California State Parks Honors Newest Peace Officers at Law Enforcement Academy Graduation Ceremony
Story and photos from: Doug Johnson, Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Division
![BVST 49](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9344354/5395423/bvst-49-collage-use-this-one_crop.jpg) Top left: California State Parks’ newest peace officers graduate in Paradise, California, on Friday, April 12. Top right: The graduating class recites the Peace Officer Oath. Bottom left: State Parks Director Armando Quintero speaking to the graduating class. Bottom right: BVST 49 Salutatorian Brian Menter, who will be going to the Santa Cruz District, speaks during the graduation ceremony.
Congratulations to the 17 cadets who graduated from State Parks’ Basic Visitor Services Training (BVST) Academy to become the latest group of rangers and lifeguards at California State Parks. The ceremony was held at the Paradise Alliance Church last Friday, April 12, in Paradise, California.
From the program's beginning on Sept. 5, 2023, this class has stayed committed to their responsibility as keepers of the state's most valuable natural and cultural resources as they advance to the next stage of their careers. Their class motto is “Live with honor, serve with pride.”
State Parks Director Armando Quintero spoke to the graduating class about seeing the devastating impacts of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the bravery of the state park peace officers and staff, and the challenges of climate change.
“While the challenges we face right now are almost unpredictable, what is predictable is the teamwork of your colleagues, all watching each other’s backs,” said Quintero. “Embrace your role as guardians of this natural heritage, protectors of public safety, and champions of conservation as you will be making a positive difference in many lives.”
The cadets attended the BVST Academy for 32 weeks. They received their badges and formally became state park peace officers (rangers and lifeguards), with their family, friends, and department staff serving as their audience both in person and remotely.
A group of the cadets were also presented special awards: Brian Menter received the Salutatorian and the Whitehead Award, Jordy Malmberg was awarded Valedictorian and the Parks Ops Award, Darren Moody received the Academic Award, James Rodriguez was honored with the Lifetime Fitness Award, Jeremy Chacana received the Defensive Tactics Award and the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course Award, and Clayton Shields received the Firearms Award.
To learn more about the cadet's new roles, click here. Watch a video of graduation ceremony highlights on the State Parks Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts.
![BVST 49 assignments](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9335411/bvst-49-assignments_original.png) Assigned locations for the graduating class of BVST 49.
Santa Cruz District Seasonal Lifeguards Receive Awards for Heroic Rescues
Story from: Gabe McKenna, Santa Cruz District
![Santa Cruz district lifeguards](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9327164/5389406/santa-cruz-district-seasonal-lifeguards-max-hunter-_crop.jpg) Lifeguard I Riley Rhodes (left) and Lifeguard I Max Hunter with their awards outside of the Capitola Community Center. Photo from Drasko Bogdanovich, California State Parks.
At the 2024 California Surf Lifesaving Association (CSLSA) biannual regional meeting, Seasonal Lifeguards I Riley Rhodes and Max Hunter, both of the Santa Cruz District, were awarded for heroic acts that occurred in January 2023. This biannual meeting was held in Capitola, California, which was close to home and a perfect place to honor these brave guards. Family, Santa Cruz District staff, and aquatics personnel from around the state were all present to recognize Rhodes and Hunter’s valiant rescues.
Rhodes was awarded with the CSLSA Meritorious Act for a single-victim rescue on Jan. 21, 2023, in which she rescued a fisherman in a rip current at Half Moon Bay State Beach. The fisherman’s waders had filled, and he had been pulled past the surf zone. Without hesitation—or wetsuit—Rhodes acted decisively, punching through large surf, inshore holes, and rips to safely bring the fisherman to shore.
Rhodes and Hunter were both awarded the CSLSA Medal of Valor for a heroic single-victim rescue of a swimmer. As sun set on the same day as the previous rescue, Rhodes was first on scene at Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay for a report of a missing swimmer. Hunter arrived shortly thereafter. The lifeguards were able to get a glimpse of a swimmer over 300 yards out, well past the breaking waves.
