Stewards Of The Coast And Redwoods

TO PROMOTE, RESTORE AND PROTECT YOUR STATE PARKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION IN THE SONOMA MENDOCINO COAST DISTRICT THROUGH EDUCATION AND STEWARDSHIP VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT.

STATE PARK OPERATIONS - STEWARDS HAS RAISED FUNDS TO KEEP THE JENNER VISITOR CENTER AND RESTROOM OPEN SINCE 2008. STEWARDS PAYS FOR VISITOR CENTER UTILITIES. IN 2012, STEWARDS STEPPED UP TO KEEP AUSTIN CREEK STATE RECREATION AREA OPEN BY ENTERING INTO AN OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH STATE PARKS. STEWARDS STAFFS THE ENTRANCE STATION, MANAGES THE CAMPGROUND AND HANDLES TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS. IN 2014, STEWARDS PUT BULLFROG PONG CAMPGROUND ON A RESERVATION SYSTEM WITH HIPCAMP.COM. THIS EFFORT INCREASED CAMPING REVENUE FROM $30,000 A YEAR TO $90,000 A YEAR. OPERATIONS STAFF ALSO REPLACED A NUMBER OF FOOD LOCKERS, TABLES AND RESTROOM FIXTURES IN THE CAMPGROUND. IN 2019, STEWARDS CONTINUED WORK ON A NEW CO-MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT FOR BOTH ARMSTRONG AND AUSTIN CREEK. INTERPRETIVE SALES - STEWARDS SUPPORTS THE RESALE OF INTERPRETIVE SALES ITEMS IN OUR VISITOR CENTERS AND AT SPECIAL EVENTS AND FIREWOOD IN OUR CAMPGROUDS. IN 2020, STEWRDS STEPPED UP OUTREACH TO OUR E-STORE BY SENDING OUT A WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER AND PROMOTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND INCREASED OUT SALES FROM $2,500 IN 2019 TO OVER $17,000 IN 2020. SALES ACTIVITIES INCLUDE MERCHANDISING, PURCHASING, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE INCLUDING BANK DEPOSITS.STATE PARK INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM SUPPORT - PROVIDE PAID STAFF, RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPLIES. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 250 ACTIVE STATE PARK VOLUNTEERS AND DOCENTS IN THE PROGRAM AND ABOUT 100 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN EDUCATION SEMINARS IN 2020, DOWN FROM PRIOR YEARS DUE TO COVID-19 CANCELLATIONS. NORMALLY, VOLUNTEERS CONDUCT DOCENT-LED TOURS AND PROVIDE PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR OVER 40,000 PARK VISITORS ANNUALLY. DOCENTS PROVIDE EE PROGRAMS FOR 5,000 STUDENTS A YEAR. NEW PROGRAMS PROVIDING ROVING DOCENTS IN OUR PARKS AND SPECIAL HIKES ON BUSY WEEKENDS PRVIDE GREATER EDUCATION ABOUT NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES FOR PARK VISITORS. STEWARDS ALSO PROVIDES DOCENT AND NATURALIST LED ECO-ADVENTURES RANGING FROM SPECIAL HIKES, JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAMS, TIDE POOLING, SEAL AND WHALE WATCHING, IN 2020 STEWARDS CONDUCTED ANOTHER UC DAVIS CALIFORNIA NATURALIST PROGRAM THAT STARTED OFF IN PERSON AND THEN PIVOTED TO VIRTUAL DUE TO COVID-19. A DOCENT PROGRAM AND AN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM TOOK PLACE AT POND FARM POTTERY.PUBLICATIONS, EXHIBITS & WEBSITE - STEWARDS KEEPS VOLUNTEERS AND MEMBERS INFORMED WITH A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER, WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTERS, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER. IN ADDITION, NEW INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE WAS DEVELOPED AND INSTALLED AT AUSTIN CREEKSTATE RECREATION AREA. AS PART OF OUR WORK WITH THE SONOMA MARINE PROTECTED AREACOLLABORATIVE, STEWARDS ENGAGED IN EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS TO BRING GREATERAWARENESS TO THE MPA AND WHAT PARK VISITORS CAN AND CANNOT DO IN THEM.ENVIRONMENTAL & CULTURAL RESTORATION AND MONITORING TEWARDS OVERSEES STEWARDSHIPPROJECTS 3-4 DAYS A MONTH IN DIFFERENT PARKS AND LOCATIONS WITH DEDICATED TRAIL CREWVOLUNTEERS. STEWARDS WORKS WITH MANY PARTNERS ON COMMUNITY SCIENCE MONITORINGPROGRAMS. STEWARDS CONTINUED MONITORING PINNIPEDS AT THE MOUTH OF THE RUSSIAN RIVER IN PARTNERSHIP AND UNDER CONTRACT WITH SONOMA WATER IN RESPONSE TO THE WATER AGENCYS MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT PERMIT REQUIREMENT. A SEABIRD MONITORING PROGRAM ENTERED ITS SIXTH YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BLM AND THE SEABIRD PROTECTION NETWORK WITH MONITORING AT 4 LOCATIONS ON SONOMA COAST. IN 2020, STEWARDS CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR RESTORING AND REVITALIZING POND FARM POTTERY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS.STEWARDS SUNSET DINNER, BODEGA SEAFOOD, ART AND WINE FESTIVAL AND OLD GROVEFESTIVAL) WERE ALL CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19. INSTEAD, WE INCREASED REVENUE THROUGHONLINE AUCTIONSADVOCACY FOR STATE PARKS - STWEARDS ATTENDED A VIRTUAL PARK ADVOCACY DAY IN 2020.