August is upon us and instead of life slowing down, it is speeding up! Recently I’ve been preparing for two major events, and both of them took place this past Tuesday. The first was a breakfast speech in Los Angeles on the State Parks budget and Prop 21. The second was a joint informational hearing of the Senate Natural Resources Committee and the Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee on Prop 21 (see article below). My carbon footprint isn’t looking too good but my Southwest Airlines frequent flyer account is!
In late spring, after we submitted signatures to the Boards of Elections for what became Prop 21, time seemed to be stretching out forever. And now, the November election is just around the corner!
However, despite the significance of Prop 21, we can hardly stop doing all the other things that need doing…park threats still loom large, such as a motorsport “park” proposed in Antelope Valley, and potential impacts of High Speed Rail in several places in the state, but especially Los Angeles.
But what has me excited like a child on their birthday morning is actually some cool new things coming to our website. I hope that you visit us periodically to see what is new and different. Some of our new programming such as the Hidden Stories series now has its own area, as well as information about our Park Champions Program. Shortly you will be able to find out more about those park threats that I mentioned in a new feature on our website. I can tell you much much more, but let me wrap up by saying—watch for quail-wear soon on our site!
Thanks, as always for your support! We hope you are enjoying the end of your summer!
Strong Show of Support for Prop 21 by CSPF Members
On August 10, dozens of park supporters turned out for a joint informational hearing of the Senate Natural Resources Committee and the Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee on Prop 21 (the State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010). Attendees (many wearing green Prop 21 T-shirts!) helped show the strong support that continues to grow for this important proposition.
During this constitutionally required hearing, committee members heard from a variety of panelists, including CSPF President Elizabeth Goldstein, who provided testimony as to why Prop 21 is so important to the future of California’s 278 state parks. Following the panel, the hearing was opened for public comment and participants overwhelmingly supported Prop 21. Thank you to the dozens of CSPF members and other park supporters who joined us for this event!
California State Parks Starring in Hollywood Films
Mark Your calendars and keep an eye on our website! Join us in Los Angeles on November 6th and 7th for our second annual California State Parks Foundation Film Series! For over eighty years California’s motion picture industry and more recently, its television industry, have used state parks to shoot movies and television series. The partnership continues to this day, providing both world-wide entertainment and great economic benefit to California. The films being shown this year at The Paramount Theater and at the 20th Century Fox Studios include: STAR WARS: Episode VI Return of the Jedi; M*A*S*H (The Movie) and M*A*S*H (2 TV Episodes), including Q&As with the stars; SPARTACUS (1960); and PLANET OF THE APES (1968).
A Day at the Beach - CSPF’s Packard Summer Learning Program
Sara Feldman, CSPF’s Vice President of Programs, joined a group of enthusiastic middle-school students from Walter Dexter Middle School in Whittier on a cloudy July day at Leo Carrillo State Beach to observe summer learning first-hand. The marine layer didn’t discourage anyone from participating in the myriad of activities planned for the day.
The kids broke into groups which rotated through three activities: a hike along the creek watershed; lessons in water conservation; and beach activities. The students, accompanied by their teachers, used a workbook prepared by California State Parks interpretive staff that encouraged them to closely observe their environment—not just what they saw, but what they smelled and heard, as well, using techniques such as soundmapping. The workbook identified native plants such as purple sage, laurel sumac and sagebrush, and asked students to collectively compose a poem based on their observations and feelings about the ocean.
For many of the students, the visit to Leo Carrillo was the first time they had seen the beach or a watershed area, even though their school is located less than 2 hours from the coast. Many of the younger kids reveled in the new sights and sounds, playing with crab carapaces, rubbing aromatic plants between their palms to release their scents, splashing their feet in the sea and generally having fun. Older students were more reserved, but a glance at their workbooks revealed a myriad of observations on the stimulating environment surrounding them.
Sara joined a group of kids on the beach working to write a “Cinquaine Ocean Poem.” For each line, the workbook gave an instruction on type of word and how many syllables, coaching the students to expand their vocabularies and share their perceptions of the beach setting. The following poem was the result:
Ocean View
Big blue lagoon
Surfing, enjoying, splashing
Relaxed, wonderful, awesome
Soothing
No one could have said it better!
Thanks to Lowepro and Adolph Gasser Photography
Congratulations to July's photo contest winner Molly Millhollon for her image, "Good Morning Mount Diablo!"
CSPF would like to thank the fantastic sponsors of our MyParkPhotos Photo Contest and our CSPF Photo Contest! Lowepro—the leading manufacturer of a wide range of camera carrying systems (and more!)—provides winners of both contests with monthly prizes and an overall winner prize. Adolph Gasser Photography—a San Francisco establishment offering everything a photographer needs—provides CSPF Photo Contest winners with an online credit and valuable input regarding contest images. Remember, both of these contests are free, so join in!
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