Lifeguards Rhodes and Hunter entered the water as light was fading. They negotiated large swells in excess of 8 feet, shallow sandbars, and deep holes. As they cleared the breaking waves on the sandbar, they lost visual of the victim, and other units on shore lost sight of the lifeguards. Units on shore attempted to call the lifeguards in due to hazardous conditions and darkness, not knowing that Rhodes and Hunter, using the victim’s screams for help to guide them, had successfully located the victim in the dark, at a distance they estimated to be 500 yards from shore.
Harbor Patrol responded but was unable to locate the rescuers and victim. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter arrived overhead and immediately began flying a search pattern attempting to locate the guards and victim with no success. Rhodes and Hunter towed the exhausted victim to shore, again navigating large surf, shallow sandbars, and currents, eventually making it ashore almost a mile from where they entered the water. From the perspective of all the rescuers on the beach, seeing the guards emerge into the light of the rescue group on the beach, while helping the victim along, was almost unbelievable. First responders on shore had been attempting to recall the lifeguards for over 30 minutes, not knowing what they had gone through.
Congratulations on your well-deserved awards, Lifeguards Rhodes and Hunter!
North Coast Junior Lifeguards Wrap Up Program With Del Norte County Office of Education
Story and photos from: Dillon Cleavenger, North Coast Redwoods District
![North Coast Junior Lifeguards Wrap Up Program](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9326043/north-coast-junior-lifeguards-wrap-up-program-colla_original.png) Turning '"nontraditional" beachgoers into Junior Lifeguards. Clockwise from top: The kids lining up for a surf. South Beach Crescent City viewed from Anchor Way. A paddle rescue demonstration.
The California State Park North Coast Junior Lifeguard program wrapped up its first-ever off-season program on Friday April 12, working in collaboration with the Del Norte County Office of Education in Crescent City, California. Del Norte is the farthest-north coastal county in the state, and we were proud to offer this program to 23 kids specifically chosen by the Del Norte County Office of Education as “nontraditional” beachgoers.
In a very rugged and dangerous environment, where kids have a hard time learning to surf or use the beaches for any type of recreation, our lifeguards had the pleasure of spending three five-hour days with this group. During our time together we focused on the basics of physical exercise, in-depth beach hazard education, and firsthand experience in surfing, swimming, and paddleboard rescue.
Although three days is a very brief period, everyone in the group braved the 51-degree water to enjoy some high-quality recreation on a spring break in Northern California.
Lake Perris State Recreation Area Celebrates Golden Anniversary and Resolves Mystery of Sunken Pipes
Story from: John Rowe, Inland Empire District
![Lake Perris divers](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9325600/5389365/lake-perris-sra-celebrates-50-years-dylan-good-and-_crop.jpg) Inland Empire District divers Dylan Goode (left) and John Rowe pause for a photo before exploring 10 50-year-old sunken “scuba diving pipes” at Lake Perris SRA. Photo from John Rowe, Inland Empire District.
More than a half century ago, on Saturday, April 6, 1974, the first park visitors were welcomed to the much-anticipated grand opening of Lake Perris State Recreation Area (SRA) in Southern California’s Inland Empire. The new reservoir, located at the southern end of the California Aqueduct, promised a myriad of popular recreational opportunities, including boating, waterskiing, fishing, rock climbing, hiking, hunting, and more, for local residents and visitors.
While the new park boasted state-of-the art facilities designed to enhance enjoyment and recreation, one very unusual feature was intentionally hidden from view, just waiting to be discovered by scuba divers. A hundred yards from the shoreline of the public swimming beach near the dam and 40 feet below the lake’s calm surface, park planners had carefully designed and installed 10 8-foot-long sections of concrete pipe of various diameters and designs on the barren lakebed prior to opening the floodgates. Variations in the pipe designs were created to make each tunnel a unique experience for divers, as well as an attraction for various kinds of fish and marine life. This innovative underwater recreational feature was a first for State Parks.
