreter visit the classroom was great,” the teacher said. “It’s the perfect way to begin a lesson plan!”
As I presented the program, I also taught the class a song. After learning how they can all protect pollinators, I reminded the students about the California State Park Adventure Pass Program (some students have siblings in the fourth grade), as well as the California State Library Pass Program.
The teacher was thankful that State Parks provides in-class presentations, as well as PORTS (Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students)® Program opportunities.
 Email photos to the WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
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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
Maintenance Aides (Multiple opportunities) – Apply-by dates vary: No degree required. This is the perfect entry-level position to get started at State Parks. Perform various maintenance and housekeeping tasks necessary to ensure that public health and safety standards are maintained. The Maintenance Aide cleans all park structures and facilities, including offices, restrooms, kiosks, storage areas and shop buildings; restocks restroom supplies; picks up litter; and collects and disposes of garbage. Click here for more information. No assessment required.
Park Aides (Multiple opportunities) – Apply-by dates vary: No assessment required! These entry-level opportunities are a great way to get your foot in the door with State Parks. Park aides primarily provide customer service to visitors and work in the kiosks at the entrance of the parks. Other tasks may include assisting with park events and performing minor maintenance tasks. Click here to view opportunities.
State Park Interpreter I, II, III – Apply-by dates vary: There are many vacant positions located throughout the state that need someone to plan park events, report and maintain interpretive statistics, assist in training staff and volunteers in interpretive methods and techniques, and help with interpretive program oversight and planning, including school programs and tours. Click here for more information. Click here to take the assessment.
EXAM SPOTLIGHTS
State Park Equipment Operator (Final filing date: March 1, 2024) From developing new recreation areas to restoring parks, our State Park Equipment Operators are essential to ensuring visitors are safe, preserving the state’s precious resources and keeping state parks operational for all to enjoy year-round. This assessment now has a biannual cut-off date. Click here for more information.
Communications Operator – Continuous (Applications will be processed the first day of every month): This is the entry, working and journey level for this series. Employees work under general supervision in a Communications Center, following established policies and procedures to perform a variety of duties. Duties include operating multifrequency/
channel radio telephone systems and computer-aided transmitting and receiving equipment to receive calls from field units, telephones or other sources. Click here for more information.
State Park Peace Officer Cadet (Ranger or Lifeguard) – Continuous: Be a guardian of state parks and help prevent criminal activity. Join us as a State Park Peace Officer Cadet and embark on a fulfilling law enforcement career. Click here for more information. Click here to apply.
Park and Recreation Specialist – Continuous: This classification performs collection, evaluation, summarization and analysis of outdoor recreation data from a variety of sources to identify recreational trends; existing outdoor recreational facilities, needs and deficiencies; and preparation of a variety of written plans and reports, including recommendations to establish priorities. 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:
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Lunar New Year: Preferred over “Chinese New Year” or “Spring Festival,” the name it is known by in China. The most important holiday in several East Asian countries, Lunar New Year marks the start of the Chinese lunar calendar. The holiday starts anytime from mid-January to mid-February, depending on the year, and lasts for multiple days. This year’s Lunar New Year holiday begins on Saturday, February 10, and ends with the Lantern Festival on Saturday, February 24.
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Valentine's Day: Valentine's Day is on February 14 every year. Don't forget the apostrophe.
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stand-alone: hyphenate.
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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 Lake Perris State Recreation Area
Exploring the east end of the park with State Park Peace Officer (Ranger) Gigi Barrios. With all this rain, the park is finally starting to show some green! We also enjoyed views of snow-covered Mount San Jacinto peeking through the clouds.
Photo from Charity Bliss, Inland Empire District
 Fort Ord Dunes State Park
Top: Volunteers and State Parks staff planted on Saturday, February 3, about 900 native plants in the dunes above the old U.S. Army bunkers as part of mitigation for the soon-to-be-built campground. Left: Volunteer Rick McGarrity organizes empty plant cells after the planting event. Right: Volunteer Lainey Chatham uses a dibbler to create a hole for planting.
Photos from Sam Winter, Monterey District (top); Elaine Goldstone, volunteer (left); and Helen Ogden, volunteer (right)
 Little River State Beach
Postcards between the ears: Accessing the hard-to-reach areas with the help of Tebow. Top left: The 58th Annual Trinidad to Clam Beach Run on Saturday, February 3, which has the only known river crossing as part of the course before runners finish the race traversing Little River State Beach to the finish line. Right and bottom left: North Coast Redwoods District is currently embarking on a large-scale invasive European beach grass removal project to help restore habitat for rare native plants and animals.
