In late February 2022, I began the journey of becoming a docent in one of the most celebrated parks on the California coastline, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. It was a nine-week journey with a class of wonderful people, and as any interpretive training should be, it continues to include enrichment opportunities on a regular basis. Simply put, there is always more to learn, more inspiration, and more opportunities to share with others.

Mind you, this is a volunteer position. Not everyone can make this kind of time commitment. But I encourage you to make time to visit the redwoods. Please ask a docent why these magnificent trees are so tall—and how do they adapt to fire? Why do they grow in such weird formations, for example, like a trident? Ask how much carbon they capture compared to other trees! I can answer these questions, but it's so much more meaningful when you are standing inside a redwood grove, breathing in the cool air, seeing the rays of sun pierce through the canopy, and hearing songbirds greet you.

Special thanks to State Parks Lead Interpreter, Dylan McManus, a dynamic educator and guardian of the coast redwood galaxy. 

NOTE: You can check out a vehicle day pass to a California State Park from the Library!
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park brochure, including trail maps of both HCRSP and Fall Creek Unit.

1/30/21—This spot in the middle of Kirkwood meadow is my favorite. Little did I know the Space Station was traveling overhead. Video from ISS Above.
Space Station passes overhead across California and the snowy Sierra Nevada.
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Coastal redwoods and Rattlesnake Recreation Area, MT. The trees of fall.

• Along some ocean shores, homes will be swallowed by the water, and communities will vanish as a result of sea level rising. 
• ​Higher temperatures will be amplified in urban settings where paved surfaces tend to store heat.
• The health of many crops and most livestock will decline or disappear.
• Forests will change to grasslands, and grasslands to desert.
• Less water will be available.
• Human health will decline.

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These are a few outcomes described in 2016 by the Environmental Protection Agency, "What Climate Change Means for California."  An outline of 2021 initiatives are presented by President Biden's, Leaders Summit on Climate, addressing the need to urgently take action. This means world wide action to "protect critical ecosystems, build resilience against the impacts of climate change, and promote the flow of capital toward climate-aligned investments and away from high-carbon investments." 

Things anyone can do to take climate action now (from EarthDay.org): 

1. travel less (reduce both air and car travel)
2. reduce your "foodprint"—research has revealed the tremendous impact that the mass production of meat, dairy, and eggs has on the planet
3. reduce "over shopping"—minimize waste, and consider reused and pre-loved items
4. vote for candidates "with clear, ambitious, and convincing plans to protect our planet"

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