Project records are sketchy, but the original concept likely involved the State Parks’ Advisory Board on Underwater Parks and Reserves, an 11-member panel of experts appointed by Director William Penn Mott Jr., in 1968, who also were instrumental in recommending Lake Perris SRA as one of the department’s original underwater parks, a designation that remains today.
Fifty years later, the sunken pipes are visited on occasion by divers, but mainly serve a second life as fish habitat structures. Most importantly, they remain as submerged symbols of innovation and ingenuity in support of State Parks' mission.
![Lake Perris diver collage](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9325621/lake-perris-sra-celebrates-50-years-collage-2_original.png) Top left: Installation of scuba diving recreational pipes at Lake Perris SRA, ca.1973-74. Photo from California State Parks Photographic Archives. Top right: State Park Diver Laureano Ortiz (state park peace officer [ranger] from Gold Fields District) explores the inside of a sunken concrete pipe. Photo from Ken Kramer, Training Section. Bottom: Inland Empire District diver Dylan Goode swims through a sunken pipe. Photo from John Rowe, Inland Empire District.
State Parks and Department of Fish and Wildlife Team Up for Invasive Species PORTScast Program
Story from: Jennifer Langer, Interpretation and Education Division
![SP & CDFW PORTScast (Gaviota SP (screenshot of parker grand showing invasive species)](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9347372/5397014/sp-cdfw-portscast-gaviota-sp-screenshot-of-parker-g_crop.jpeg) Screenshot from livestream program with State Park Interpreter II Parker Grand sharing one of the invasive plants at Gaviota State Park.
In a unique collaborative effort, the California State Parks’ PORTS: Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students® Program joined forces with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to present a live broadcast on Tuesday, April 16, titled "Special Report: What's the Scoop on Invasive Species?"
The program took viewers on a virtual field trip to Elkhorn Slough Reserve and Gaviota State Park, where interpreters and environmental scientists showcased the impact of invasive species on these sensitive habitats. Students and public viewers gained firsthand knowledge about the ongoing efforts to restore native ecosystems and the exciting career opportunities in environmental science.
The broadcast culminated in a call to action, inviting second to 12th grade students to participate in an art contest themed "Species Reporters Wanted: What's the scoop on invasives?" Participants are encouraged to pick an invasive species and creatively depict its habitat, environmental impact, what native species are affected by its presence, reasons for concern, and methods to stop its spread. Winners will be announced during California Invasive Species Action Week, June 1-9, with their artwork featured on the CDFW Facebook page. Visit here for submission instructions, to download the contest flyer, and to enter the contest. The deadline for submissions is Friday, May 3, 2024.
The collaborative live broadcast program exemplifies the power of teamwork in achieving common goals. As stated by State Parks organizers, "We hope to have many more opportunities to collaborate with sister agencies, like CDFW, to expand our efforts in working toward these common goals. Teamwork makes the dream work!"
Click here to watch a recording of the "Special Report: What's the Scoop on Invasive Species?" livestreamed program. For more information about State Parks' PORTScast Programs and much more, visit the PORTScast website.
![SP & CDFW PORTScast (screenshot)](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9348107/5397378/sp-cdfw-portscast-screenshot_crop.png) State Parks and CDFW collaborated on PORTScast program "Special Report: What's the Scoop on Invasive Species?"
![SP and CDFW PORTScast screenshot](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9347390/5397015/sp-and-cdfw-portscast-screenshot_crop.png) The PORTScast YouTube livestream featured content created and presented by Park Interpretive Specialist Jennifer Kubel from Gaviota State Park.
Adventure Pass Exploration Live! Heads to Sue-meg State Park
Story from: Daniel Williford, Interpretation and Education Division
![Adventure Pass at Sue-meg graphic](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9327698/5389407/adventure-pass-exploration-live-goes-to-sue-meg-sta_crop.png) On our next Adventure Pass Exploration Live! broadcast, we venture to the rugged northern coast to visit Sue-meg State Park (SP) for a livestream event on Friday, April 26. Tune in at noon to discover an adventure-filled park alongside the Pacific Ocean, with abundant opportunities to provide State Park Adventure Pass users and their families with truly memorable experiences.