Photos from Keven Harder, North Coast Redwoods District
Providence Mountains State Recreation Area
What do you do when bobcat kittens appear in your cave? Why, make a "cat vid," of course. For about a week last summer, a family of bobcats (Lynx rufus) made Mitchell Caverns their home. The trail camera footage will melt even the hardest heart. Click button above or here to watch video.
Fair warning: They are quite cute and may break the internet.
Video from Andrew Fitzpatrick, Inland Empire District
Providence Mountains State Recreation Area
Panamint chipmunks (Tamias panamintinus) are one of our seldom seen mammals that dwell among the rocks and pinyon pines of our higher slopes. They have been isolated on these and other desert mountains since the Ice Age ended and the surrounding desert became inhospitable.
Video from Andrew Fitzpatrick, Inland Empire District
 Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park
I was reminded that eyes are the windows to the soul as one looks into the gold-flaked eyes of a painted ensatina salamander (Ensatina eschscholtzii picta).
Photo from Kyle Buchanan, North Coast Redwoods District
 Lake Perris State Recreation Area
Plant and animal life discovered in the park include the California bee plant (left) and the adorable ladybug larva.
Photos from Charity Bliss, Inland Empire District
 Samuel P. Taylor State Park
There is nothing that combats the gloom of winter like the bloom of a trillium.
Photo from Kourtney Boone, Bay Area District
 Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
View from the Peninsula kiosk.
Photo from Jamie Hieronimus, Gold Fields District
 Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
Top and bottom left: The moon setting and the sun rising. Right: Green Valley Falls as seen through an old live oak.
Photos from Michele Hernandez, Colorado Desert District
 Carlsbad State Beach
Following the rainbow after the storm.
Photo from Blythe Wilson, Interpretation and Education Division
 Ocotillo Wells District Headquarters
Double rainbow in the desert!
Photo from Eric Kung, Ocotillo Wells District
 Email photos to the WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
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Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024
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Migration Festival—Natural Bridges State Beach at 11 a.m.: Fly, swim, waddle, walk, bike or drive as you migrate to the park for a full day of activities that celebrate the migration of whales, butterflies, birds and the many creatures that travel. The park will host migratory animal talks, active kids' games, crafts, skits and live music from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Event is free; parking is $10. For more information or questions, contact NaturalBridges@ports-ca.us.
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Star Party! Enjoy the Dark Night Sky—Anza-Borrego Desert State Park at 7 p.m.: Join Certified Interpretative Guide Ron Bissinger and State Parks staff at the Borrego Palm Canyon Campfire Center from 7 to 8 p.m. We will view constellations and learn about our fascinating Dark Sky Park and community. Dress warmly, bring binoculars if you have them and a flashlight—red light preferable.
Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024
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Identifying and Tracking Wildlife—Folsom Lake State Recreation Area at 9 a.m.: Join Senior Park Aide Leenna Keo on an interactive 3-mile hike along Sweetwater Trail, where you will test your skills in tracking and identifying species. Grab your field notebooks/notepads and guidebooks, and let’s document what we find along the trail. Participants will learn to identify animal tracks and movements, as well as plants and animals that we find. All participants will keep track of the species they found along the trail and observations will be shared at the end of the hike. Binoculars and magnifying glasses are highly encouraged. There will be many stops along this hike to observe and analyze the surroundings. This is a great weekend hike for families looking to learn more about the natural surroundings in the Folsom Lake area. This event is RSVP required. To RSVP or if you have any questions, please email folsomlake@ports-ca.us.
Here are some State Parks events celebrating Black History Month:
Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024
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Black History Month Celebration—Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park at 10 a.m.: Join the Friends of Allensworth and California State Parks as we continue to celebrate and preserve the history of Allensworth. Visitors are welcome to tour the park's historic buildings and enjoy live entertainment, music and food.
Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024
- Community Connection Lunch Mixer—California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) at 11:30 a.m.: CNRA’s Black History Month Committee and the Getaway Café are pleased to present a Community Connection lunch mixer in the Sacramento CNRA Headquarters cafeteria. The Getaway Café will be serving a culture-centric meal as the special of the day, and the committee will have games available to promote community, networking and allyship. Have lunch in the cafeteria, network and bring your best game for the dominoes duel and spades showdown. The CNRA building is located at 715 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Registration is not required.
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Feb. 5, 2024
Feb. 6, 2024
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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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