Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

California State Parks Adventure Pass available for 4th graders and families

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By California State Parks

Hey, fourth graders! Are you ready for an adventure?

The California State Park Adventure Pass is just for you. See how you can visit some of the most amazing parks in the country with your family and friends—for free.

What?

In partnership with the First Partner’s Office and the Natural Resources Agency, the California State Park Adventure Pass provides free entry for fourth graders and their families at 19 amazing state parks throughout the state. Mountains, deserts, forests, rivers … the choice of where to visit is yours.

Who?

You (a fourth grader from California), your family (up to three adults and other kids) and friends (everyone in your car) can enjoy all sorts of adventures at 19 state parks during your whole fourth grade year—and the summer after, too. (So, it’s good this summer for those going into fifth grade).

How?

Have your parent or guardian go to ReserveCalifornia.com or call (800) 444-7275. All they have to do is set up a profile by providing their name, address, phone number and email address, and we’ll send them your free California State Park Adventure Pass to their email right away!  For individuals that do not have access to a smartphone, computer or printer and/or do not have an email address to use when applying online, they can still apply for a pass by visiting a State Parks Pass Sales Office. Click here for a list of locations.

Where?

Once you have your Pass, you can use it by either printing it out or keeping it on your phone to show a uniformed state park staffer at one of these 19 state parks.

Recreate Responsibly

Getting into the outdoors is the perfect way to connect with nature, family and friends but it is important to do so responsibly. Please protect yourself and your family by learning about the park you are visiting before heading out, wearing appropriate clothing, staying prepared by bringing the essentials like enough food and water, and knowing your comfort level to avoid injuries. For additional safety tips, click here.

Your Parents Speak Spanish?

¿Tus padres hablan español? Tenemos personal que les pueden ayudar en su idioma. Diles a tus padres que nos llamen por teléfono al 1-800-444-7275 o nos visiten en ReserveCalifornia.com

Learn more at www.parks.ca.gov/AdventurePass

 

East Bay Parks offer Free Park Day for Juneteenth Sunday

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Hike of Celebration and Reflection at Thurgood Marshall Regional Park in Concord

By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, East Bay Regional Park District

The Park District is celebrating Juneteenth this year with a Free Park Day in recognition of the date when enslaved Black Americans in Texas were notified of their freedom, two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. While Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to U.S.  General Ulysses S. Grant in April 1865, fighting continued in Texas for nearly two months. On June 2, 1865, Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith finally surrendered. A few weeks later, on June 19, U.S. troops landed in Galveston, Texas, confirming the end of the Civil War and slavery in Texas. Today, the abolition of slavery and emancipation of Black Americans in Texas is celebrated on June 19 annually as Juneteenth.

The Park District is committed to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and making our parks and agency more welcoming and reflective of the communities we serve. Park District fees waived on Juneteenth include park entrance, parking, dogs, horses, boat launching, and fishing. However, the fee waiver does not apply to swimming, camping, reservable picnic facilities (due to capacity limits), District concessions, and state fees for fishing licenses, and watercraft inspections for invasive mussels.

The Park District is celebrating Juneteenth with several naturalist-led programs, including a Hike of Celebration and Reflection at Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50.

For more information about Juneteenth, visit www.ebparks.org/Juneteenth.

 

CA State Parks Week: Weeding for Biodiversity on Mt. Diablo Friday, June 17

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Diablo Overlook. Panorama photo by Elise McFarland. Source: CA State Parks

9:00 am FREE

As part of Stewardship Day during California State Parks Week, learn about the amazing variety of plant life at Mount Diablo State Park which includes species that are only found here. Threatening this rich diversity are some species that can turn an area with many types of plants into an area where there is only one. You can help as we pitch in with our park biologist to remove one of these invasive plants from an area of the park. Reservations required. Group size limited to 15.

Meet at 2675 Mt Diablo Scenic Blvd. in Danville.

For reservations and information email sharon.peterson@parks.ca.gov or visitcastateparksweek.org/event/weeding-for-biodiversity/.

There are more opportunities to participate in State Parks Week on Friday and during Partnership Day / Volunteer Day on Saturday, June 18. Enjoy the over 279 park units, from the redwood forests on the North Coast to the sunny beaches in Southern California, that preserve and protect the best of California’s natural and cultural history, from natural features and ecosystems to historic structures and cultural resources.

Tours of new regional park at former Roddy Ranch Golf course in Antioch May 7

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Hikers during the Open House event at the new regional park at the former Roddy Ranch golf course in Antioch on Sept 25, 2021. Photo: EBRPD

I am happy to announce that East Bay Regional Park District will be offering guided tours of the former Roddy Ranch Golf Course this spring! It is an opportunity to see the site in-person, learn more about the recently released preferred design concept, and to ask questions and provide feedback to the planning team. The tours will cover about 1.5 miles of former cart paths with various stops along the way to highlight features of the design plans and natural history elements. Registration is required.