On this small, lushly forested headland you can experience a reconstructed Yurok plank house village, seek out curious wildlife, and marvel at unique trees while hiking on the trails. Down at the beach, identifying agates and learning about tide pool habitat can continue your bountiful exploration of this park. And the potential for adventure continues, as there is also a visitor center, a native plant garden, and places to stand above the Pacific Ocean and watch for sea life.
In partnership with the First Partner’s Office and the California Natural Resources Agency, State Parks offers the California State Park Adventure Pass, providing free day-use entry for California fourth graders and their families to 54 amazing state parks throughout the state. Sue-meg SP is one of the original 19 parks of the Adventure Pass Program. The program recently expanded from 19 to 54 parks, to provide even more free park access to fourth graders and their families.
Our engaging monthly broadcast is aimed to educate fourth graders, their families, and the general public about this notable program. These informative virtual park visits can be viewed on either the State Parks Facebook page or the PORTS: Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students® Program Facebook and YouTube channel.
Springtime is here, making this a great time for every California fourth grader and their family to explore California state parks with this fantastic, free program. Please join us for this fun-filled Adventure Pass Exploration Live! event at Sue-meg State Park.
To learn more about the Adventure Pass, go to California State Parks Adventure Pass.
Angeles District Holds Historic Masonry Restoration Training at Malibu Creek State Park
Story from: Ann Stansell, Angeles District
![Angeles District training group photo](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9344458/5395424/img-3429_crop.jpeg) District Maintenance Skills Training Section 3 class. Back row (left to right): Cesar Rodriguez, Jonathan Lechuga, Elisha Lechuga, Chazz Patacsil, Karina Ludeke, Nicholas Boomhower, Neil Oberheide, Jason Valdovinos, Anthony Lechuga, Joe Lechuga, Gabriel Gamboa, Desirae Renta, Alejandro Ortiz, Jose Gonzales, Lopeti Funaki, Armando Velasco, and Cesar DeLeon. Front row (left to right): Taylor LeGault, Louisa Lopez, Ann Stansell, Augustin Galvan, Bryce Wild, Eugene Mendicelli, Manuel Ramirez, and Barbara Tejada. Photo from Ricky Roldan, Training Section.
The first Historic Preservation Masonry Restoration Training since 2006 was held April 8-12 at Malibu Creek State Park in the Angeles District. The training was a collaborative effort of the district’s cultural resources and maintenance programs to restore the deteriorated stoves at the Tapia Park day-use area and retain historic integrity, while providing instruction to existing park staff in proper historic masonry preservation and restoration techniques. The class was opened to Angeles District staff as a Mott Training Center satellite class.
The historic masonry stoves were constructed in 1953-1954 during the development of the park and built by youth from a Juvenile Forestry Camp operated by the County of Los Angeles between 1938 and 1966. The youth grew thousands of trees in a nursery at Tapia Park that were planted throughout the Santa Monica Mountains and built the rock picnic stoves and concrete picnic benches still present and enjoyed by the public today. The masonry stoves consist of large stone and concrete frames, with a central chimney to control the heat from wood fires and two metal grills for cooking at either end. After years of use, the stoves had fallen into a state of disrepair. Most stoves were missing their cooking grates and fire brick liners necessary to function safely and efficiently.
The participants began their first day with presentations on topics including current restoration projects in the Angeles District, the history of Tapia Park’s masonry stoves, instruction on how to complete a project evaluation form and related permitting, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, tools for project management, and California Division of Occupational Safety and Health workplace safety. Speakers included District Maintenance Chief Jerry West, District Restoration Work Specialist Eugene Mendicelli, Supervisor of Angeles District's Cultural Resources Program Barbara Tejada, Associate Safety Engineer Lance Chi from the Northern Service Center, and me, district archaeologist.
