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Recreation
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- Written by: Editor
Under the proposal, the per vehicle entrance fee during the five-month peak season would increase to $70 from $25 or $30. Motorcycle, bicycle and pedestrian entrance fees would also increase by double or more.
“Our goal as a nation should be to make our national parks supremely inviting and encourage more families to visit them. Instead, the Trump Administration proposes the complete opposite – making our treasured lands less accessible to many Americans,” said Attorney General Becerra. “In particular, this proposal would disproportionately impact modest-income families that are already underrepresented among national park visitors. It is incumbent upon all of us to take any and all necessary action to oppose this dramatic increase in park entrance fees and to protect communities that rely on national parks as important economic engines.
"It is simply disingenuous for the Trump Administration to claim that this proposal to charge families more is needed to help address the maintenance backlogs at our beautiful national parks. For every dollar the punitive fee increase raises from families, the Trump Administration intends to cut more than 4 dollars from the National Park Service’s budget — almost $300 million. That backdoor math simply does not add up. It's a cruel deception for millions of hardworking families,” added Attorney General Becerra.
In their comment letter to the NPS, Attorney General Becerra and his fellow attorneys general make three main points:
– NPS’s stated justification for the fee increase is to address the serious maintenance backlog facing the national park system. However, the proposal could well reduce revenue by lowering visitation rates, and it comes at the same time that the Trump Administration is proposing to cut NPS’s budget by far more than any increased fees might generate;
– NPS has failed to consider or provide any data to support the criteria it must consider pursuant to the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004, including the “aggregate effect of recreation fees on recreation users” or “the public policy or management objectives served by the recreation fee”;
– NPS’s Washington-centric approach, announcing the proposed fees for 17 parks without any detailed analysis or prior outreach to impacted communities and setting a short comment period that includes major holidays, is designed to minimize input from the American public to whom the national parks belong.
Joining Attorney General Becerra in sending the comment letter were the Attorneys General of Arizona, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
A copy of the comment letter is available at www.oag.ca.gov/news.
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- Written by: Editor
Our 280 park units which includes beaches, lakes, forests, deserts, off-highway vehicle recreation areas and historic preservation sites are open for Thanksgiving.
When you do head outdoors to our state parks, be sure to share your story by participating in this year’s #InventYourAdventure contest called “Every Adventure has a Story.”
Just visit your favorite state park between November 24 to 26, 2017, and post a photo or video on Instagram, telling us why that park is special to you. Valid submissions are eligible to win one of six travel backpacks ($200) provided directly from Eagle Creek.
Full details, including contest rules and regulations, can be found online at www.parks.ca.gov/InventYourAdventure.
Also, for the third consecutive year, California State Parks and the Save the Redwoods League teamed up to offer free day-use admission passes at more than 40 redwoods state parks for use on #RedwoodsFriday – Friday, Nov. 24 (Black Friday). Passes are going fast so grab yours by visiting www.RedwoodsFriday.org.
If you are visiting our parks for the first time, be sure to plan ahead and take some extra precautions.
Outdoor plan
Leave an itinerary of your trip with a family member or friend with information such as:
– Name and age of hikers/campers.
– Level of outdoors experience.
– Trailhead or campsite name and location.
– Time of departure and expected return.
– Information about your gear such as tent color, outerwear color and vehicle make, model, color and license plate.
– If heading to the snow, take tire chains.
Hiking safety
– Use the buddy system – hike with a friend or family member.
– Drink and carry plenty of food and water (minimum of 1 quart every 2 hours).
– Check the weather. Weather can change instantly.
– Bring sunscreen and use it.
– Dress appropriately. Bring layers of clothing. Wear appropriate shoes such as hiking boots and close-toed shoes.
– Beware of wildlife. Never feed or touch wildlife.
California State Parks encourages carpooling with family and friends as some parks have limited parking spaces.
For more safety tips, please visit the department’s Web site at www.parks.ca.gov/safetytips.
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- Written by: Editor
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – It is as traditional as pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes for many in Lake County. The free Annual Turkey Trot, started by the Lake County Milers in 2003 and now presented by Adventist Health Clear Lake, will begin at Hardester’s Plaza in Hidden Valley Lake on the morning of Nov. 23.
The free fun run invites families to get some exercise and enjoy time outdoors before sitting down to their Thanksgiving feast.
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at Hardester’s Plaza, 19849 Hartman Road, before taking off at 9 a.m. through the quiet streets of Hidden Valley Lake.
Participants can choose a three-mile run or two-mile walk. Strollers and polite dogs on leashes are welcome.