Two tours will be offered on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at the following times:

  • 9:30am-11:30am(program #44166)
  • Noon-2pm(program #44169)

Registration will open tomorrow, April 8 at 9am. You can reserve online or by calling 1-888-EBPARKS (1-888-327-2757), option 2. Please sign up for one tour, with space limited to two participants per reservation.

Of course, please let me know if you have any questions and be sure to go out and enjoy your Regional Parks!

Save Mount Diablo opens its Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve to the public

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Students gather around a giant oak at the Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve. Photo: Scott Hein.

First of its kind in Contra Costa County; 207.8-acre preserve available for free to local schools, groups

By Laura Kindsvater, Communications Manager, Save Mount Diablo

On March 30, 2022, Save Mount Diablo opened its Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve to the public, the first of its kind in Contra Costa County. People gathered at a special ceremony at the preserve during which Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and Save Mount Diablo Board President Jim Felton cut the ribbon to celebrate the opening.

The 207.8-acre preserve is situated between the Crystyl Ranch residential development in Concord and Lime Ridge Open Space in Walnut Creek.

Save Mount Diablo’s Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve is available for reservations free of charge to a variety of local schools and community groups, of all ages and backgrounds, pursuing educational purposes. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • environmental science classes
  • nature photography courses
  • yoga classes
  • plein-air artists gatherings
  • addiction recovery groups
  • acoustic music in nature ensembles
  • meditation classes
  • grief counseling support groups
  • church groups
  • homeowners association groups
  • hiking, trail running, and mountain bike clubs

Interested groups can submit a request to reserve the property for a day up to six months in advance by utilizing the online form on Save Mount Diablo’s website. The size of a group must be at least three people to no larger than 100 people. The preserve is day-use only (no camping). Location and access will be provided upon reservation. A docent will be on-sight to provide access, an overview of the property and any assistance.

The preserve includes grassland, stream canyons, blue oak woodland, chaparral, and oak savannas.

It’s home to rare species such as the northernmost stand of desert olive, rare Hospital Canyon larkspur, and threatened Alameda whipsnake. Deer, coyote, burrowing owls, kestrels, and lots of other wildlife live here too.

The preserve’s high ridgeline provides views of most of central Contra Costa County and to Marin, Sonoma, and Solano counties.

As you move away from the staging area of the preserve and into the open space along Galindo Creek and up the ridgeline, the sounds of cars and radios fade. They become birdsong and gentle breezes rustling through trees.

Here you will find you are transported into another space where senses are heightened and connecting to nature is inevitable.

About Save Mount Diablo

Save Mount Diablo is a nationally accredited, nonprofit land trust founded in 1971 with a mission

to preserve Mount Diablo’s peaks, surrounding foothills, watersheds, and connection to the Diablo Range through land acquisition and preservation strategies designed to protect the mountain’s natural beauty, biological diversity, and historic and agricultural heritage; enhance our area’s quality of life; and provide educational and recreational opportunities consistent with protection of natural resources. To learn more, please visit www.savemountdiablo.org.

Park District presents design of new regional park on former Roddy Ranch golf course in Antioch

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Roddy Ranch regional park Preferred Concept Birdseye View and location map. Source: EBRPD

By Eddie Willis, Planner, East Bay Regional Park District

Greetings Regional Park supporters!

Notable features of the preferred design concept include:

  • Approximately 4 miles of new trails, including a 1.6-mile accessible loop
  • Dedicated equestrian and bus parking
  • An interpretive pavilion and shade structure
  • An upper and lower picnic area
  • Two acres of enhanced seasonal wetlands and vernal pools
  • 7 miles of channel restoration/creation/enhancement

Roddy Ranch regional park Preferred Concept Plan. Source: EBRPD

These design documents can be directly viewed on the project webpage, and here is a brief summary of each:

  • Preferred Concept – Video Overview: a short video explaining the main elements of the preferred design concept.
  • Preferred Concept – Map: The preferred concept focuses on maximizing wetland habitat and drainage channels by directing water to existing wetlands and by creating new vernal pool and pond features. Runoff at the top of the watershed will strategically flow along the surface and underground toward the wetlands at the base of the hills. Recreational improvements are concentrated toward the east and allow the open landscape to be experienced toward the west. A short accessible loop welcomes users at the entrance and is paved with concrete, reminiscent of the former golf course cart paths. The trail network also includes an additional accessible trail, as well as overlooks and longer earthen trails that lead visitors through a variety of experiences.
  • Preferred Concept – Bird’s Eye View: This is a perspective view of the preferred trail alignments and restoration features of the future park at the former golf course. The view is looking northwest toward Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in the distance. The future staging area is at the bottom center of the image.
  • East Overlook – Rendering: This image shows the reuse of a former golf tee box as an informal overlook. Mt. Diablo is not visible from all locations onsite, but it is from this overlook. Informal multi-use trails are shown meandering across the hillside in the background.
  • Staging Area – Rendering: This image shows the new multi-use accessible trail and the shade pavilion in the background with the new parking lot/staging area marked by the grove of trees to the far right.

