“stateparkexpertsandprofessionalsadvoca ... · some dishes, curries, vegetables, and fruit. 550+...

The CSPRAWave – First Quarter 2020 –

Volume 20, Number 1 Newsle�er of the CALIFORNIA STATE PARK RANGERS ASSOCIATION Winter 2020“State Park experts and professionals advoca�ng for State Parks since 1964.”

By Ann Meneguzzi

My trip to the 9th WorldRanger Congress (WRC) inNepal’s Chitwan NationalPark Nov. 11-17, 2019 wasmy first time in Asia. 550people from 70 differentcountries came to the smalltown of Suaraha for theWRC. North America parkprofessionals from Canada,CSPRA, NPS, and agencies inseveral states were there aswell.

Between conferencesessions many stopped atthe International RangerFederation (IRF) mementotable where I was theprincipal attendant. It wasan excellent gathering spot.I could chat with folks frommany countries as theyselected official WRC andIRF pin and patch souvenirs.They also looked throughthe informal exchange pileof pins and patches thatsome brought along fromtheir homes.

Chitwan National Park’ssmall town of Suaraha, theWRC site, was thrilled tohave so many rangersvisiting from all over theworld. “Suaraha WelcomesWRC to Chitwan” banners

hung from restaurants,inns, and shops. Sinceno single large hotelexists in Suaraha, folksstayed in small innsthroughout the villageand walked past shopsand restaurants toreach the WRC siteeach day. This wasgood for townbusinesses and forWRC participants, too.Many local people speakEnglish fluently as it istaught in all grades of Nepalschools. We got to talk withSuaraha’s friendly towniesand see shop itemseveryday. It was fun towatch a patrol elephant onthe main street too!

WRC activities includedearly morning safaris andriver trips in a dugout-likeboats. Elephants, rhinos,crocodiles, tigers, spotteddeer, and other wildlifeobservations were therewards for getting upbefore daylight to reach themeeting spots for the 6amstarts. Buffet lunches alwaysincluded rice, HOT chilis insome dishes, curries,vegetables, and fruit. 550+people needed to be fedduring the daily 90 minutelunch break so several

buffet table areas were setup in the garden courtyards.Finding spots of shade fordining was a goal not alwaysreached.

This trip took me to anunfamiliar country with aculture and customsdifferent from my own. Ikept my eyes wide open tonote and absorb what wasaround me. I metcompatriots from manyplaces all over the worldwho like me were thrilled toconnect with others whoshare park protectionvalues. I feel lucky to havebeen in Nepal for the WRC.This is my third time at aWRC and I hope to attendthe 2022 WRC which maytake place in Cusco, Peru.

Much more on WRCBegins on page 4

World Ranger Congress


President’s ReportBy Mike Lynch

It has been a busy threemonths since my lastmessage and I want to catcheveryone up on some of thethings I have been involvedwith on CSPRA’s behalf, asfollows:

World Ranger Congress(WRC) in Nepal. I andanother ten or so otherCSPRA people attended theInternational RangerFederation (IRF) Congress inChitwan National Park inNepal. The WAVE newsletterwill have extensive coverageof the event, so I will not gointo detail here, except forsome of my own activities. Iwill say that every WRC Ihave attended has beenincredible experience andthe Nepal Congress wascertainly that and muchmore.

As for my part, the IRF wasproposing to completelychange their bylaws with aproposed new Constitution,to incorporate as a non-profit group in Australia.There were many concernsregarding the wholesalechanges proposed and I wasdeeply involved in helpingmake sure the newconstitution was consistentwith the overall goals andstructure contained in thecurrent IRF Bylaws, whichhave worked well for over30 years.

As part of this, I startedattending the IRF Boardconference call meetingsthis last year and did a lotof research and work onrevising the proposed new

constitution. While inNepal, prior to the officialstart of the Congress, Iworked with the IRFExecutive Committee toextensively revise portionsof the proposed Constitutionto make it acceptable to allmembers. The revisedConstitution was adopted atthe Congress without anymajor objections. Oh, and Ishould say that I was alsodrafted at the Congress andelected international IRFTreasurer, after no one cameforward during the regularnomination period.