Participants worked on 16 (eight double-unit) masonry stoves, gaining skills in proper masonry restoration techniques. The 20 participants engaged in daily rotating lab groups at Tapia Park:
- Removing damaged fire brick from the stove liners and loose stones and mortar joints from the decorative stove exteriors for repointing.
- Mixing concrete mortar consisting of three parts sand and one part lime, fire clay, and cement.
- Installing temporary wooden forms to the existing historic stoves for pouring concrete caps to match existing remnant caps, while securing new iron cooking grates into place.
- Setting in new fire bricks and natural stone cobbles with mortar to match the original stoves.
The Angeles District and masonry class participants extend their gratitude to Mott Training Section Specialists Ricky Roldan and Chazz Patacsil, and instructors Joe Lechuga, Jonathan Lechuga, Anthony Lechuga, Lopeti Funaki, Cesar Rodriguez, Elisha Lechuga, and Jason Valdovinos for their hard work to bring the project and training to completion.
The masonry stoves are a testimony to the hand craftmanship of the youth who built them. Through this work, the historic integrity of Tapia Park is preserved for generations to come while increasing recreational opportunities for park visitors.
![Angeles District training collage 1](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9344471/5395425/angeles-district-holds-historic-masonry-training-co_crop.png) Top left: Instructor Joe Lechuga providing an overview of stove restoration steps to class participants. Top right: Instructor Anthony Lechuga instructs students Manuel Ramirez, Gabriel Gamboa, and Cesar DeLeon on the process of building wooden kicker support forms and pouring concrete caps. Bottom right: Taylor LeGault sets fire bricks while Desirae Renta patches a chimney cap. Bottom left. Jose Gonzales and Karina Ludeke mix sand, lime, fire clay, and cement to make concrete mortar. Photos from Ann Stansell, Angeles District.
![Angeles District training collage 2](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9344493/5395446/angeles-district-holds-historic-masonry-training-co_crop.png) Before (top) and after (right) images documenting Tapia Park masonry stove restorations. Photos from Ann Stansell, Angeles District.
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park Kicks Off Opening Season of Weekend Train Rides
Story from: Mike Ninneman, Central Valley District
![Railtown 1897 SHP_Sierra Coach No. 3 with interpretive display](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9328179/5389588/railtown-1897-shp-sierra-coach-no-3-with-interpreti_crop.jpg) Sierra Railway Coach No. 3 on interpretive display. Photo from Mike Ninneman, Central Valley District.
After a productive off-season, trains are up and running again here at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park (SHP). Our opening weekend, April 6 and 7, was a big hit with visitors who had the opportunity to experience a wide range of activities in the park.
Three of our historic wooden coaches were open and on display, one of which featured an exhibit of historic railroad memorabilia and a detailed model railroad inside. Forge demonstrations took place both days in the original blacksmith shop, which turned 125 years old this year.
Despite the stormy weather leading up to the weekend, we had over 300 visitors on Saturday and more than 250 on Sunday.
We are looking forward to another fun-filled year of train rides and events at Railtown 1897 SHP!
![Railtown 1897 SHP_collage](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9328168/5389589/railtown-1897-shp-collage_crop.jpg) Top left: Volunteer Gisele Murillo greeting visitors as they climb aboard the Mother Lode Cannonball. Photo from Amber Sprock, Central Valley District. Top right: Interpretive Park Aide Mike Ninneman using the blacksmith forge. Photo from Amber Sprock, Central Valley District. Bottom: Volunteer Austin Castro admiring his display in Sierra Railway Coach No. 3. Photo from Garrett Franklin, California State Railroad Museum Foundation.