If you have any comments or questions on the preferred design concept, the project team would be happy to receive them through the project page’s Comment Box here.

Thank you for supporting the Park District and Habitat Conservancy’s efforts to develop this 230-acre former golf course into Antioch’s newest Regional Park, and please feel free to reach out to me directly at ewillis@ebparks.org or 510-544-2621.

 

East Bay Park District lifeguards wanted for 2022 swim season

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Photo: EBRPD

By Jen Vanya, Public Information Specialist, Public Affairs, East Bay Regional Park District

Monday, March 7, 2022 (Oakland, CA) – The East Bay Regional Park District is actively seeking 50 new lifeguards for the 2022 swim season at its 10 East Bay swim facilities, which include lakes, lagoons, and pools. All new lifeguard positions are seasonal, full-time positions from May through September. Anyone 16 and over before April 23, 2022, are encouraged to apply. Starting pay is $20.17 per hour.

There are six different testing dates scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays during the last three weekends in March. Participants will be asked to swim 550 yards in under 10 minutes, carry a rescue board 50 feet, retrieve three dive rings under 4-7 feet of water, tread water for two minutes using only their legs, and retrieve a 10-pound brick from under water. There will also be a short informal interview after successful completion of the swim test on the same day.

Participants who pass the tests will be invited to the Park District’s Lifeguard Academy beginning Saturday April 23rd, 2022, where they will receive paid training and certification in open water lifeguarding. The Lifeguard Academy takes place over five consecutive weekends in April and May, with the swim season beginning in late May for most facilities.

“Promoting water safety and educating park visitors on how to safely recreate in, on, and around the water is paramount in what a lifeguard does,” said East Bay Regional Parks District Aquatics Manager Pete DeQuincy. “Working as a lifeguard is one of the few ways a young adult can give back to their community and learn about public service.”

Lifeguards can work at any of the Park District’s swim facilities throughout cities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, such as Antioch, Concord, Livermore, Hayward, Castro Valley, Oakland, Alameda, and Berkeley.

Testing Schedule

  • Saturday March 12th, Buchanan Pool, Pittsburg
  • Sunday March 13th, Buchanan Pool, Pittsburg
  • Saturday March 19th, Mills College, Oakland
  • Sunday March 20th, Mills College, Oakland
  • Saturday March 26th, Granada High School, Livermore
  • Sunday March 27th, Granada High School, Livermore

More Information and How to Apply: bit.ly/2022EBRPDLifeguard

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.

 

Save Mount Diablo protects almost 154 critical open space acres on Mount Diablo

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Aerial view of the nearly 154 acres of open space on Mount Diablo’s North Peak, owned by the Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association, which has been permanently protected. Credit: Cooper Ogden.

Purchases land, uses conservation easement

By Queenie Li and Ted Clement, Save Mount Diablo  

In December 2019, Save Mount Diablo and the Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association (CMDTRA) signed a two-year option agreement, giving Save Mount Diablo time to raise over $1.04 million to permanently protect almost 154 acres of open space on Mount Diablo’s North Peak with a conservation easement.

Save Mount Diablo raised the necessary funds. And on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, the parties closed escrow, with Save Mount Diablo successfully purchasing the conservation easement and thereby forever protecting this highly strategic land.

“We are so happy and grateful to start 2022 by permanently protecting almost 154 acres on Mount Diablo! The land that we just conserved is contiguous with Mount Diablo State Park and other lands protected by Save Mount Diablo. I want to thank our terrific Save Mount Diablo supporters and our wonderful partners at Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association for making this possible,” said Ted Clement, Save Mount Diablo’s Executive Director.

This Mount Diablo open space land that was protected by Save Mount Diablo on January 11 had been vulnerable. More than 15 houses and other buildings had been constructed near the approximate 154 acres just conserved with a Save Mount Diablo conservation easement.

A conservation easement is a perpetual legal agreement between a landowner and a qualified organization, like a nonprofit land trust or government agency. It restricts future activities and development on the land to protect its conservation values for the benefit of the public.

The newly protected land will continue to be owned by the Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association with Save Mount Diablo overseeing its conservation easement with annual monitoring.

“It is with great happiness and a sense of future vision that the Conservation Easement Agreement between the Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association and Save Mount Diablo is signed. This agreement will assure that future generations will be able to fully enjoy the natural beauty of this area of California without the threat of development. Save Mount Diablo took into consideration the history of our equine needs while sculpting the agreement,” said Diane Jorgensen, CMDTRA Board member.