The famous holiday raffle will complete the morning’s festivities. Families can enter the raffle by bringing nonperishable food items to be donated to Restoration House, a five-bedroom home in Lower Lake that provides transitional housing to vulnerable members of the community.
“Thanksgiving Day is all about gratitude, so it’s wonderful that a fun event like the Turkey Trot includes a way to share our blessings with others,” said Shelly Mascari, Adventist Health Clear Lake’s director of community wellness.
Adventist Health Clear Lake began presenting the annual Turkey Trot at the invitation of the Lake County Milers last year.
The health care organization offers primary care and specialty care services in the Coyote Valley Plaza behind Hardester’s Plaza.
Medical center and clinic staff will be volunteering at the starting line and out on the course to ensure a fun event for all.
“The Turkey Trot is a great way to start the day off right with family and friends,” said Kevin Cole, Adventist Health Clear Lake’s cardiopulmonary director, who is leading the organizing team. “We look forward to seeing our neighbors being active and celebrating together on Thanksgiving morning!”
To learn more about the free Turkey Trot, visit www.facebook.com/adventisthealthclearlake or call 707-995-5884.
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- Written by: Carrie Wilson
How to find youth hunt opportunities
Question: My 11-year-old daughter recently passed her hunter education class. We are both really excited!
We live just outside Yuba City and we are looking for opportunities to go duck hunting. I am an amateur and I don't really know what I'm doing. We have the basics, even a dozen decoys, but I'm a little intimidated about taking her to the refuges even though they are nearby.
Are there some options you can suggest that cater to youth hunters? (Richard, Yuba City)
Answer: We are always happy to hear about a not-so-experienced hunter who is either striving to educate himself or herself about hunting and/or encouraging their kids.
There are plenty of opportunities within our public hunting areas as well as private waterfowl conservation and hunting groups.
The hunt options within our own wildlife refuge system should help reduce the intimidation and provide you and your daughter with some opportunities to get in a good hunt.
You can go through the online waterfowl reservation system to apply to hunt some of the refuges in reasonable proximity of Yuba City. Do this together and read the information carefully. Let her explore the rest of the waterfowl hunting Web page to see if it sparks even more interest in waterfowl hunting.
If you are drawn for a low enough reservation number at any of the refuges that have blinds, you're in luck. Refuges with blinds frequently offer a great opportunity with some level of privacy because no other hunters will be very close to you. If not drawn low enough to get a blind, it is still worth going. Just show up and feel free to ask for assistance from refuge staff about where to go. It's an early morning start so be sure to make your daughter aware of this ahead of time.
Private waterfowl conservation organizations regularly accommodate new or youth hunters. They are not terribly expensive to join and the money you contribute to the organization goes to a great cause. They share the same goals of conserving waterfowl habitat and providing youth hunters great opportunities to hook them and make them lifelong hunters and waterfowl conservationists. Inquire with those organizations about their many special youth hunt opportunities.
And last, plan to participate in the youth waterfowl hunting weekend, which is usually the weekend after the normal close of the season for adult hunters. It is the best opportunity for youth hunters all year for a great waterfowl hunting experience. It is all about the youth hunters on those days and there are countless stories of trips of a lifetime for new hunters on those very special weekends. The 2018 Special Youth Waterfowl Hunt is Feb. 3-4. Good luck!
Why are geese flying the same route every day?
Question: I live near Antioch, in Brentwood. In the past couple of weeks, apparently the geese have changed their flight pattern, because suddenly, every single day, they fly over a certain portion of my back patio leaving quite a mess.
Do you think this will continue for the rest of my life (I'm 68) or do you think they will eventually change their flight pattern again? I thought that the birds I see today would be 200 miles away tomorrow, so I'm not sure why they continue to fly right across the same area now and why it happened so suddenly.
I have lived here over a year, and it only started occurring a couple of weeks ago. I realize there is nothing that can be done about it, but I need to know if I should move – or if they will. (Karen)
Answer: According to Dan Skalos, a wildlife biologist in CDFW's waterfowl program, the geese you are seeing are likely local resident Canada geese.
Not much is known about their migratory patterns (which vary from area to area) but they are likely short-distance migrants or non-migratory, much different than their arctic nesting relatives.
Without investigating your situation, we can only speculate why these geese are flying over your house, but it seems likely that you are between a roost location and a food resource. Roost and forage locations change throughout the year so at some point the geese will stop flying over your house.
Depending on what resources these particular geese are using, this may be a temporary – but annual – event.
Often this time of year resident geese are feeding on post-harvest agricultural fields such as wheat or corn. If the geese are using agricultural fields, the normal annual rotation of these crops should keep this from happening every year.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife thanks Richard and Karen for their questions. If you have a question, please feel free to ask us via email at