California State Railroad Museum and California State Railroad Museum Foundation Invite Community to Celebrate Contributions of Transcontinental Railroad Workers
Story from: Traci Rockefeller Cusack, T-Rock Communications
![CA Railroad Museum event (Purple Silk Music Pic 2](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9344585/ca-railroad-museum-event-purple-silk-music-pic-2_original.jpg) California State Railroad Museum visitors can enjoy live performances by the Great Wall Youth Orchestra during the "Unity Through Music" concert. The music will be from the diverse cultures of railroad workers who built the Transcontinental Railroad. Photo from Purple Silk Music Education Foundation.
The California State Railroad Museum and California State Railroad Museum Foundation are proud to present two special events happening both inside and outside the museum on Saturday, April 27, in celebration of the contributions of the workers who built the Transcontinental Railroad.
The first is a “Unity Through Music” multisensory concert event inside the museum in partnership with the Purple Silk Music Education Foundation made possible by Arts in California Parks. The second is a free, one-day-only opportunity and activation outdoors on the 1849 Scene at the Old Sacramento Waterfront include the Giant Golden Spike Monument on display in partnership with the Golden Spike Foundation.
The community is also encouraged to take a weekend excursion train ride and tour the California State Railroad Museum. In particular, visitors may want to explore the “Chinese Workers’ Experience” exhibit in the first-floor Transcontinental Gallery that showcases and shares stories of the of Chinese railroad workers who were essential in the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. In addition, the Railroad Museum is home to the priceless “lost” Golden Spike and precious artifacts cast at the same time as the gold spike used at the Promontory Summit ceremony, plus the famous “Last Spike” painting by Thomas Hill that illustrates the scene of the famous joining of the Union and Central Pacific Railroads.
For more information about excursion train rides and the California State Railroad Museum or the California State Railroad Museum Foundation, please visit the museum's webpage.
Click here to read the full press release.
![RR Spike at SLC Capital](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9346933/5397016/rr-spike-at-slc-capital_crop.jpg) Giant Golden Spike Monument in front of the Utah State Capitol. The monument, which is over 43-feet long and weighing 8,000 pounds, will be on special display all day on Saturday, April 27, outside the California State Railroad Museum on the 1849 Scene at the Old Sacramento Waterfront. Photo from Golden Spike Foundation.
Ocotillo Wells District All-Hands Meeting Takes Place at Picacho State Recreation Area
Story and photos from: Enrique Arroyo, Ocotillo Wells District
![Picacho SRA (picacho peak at sunset)](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9344684/5395498/picacho-sra-picacho-peak-at-sunset_crop.jpeg) View of Picacho Peak at sunset.
Ocotillo Wells District held its end-of-season all-hands meeting on Wednesday, April 17, at Picacho State Recreation Area (SRA).
As the temperatures hit triple digits this week, we prepared to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our staff by sharing highlights of the past year, eating together, and having some mandatory fun, including some rounds of the cornhole game.
Desert Division Chief Greg Martin joined in on the event and had the opportunity to participate in boating maneuvers on the Colorado River. Friends4Picacho Board Vice President Lori Long also joined. For this all-hands meeting, our Public Safety Program, led by Chief Ranger Andy Ahlberg, handled the logistics and did a fine job. Andy even managed the barbecuing duties. State Park Peace Officer Brandon Champieux and Erin Kothlow provided a lifesaving demonstration on the Colorado River. They also demonstrated safe boating operations on the river. Maintenance Mechanic Bill Cardinal was recognized for his years of service at Picacho SRA since 1978.
![Picacho SRA (all hands meeting collage)](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9344703/5395499/picacho-sra-all-hands-meeting-collage_crop.jpg) Top left: Park Maintenance Chief I Brian Woodson and Senior Maintenance Aide Martha Hernandez face Staff Services Analyst Yesenia Hernandez-Navarro and Senior Maintenance Aide Dolores Rangel in a friendly cross-program cornhole competition. Top right: Park Interpreter III Taylour Unzicker discussing Picacho SRA fun facts with Friends4Picacho Vice President Lorie Long and Senior Park Aides Eileen Napoleon and Beth Shugan. Bottom right: Lifeguard Erin Kothlow demonstrating a water rescue with Ranger Brandon Champieux. Bottom left: All hands are on deck as the Ocotillo Wells District look forward to a water rescue demonstration. Middle left: Desert Division Chief Greg Martin sets off on a tour of the Colorado River with Chief Ranger Andy Ahlberg, Lifeguard Kothlow, and Senior Environmental Scientist Sara Lockett.
