New commemoration includes dozens of special events
|
|
The California Railroad Museum is one of several state parks around Sacramento. The first California State Parks Week celebration runs through Saturday. (Photo by Brian Baer, courtesy California State Parks)
|
Happy California State Parks Week! Never heard of it? It’s brand new – and right now.
Through June 18, this initial celebration of our state’s parks system is presented by California State Parks, Save the Redwoods League, Parks California and the California State Parks Foundation. Most of all, it’s a reminder of how lucky we are to have such great public resources including some right at home, such as the California Railroad Museum, Old Sacramento, the Governor's Mansion (with its wonderful gardens) and the tree-filled Capitol Park surrounding the State Capitol.
Planners of California State Parks Week picked themes for each day, starting with Tuesday’s Land Acknowledgment Day focusing on Native American history and roots. Wednesday (today) is Kids Career Day – who wants to be a ranger? Thursday focuses on Health and Wellness with lots of nature hikes.
Friday is Stewardship Day; learn how to be a better friend to the wilderness and wildlife. Saturday salutes Partnership/Volunteer Day and the people who make park experiences possible.
Stewardship Day in particular has gardening connections. Events focus on such topics as native plants, butterflies, wildlife and invasive weeds.
Events are a mix of in-person, hands-on experiences and online presentations. For a full list, see CAStateParksWeek.org .
Organizers hope that this commemoration will help remind Californians: State parks are your parks.
“The COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges to California’s communities, but it also illuminated the important connection of the outdoors to our physical and mental well-being,” say the organizers.
“Parks across the U.S. experienced increased visitation in 2020-21, and California State Parks Week underscores the important role parks play in communities statewide.”
Our park system is pretty impressive, they note. “California State Parks protects the best of the state’s natural and cultural history; more than 340 miles of coastline; the tallest, largest and among the oldest trees in the world; and deserts, lakes, rivers and beaches. Across 279 parks statewide, there are more than 5,200 miles of trails, 15,000 campsites, prehistoric and historic archeological sites, ghost towns, historic homes and monuments — all waiting to be explored.”
Details: CAStateParksWeek.org .
Comments
0 comments have been posted.Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
Thanks to Our Sponsor!
Local News
Sites We Like
Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3
November still offers good weather for fall planting:
* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.
* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.
Powered by California Local