Ranger Foundation. AsPresident of the RangerFoundation (RF) I am veryhappy to report that RFcontinues to do good thingsas follows.

Six rangers from Latin-America were sponsored inwhole or part to attend theWRC. These were WualmortMoreno from Venezuela,Teresita Jimenez from CostaRica, Eddy Ottoniel Palenciafrom Guatemala, JulioVergara from Chile, LeonelDelgado Pereira from CostaRica and Werhner AtocheMontoya from Peru. It wasespecially gratifying to havesponsored ranger Morenofrom Venezuela, wherebetween hyper-inflation andpolitical problems, therangers there are fighting toprotect their parks withlittle or no support. Forthese Latin-Americanrangers, attending the WRDwas an experience of alifetime.

Recently the RF made agrant to the family of

another ranger killed in theline of duty in Peru.

RF was one of the sponsorsof the department Pink BearBreast Cancer Awarenessprogram for National BreastCancer Awareness month inOctober. The finalaccounting is still beingdone, but several thousandsof dollars were raised by thesale of Pink Bear pins andpatches and these funds willbe donated to the BreastCancer ResearchFoundation.

The RF continues to be thefiscal agent for thedepartment team thatcompetes in the Baker toVegas Run.

Legal Action CSPRA v. DPR.The legal action taken byCSPRA regarding thetheatrical productions in thehistoric district of JackLondon SHP, continues. Acourt-mandated settlementmeeting was held, and thedepartment just recentlyreleased a large number ofdocuments pursuant toPublic Records Act requestsby both CSPRA and ourattorney. As with all legalactions, the process movesvery slowly and themembership will beupdated, as possible, of anysignificant developments.

Finally, I want to express myappreciation to the CSPRABoard members andCommittee chairs. A lot ofwork has been done thispast year on behalf of themembership, based on thecommitment and work ofthese CSPRA officers.


By Jeff OhlfsUS Chief Park Ranger (Ret.)

Recently an article waspublished that suggested theCalifornia Riding and HikingTrail (CRHT) was establishedto link Native American sitesand historic trails fromMalibu to the ColoradoRiver. Unfortunately, thatwas not the case.

Trails have been routesof travel in Californiasince pre-historictimes. Post World WarII saw recreation inAmerica increaseincluding recreationaltrails. A visionary idea,the CRHT began in the1944. The statelegislature passed theCRHT Act in 1945 andsigned by Governor EarlWarren it becamechapter 1460 ofStatutes of 1945. Astate-wide initiativeunder the CaliforniaDepartment of Parks &Recreation, it created astate 3,000-mile longdistance recreationaltrail system.

The trail was to looparound the state by going upthe Sierra, cross below theOregon border, back downthe coast, and loop backabove the Mexican border.The current Pacific CrestTrail covers much of whatwas anticipated to be theSierra section. The trail wassupported by 29 counties ofthe 38 counties it passed

through. In 1955, the CRHTAct was amended to providefor feeder trails whichwould connect with themain trail. Joshua TreeNational Park was one of thefirst to be a feeder trail.The JTNP feeder wasdedicated by Supt. ElmerFladmark on May 31, 1958and cost $8,000 to build.

You can still find segmentsusing the original name likea portion in the East BayRegional Park System:https://www.ebparks.org/parks/trails/california/default.htm

and San Diego Countyhttps://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/pds/CTMP/Regional.pdf

The trail began fromeasements, gifts, purchases,and already existing publiclands. Local groups andgovernments were directedto establish the best route.The trail width was to be 30inches with a 20-foot right-of-way. Campsites wereproposed to be constructed15 to 20 miles apart. In

1961, 963 mileshad beencompleted. Statefunds helpedfinance some ofthe constructionand maintenance.

The 1964 Parks forAmerica report bythe National ParkService called forcompletion of thetrail. But sadly,the idea went bythe wayside, theCRHT Act wasrepealed in 1974and lost to historyexcept to a few ofus.

The demise wasattributed to theCRHT Act failing toprovide foreminent domainfor land

acquisition, lack of state-wide public support, anddwindling state parkresources. Today, the CRHTstill remains a vision forsome equestrian and hikingenthusiast but moreimportantly is a historicpiece of our public landhistory.

