The Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) is now accepting grant applications for the Clean Vessel Act Education and Outreach (CVAEO) Grant Program. A maximum of $262,000 in federal funding per targeted region is available to organizations for educating coastal and San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary boaters about proper vessel sewage disposal, use of pumpout facilities, and monitoring pumpout stations. The deadline to submit applications is Monday, Oct. 14, 2019 before 10 a.m.

September 7th marks the first official celebration of California Biodiversity Day, an annual event created last year to celebrate the state’s exceptional biodiversity and encourage actions to protect it.

Reservations for guided seal tours at Año Nuevo State Park go on sale October 5 for school groups and October 20 for the public. Guided walks to see the elephant seals will begin this year on December 15, 2019, and continue through March 31, 2020.

California State Parks reminds all visitors to Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) that “Safe Dunes Start With You” – “La Seguridad en las Dunas Comienza con Usted”. The bilingual safety campaign was launched recently to employ safe practices and remind visitors to be aware of their surroundings at this popular outdoor destination. Simple tips such as taking it slow, scouting your route, knowing your limits and treading lightly can improve safety for all visitors. 

El Departamento de Parques Estatales recuerda a todos los visitantes del Área de Recreación Vehicular de Oceano Dunes (SVRA) que “La Seguridad en las Dunas Comienza con Usted” – “Safe Dunes Start With You”. La campaña de seguridad bilingüe se lanzó recientemente para emplear practicas seguras y recordar a los visitantes que deben conocer sus alrededores en este lugar. Consejos de seguridad simples como conducir con calma, revisar su ruta, conocer sus límites y pasar con cuidado pueden mejorar la seguridad de todos los visitantes.

California State Parks has recently become aware of suspected incidents of harmful algal blooms (HABs) within both the Auburn and Folsom Lake State Recreation Areas. As California confronts the realities of climate change, HABs have become increasingly common in rivers, lakes and reservoirs, and they can be especially dangerous to children and pets. State Parks is encouraging recreational users of all bodies of fresh water in Auburn and Folsom Lake State Recreation Areas to be aware of the potential for cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (HABs).

The Tahoe Basin is bear country and natural resource and law enforcement agencies are working diligently to remind residents and visitors to practice proper food storage and trash disposal when living in or visiting bear country. To help spread our message, we’ve launched a new website, TahoeBears.org, where residents and visitors can go to learn everything they need to know about living, visiting and playing responsibly in bear country. The website was made possible through a generous donation by the Sierra State Park Foundation and features an online reporting tool the public can use to report bear sightings. Collecting information about bear sightings will assist agencies in gathering better data to help Keep Tahoe Bears Wild. Submissions are anonymous and data gathered will not be used to track individual bears. This form is not to be used for emergencies. If you need immediate assistance, please contact 911.

As the last hurrah of the boating season begins this Labor Day weekend, the Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) is reminding everyone to take extra precautions to prevent a tragedy for you and your loved ones. With many boaters and water enthusiasts out on California’s lakes, rivers and along the coast, DBW has three simple tips to stay safe.

California State Parks and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation are extending the public comment period on the future plans of Auburn State Recreation Area (SRA) by an additional 14 days due to the high level of interest expressed at a recent open house in Cool, California.

California State Parks is honored to announce that Donner Memorial State Park and Sacramento State University Creative Services are the recipients of three Telly Awards for short films in the new visitor center at Donner Memorial. A celebration is planned for Saturday, August 24 at the park. The evening will include screening four short films, including the three award winners, a panel discussion of each film, snacks and adult beverages. Screening begins at 5:30 p.m.; parking and entrance are free.

Over the spring and into the summer months, California State Parks collaborated with Imperial County’s and Napa County’s Offices of Education in a pilot program to provide grade-school students with fields trips to state parks. These trips were part of the California State Parks Interpretation Digital Engagement and Access (IDEA) Project.