![Bear Digest Divider](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2021/11/5218956/digest-divider_original.jpg) PARTNER NEWS
Parks California and State Parks Staff Meet With Amah Mutsun Tribal Band in Quiroste Valley Cultural Preserve
Story from: Becky Rittenburg, Parks California
![Parks California-Amah Mutsun partnership](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9349962/5398108/parks-california-parternship-with-amah-mutsun-tribe_crop.png) Amah Mutsun Land Trust, Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, State Parks, and Parks California partnership. Photo from Parks California.
Multiple State Parks districts, State Parks Cultural Resources Division HQ staff, and partners gathered on Awaswas lands in the Santa Cruz District on February 28, to learn more about the innovative partnership developed between the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, Amah Mutsun Land Trust (AMLT), and Santa Cruz District. The groups visited Quiroste Valley Cultural Preserve and AMLT’s native plant nursery. Parks California coordinated this event as a part of its Career Pathways peer learning program.
Amah Mutsun Tribal Band Chairman Valentin Lopez opened the day by grounding us all in the history of these lands, our shared purpose to ensure they are "sustainable until the last sunrise," and called on us at State Parks and Parks California to find ways to center Indigenous-led stewardship. AMLT and Santa Cruz District staff then shared how their partnership evolved and key lessons learned along the way. Through the day’s activities, staff from State Parks’ Cultural Resources Division and Northern Buttes and Monterey Districts learned more about this comanagement model and AMLT’s Native Stewardship Corps to bring home insights to local tribal partnerships.
Mohini Narasimhan, AMLT development and communications manager, captured why this partnership has thrived when she wrote the following in AMLT’s spring newsletter, “From the archeology research beginning in 2006, to vegetation management in 2015, to now experimental plant propagation, trust has been built and continues to build through every meeting, conversation and project together. It is strengthened by the many instances of pursuing shared funding, of reaffirming a shared goal to restore Mother Earth and, of course, by spending many hours together on the land.”
Read more about our day together in Quiroste Valley in Mohini’s in-depth account here. You can also sign up to the AMLT mailing list to stay connected on this and other developments.
StoryWalk 'Tasha’s Voice' and Reading With Author Carmen Bogan at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area
Story from: Elizabeth Kubey, Parks California
![StoryWalk at Candlestick SRA](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9334390/5393897/parks-california-reading-at-candlestick-point-sra-g_crop.png) Parks California and California State Parks will once again welcome award-winning author Carmen Bogan to Candlestick Point State Recreation Area (SRA) on Saturday, April 27, for a magical StoryWalk and reading event featuring scenes from her new illustrated children’s tale, "Tasha’s Voice."
This new story, published by Yosemite Conservancy, will be told through individual panels featuring pages from the book placed along a wandering walking path in the park. As children and families stroll, the journey of a Black girl named Tasha will unfold. Park visitors will become immersed in Tasha's story—how she has trouble finding her voice until she connects with nature in “the best park ever” on a school field trip.
Join us for a beautiful day in Candlestick Point SRA. There is something for everyone during this free community event!
![StoryWalk at Candlestick SRA_carmen bogan](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/04/9335080/5393898/parks-california-reading-at-candlestick-point-sra-c_crop.jfif) Author Carmen Bogan at a StoryWalk event in 2022. Photo from Parks California.
![Bear Digest Divider](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2021/11/5218956/digest-divider_original.jpg) ![Spring Senses Flyers (1)](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/CNRA/2024/03/9170890/5327694/spring-senses-flyers-1_crop.jpg) Email photos to the WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
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