CaliforniaRiding and Hiking Trail History


By Sue Neary,Supervising Ranger

Sauraha is a small andculturally rich village in theRatnanagar MunicipalityChitwan District of SouthernNepal. Nestled in theChitwan Valley, Sauraha actsas the eastern gateway tothe nearby and expansiveChitwan National Park.Listed as a World HeritageSite, this beautifulgovernment-run, nationalpark is one of Nepal’s mostpopular parks, and it is wellknown for providing habitatfor the endangered RoyalBengal Tiger and theGreater One-hornedRhinoceros. Not to mentionthe hundreds of beautifulplants and other rare animalspecies that also call thisarea home. Organized bythe International RangerFederation (IRF) andhosted by Nepal, whatbetter place than Saurahafor the 9th World RangerCongress (WRC)?

This triennial event was heldNovember 12–16th andhosted rangers representing50 countries. Withapproximately 700 rangers(38% women) in attendance,it was not only the largestgathering of rangers onrecord, but it was the firsttime it was hosted on anAsian continent.

IRF President, SeanWillmore, opened theCongress with a welcomespeech that acknowledged

the substantial contributionsrangers are making towardsthe protection of wildlifeand wildlife habitatthroughout the worlddespite the myriad ofthreats they face during thecourse of their duties. He

emphasized that theCongress provided a uniqueplatform for sharingknowledge and experience,equipping rangers withmodern tools and training,providing family support,and encouraging a long-lasting partnership ofcollaboration and globalnetworking.

Sean Wilmore is a formerAustralian Park Ranger, andis now founder andmanaging Director of the

Thin Green Line Foundation(TGLF). As he welcomed theaudience he referred torangers as warriors that allshare one commonality—passion for their work. Hesaid that rangers are oftenso dedicated to their work

that they often sacrificetheir family connectionsand suffer to keep abalance between thetwo. He elaborated howthey are ethically drivento follow their beliefs bypushing the limits of their

own safety, even at theemotional sacrifice of theirfamilies, to protect theworld’s wildlife. Declaringthat being a park ranger wasthe most honorableprofession in the world,Sean gave an example of aranger who died at thehands of poachers becausehe refused their offer of abribe even though he had afamily to support. ThoughSean has since retired as IRFPresident, his personalstories about the dangerous

9th World Ranger CongressChitwan, Nepal 2019

नवौं विश्व रंेजर कांग्रेसचितवन, नेपाल २०१

सू नेयरी, पर्यवेक्षण राज्य पार्क रंेजर


work he performed as both aranger and while workingwith other rangers in thefield continues to help bringattention to the perilouswork that rangers performon a daily basis globally.

On average, 150 rangerswere killed each yearbetween 2009 and 2018. Asof the Congress, at least 158rangers worldwide had beenkilled in 2019, and it isbelieved that there wereadditional deaths notreported. This is astaggering figure. Althoughit is unknown exactly howmany rangers are workingglobally, the IRF estimatesthere are approximately350,000 – 500,000.

According to GlobalConservation, a non-profitgroup, “Two-thirds of theRangers die at the hands ofWildlife Poachers, illegalwildlife crime is nowestimated to be worth morethan $20 billion peryear…ranked only behinddrugs, weapons and humantrafficking in the criminalvalue chain.”

Statistically rangers inAfrica and Asia:Work on average 76 hoursper weekEarn $64 USD weeklyaverage

60% lack basic equipment40% report inadequatetraining75% have faced a life-threatening situationEvery 3-4 days a Ranger iskilled100% believe in what theyare doing

Through the help of theNepalese army personneland forest guards patrollingthe entire park, the area isnow well managed and helpsensure the safety of thepark’s many threatenedspecies. Chitwan NationalPark is one of theplanet's only national parkswhich has seen an increasesin both rhino and tigerpopulations, providing amodel for intensiveconservation.

