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Recreation
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- Written by: California Department of Parks and Recreation
Dorothy Benjamin (center), a volunteer at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, was presented with a California State Parks Golden Bear Award last year by State Park and Recreation commissioners Francesca Vietor (left) and Phil Ginsburg (right) for her work in supporting the park through planning diverse community events. Photo from California State Parks.
The California State Park and Recreation Commission, or SPRC, is now accepting nominations for the 2024 Golden Bear Awards.
These awards honor and celebrate individuals and organizations acting in support of the California Department of Parks and Recreation and its mission to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state's extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation.
The nomination period is open through Monday, June 30.
Six awards — one statewide, one per geographical division (Central, Coastal, Desert and Northern) and one honorary partner — will be presented by the SPRC during a public commission meeting.
Recipients of the award for 2023 included the Sierra State Parks Foundation for its continued support of Lake Tahoe Sector parks over the last 50 years.
Others recognized included Dorothy Benjamin, a volunteer at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park for her work in supporting the park through planning diverse community events; Juan Carlo Mendoza, a volunteer for the Angeles District and its Mountain Bike Unit, for his strong ambition and dedication to protecting park visitors; Rick Matsuo, Park Maintenance Chief for the Angeles District, for his ability to motivate and mentor colleagues and staff; and Viktor Patino, a longtime department employee of the Office of Grants and Local Services, for his passion in reducing barriers to outdoor recreation for disadvantaged communities.
With 280 state park units, over 340 miles of coastline, 970 miles of lake and river frontage, 15,000 campsites, 5,200 miles of trails, 3,195 historic buildings and more than 11,000 known prehistoric and historic archaeological sites, the department manages the largest and most diverse recreational, natural, and cultural heritage holdings of any state agency in the nation.
More than 68 million people annually visit California’s State Park System. Caring for these resources and providing high-quality recreational opportunities to all Californians can only be accomplished with the support of dedicated individuals and organizations working together with the department.
Recognizing Golden Bear awardees helps motivate Californians to work to preserve and protect these unique places for current and future generations.
Nominations can be made by any member of the public. To learn about the qualifications and how to nominate candidates for an award, please visit the Golden Bear Awards webpage.
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- Written by: MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST
Campgrounds now accepting Scan & Pay are Davis Flat, Deer Valley, Dixie Glade, Fouts, Howard Lake, Howard Meadows, Letts Lake, Little Doe, Mill Creek, Mill Valley, North Fork, Penny Pines and South Fork.
Before heading out into the forest, visitors will need to download the Recreation.gov app and add a valid payment method. Cash and check are still accepted at campgrounds. Funds collected from campground fees support maintenance on campgrounds.
To use Scan & Pay to secure campsites, visitors arrive at the campground and claim a campsite. Visitors walk up to the campground kiosk and scan the QR code using a mobile device.
After scanning the code, visitors follow the instructions to pay for the site. If the campground has no cell service, then payment will be noted as “pending” until they reach cell service and then the payment will go through.
Visitors must write the confirmation code from their payment and display it on their car dashboard.
Visitors can find more information by reaching out to local Forest Service offices in Willows, Stonyford, Upper Lake or Covelo.
For more information about the Mendocino National Forest, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/mendocino.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Memorial Day is busy in Lake County, with lots of options for family fun.
The Lake County Land Trust has added one more event — Family Day at the Rodman Preserve. Come out to the Land Trust’s preserve at 6350 Westlake Road on Saturday, May 24, and enjoy a late morning and early afternoon nature walk, scavenger hunt, and other fun activities led by Land Trust volunteers and naturalists.
The preserve will be open from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Water will be provided and visitors are encouraged to bring a sack lunch to enjoy on the back porch or under the oak trees.
A guided walk will be held at 10 a.m. but self-guided walks are also offered children’s activities
will start at 10 a.m. with a fun nature scavenger hunt, games, displays, and the chance to look at critters and bugs through microscopes, with biologist Dr. Harry Lyons on hand to identify them.
This isn’t just a “kid’s day,” adults are more than welcome and will have activities too.
Redbud Audubon’s renowned naturalist Donna Mackiewicz will engage kids in nature activities like the “recycle game,” which is a learning experience and fun too.
The activity table will teach youngsters about birds and there is also cool stuff on display like skulls and animal pelts.
The goal of Family Day at the Rodman Preserve is to encourage exploration of nature and to introduce people to the Lake County Land Trust and its Nature Preserve and Center.
Come at 10 a.m. or drop by any time. It will be fun.
The Lake County Land Trust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring the valuable natural resources of Lake County. For more information about the Land Trust, visit www.lakecountylandtrust.org.
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- Written by: Henry Bornstein
LOWER LAKE, Calif.— The next monthly guided nature walk at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park will be held on Saturday, May 10, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
The May nature walk will be led by Roberta Lyons, a volunteer State Parks docent and president of Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association.
The route taken on the walk will depend on the condition of the trails. The hike should last between one and a half and two hours.
Bring binoculars and meet in the parking lot at 8:15 a.m. for time to experience the early morning wildlife that can be found in the Ranch House and Barn complex yard. The walk will begin at 8:30 a.m.
Sturdy shoes, a hat and water are also suggested.
There is no charge for the guided nature walk and parking is free for those attending.
Anderson Marsh State Historic Park is located on Highway 53, between Lower Lake and Clearlake.
For more information about the guided walk, email