“It is almost surreal that after more than 15 years in the making, we are finalizing the Conservation Easement between Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association and Save Mount Diablo. This agreement affords us the security of knowing that a beautiful piece of the mountain will be forever protected from urban development without sacrificing land ownership,” said Elaine Baker, CMDTRA Board President. “The heritage of horses on Mt. Diablo can continue indefinitely. We are eternally grateful that Save Mount Diablo has been so supportive and patient, tirelessly navigating us through the entire process. I hope that other landowners will follow in our footsteps to protect their land too.”

“I would like to thank Ron Brown, Seth Adams and Ted Clement for their patience, determination and love for Mt Diablo that facilitated the formation of the unique Save Mount Diablo/CMDTRA Conservation Easement,” said Chris Barnhart, CMDTRA Board Treasurer. “This partnership allows all of us to protect this vital, beautiful piece of Mt Diablo for perpetuity while allowing CMDTRA to retain ownership and the right to use the property as we always have in the past and will in the future. This agreement took over 15 years to finalize. Save Mount Diablo was very supportive of the needs of CMDTRA and are a wonderful group of caring and dedicated people who are dedicated to preserving Mt Diablo in perpetuity for future generations to come. It is with pride and love for Mt Diablo that CMDTRA has agreed to place the Conservation Easement on 154 acres of CMDTRA land.”

The $1.04 million needed to purchase this permanent conservation easement, along with additional transaction costs, was raised through Save Mount Diablo’s Forever Wild Campaign, which was completed in 2021.

The mile-wide property is part of the “Missing Mile,” a square mile of privately owned open space land on Mount Diablo’s North Peak. The property is adjacent to Save Mount Diablo’s Young Canyon property and our North Peak Ranch project and is also surrounded by Mount Diablo State Park on three sides.

It rises from 1,100 feet to 2,010 feet with views from the Carquinez Strait and Suisun Bay to Lassen Peak and the Sierra Nevada Range.

The property’s rich biodiversity is due to the complicated geology of Mount Diablo’s main peaks, including serpentine soils that host dozens of rare plant species like the Mount Diablo globe lily.

 

The now protected property will help secure the extremely important Mount Diablo high peaks area local ecosystem and preserve the scenic value the mountain affords to countless numbers of people.

The Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association will keep a separate approximate 47 acres where the association’s buildings are located, next to the almost 154 acres of open space just conserved with Save Mount Diablo’s conservation easement.

­­­­­About Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association (CMDTRA)

Nestled on the northeast slope of Mt. Diablo, you’ll find one of the best kept secrets in the East Bay—the Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association. CMDTRA is a family-oriented nonprofit organization founded in 1941 dedicated to horsemanship, land preservation, and fun! In 1959, CMDTRA purchased more than 500 undeveloped acres on Mount Diablo and began building trails, a clubhouse, residences, and other horse-related recreational facilities. In 1965, CMDTRA sold 312 acres to Mount Diablo State Park and retained about 200 acres. Learn more at https://www.cmdtra.org/.

About Save Mount Diablo

Save Mount Diablo is a nationally accredited, nonprofit land trust founded in 1971 with a mission

to preserve Mount Diablo’s peaks, surrounding foothills, watersheds, and connection to the Diablo Range through land acquisition and preservation strategies designed to protect the mountain’s natural beauty, biological diversity, and historic and agricultural heritage; enhance our area’s quality of life; and provide educational and recreational opportunities consistent with protection of natural resources. To learn more, please visit www.savemountdiablo.org.

Park district turning Black Friday green with FREE Park Day

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Special Visitor Center activities planned

By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, Public Affairs, East Bay Regional Park District

For the past seven years, the East Bay Regional Park District has celebrated Green Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, as a healthy outdoor alternative to Black Friday holiday shopping. To encourage time in nature, the Park District is again making Green Friday a FREE Park Day, meaning all District fees are waived for park entrance and activities, including parking, dogs, horses, boat launching, fishing, as well as entry to Ardenwood Historic Farm.

“Time in nature improves physical and mental health and is a great way to relieve holiday stress,” said Park District Board President Dee Rosario. “The day after Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to get outside and spend time with family and friends.”

The fee waiver does not include State fees for fishing licenses and watercraft inspections for invasive mussels or privately operated concessions such as the Tilden Merry-Go-Round and Redwood Valley Railway steam train.

The Park District’s Green Friday is part of the “#OptOutside” movement that started in 2015 when REI closed its doors on Black Friday and encouraged its employees and the public to explore the outdoors instead of shopping. Millions of people and hundreds of organizations now participate in #OptOutside each year.

Visitor Center activities planned for Green Friday include:

To find a park or activity, visit www.ebparks.org/parks.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.