One of the highlights of thetrip was the wooden dugoutcanoe ride in the earlymorning hours of my thirdday. Following the northernborder of the park, our boatman worked the long oareffortlessly through the coolbrackish water of the EastRapti River. We scoured theshoreline for a glimpse of abasking gharial, all the while

watching the water insilence, anxiously seekingfor a pair of eyes glidingabove the surface—a smallmarker of the patientcrocodile lurkingunderneath. As we passedthrough the peacefulwaters, we finally caught aglimpse of a gharial nappingin the reeds—a gharial thatwas far more interested incatching some sleepy eyethan our presence in hishome. We spotted severalbird species as the sun cameinto view, and with the helpof two avid birders—retiredDistrict Superintendent BudGetty and DoreenClement—we werefortunate to put names tomany of our sightings.

Reflecting back on myexperience at the Congress,I can’t say enough about theamazing rangers that I met,nor the kindness of theNepalese people. Some ofthe deepest passion forconservation emanates fromsome of the poorest andkindest people in this world,and do so with access to fewresources to aid in their war.Encouragement came frommeeting them and hearingtheir stories, as well asexperiencing a smallcommunity that cherishedits wildlife and NationalPark.

Humbled by their wisdomand the strength of theirvirtues, I knew this was myfamily; and it furthercemented my allegiance andmy commitment to fight forthe protection of ourpriceless natural resources,sacred wildlife and fragileearth. It is in this spirit thatI am proud to be a ranger.

.


By Pat Clark-Gray, RegionalInterpretive Specialist, Ret.

I attended my third WorldRanger Congress in ChitwanNational Park in November.We had nine State Park staffand their spouses attend theCongress. Mike Lynch hadhis patch table and he wasadding to his largecollection of Rangerpatches. One of theattendees Bud Getty hasattended all of theCongresses which is anamazing achievement for anover 80-year-old!

This congress was the firstone in an Asian country –Nepal. There were 550participants from over 60countries. There were seventhemes. The two themesthat I was most interested inwere: Indigenous Rangersand Women in RangerWorkforce. Because of these

two themes the Thin GreenLine Foundation (TGLF)funded many of theIndigenous Rangers andfemale Rangers to attendthe Congress. Theirpresentations wereinspirational and now I havemany new countries that Iwould like to visit.

I was also impressed by thededication of all the Rangersall over the world whoprotect parks and the

wildlife. TheCongress allowsRangers and otherstaff to share theirbest managementpractices. Afterwatching thepresentations, Irealized theCalifornia State ParkRangers and staff arewell-paid and haveexcellent trainingand benefits incomparisons to othercountries. But, whatI also realized is thatthe Rangers that donot have thesebenefits love theirparks and wildlife.Because of them thewildlife that I love –

tigers, elephants, rhinos,lions, cheetahs, gorillas andorangutans are protectedfrom poachers and threats.

As part of the Congress wetook a safari tour of ChitwanNational Park. We mainlysaw birds on the tour. At theend of the tour, we werefortunate to see a rhinocrossing the river and twocrocodiles near the river.

My husband Tom Mann,Graphic Artist and Iproduced a poster “Tips toDeveloping EffectiveInterpretive Materials” forthe Poster session. It wasenjoyable talking to theRangers from countries allover the world. Most of theRangers felt they neededbetter interpretive signs andtook photos of our poster.When we were at theairport, we talked to agentleman who works withthe Mongolian Rangers andwhen he found out that wedeveloped interpretivesignage he asked us to helphim. I planned to enjoy arelaxing retirement, but ourinterpretive and graphicskills are needed inMongolia! The bonus is that I

World Ranger Congress


always wanted to visitMongolia!

Trip to BhutanBefore the Congress, myhusband Tom and I took aneight-day guided tours ofBhutan. We visited Paro andvisited the National Museumof Bhutan and watched avideo about Nature andBuddhism. As we visited thetemples and parks, wenoticed the influence ofBuddhism. One of thehighlights was witnessingthe Jakar Tsechu Festival

where we got to see all thelocal dressed in their bestattire.

Our Guide Lhendup’s friendSangay Tiger came to ourhotel and gave us aPowerPoint Presentationabout the Ugyen WangchuckInstitute for Conservationand Environmental Research(UWICER). It was fascinatingto learn about the researchthey are doing in Bhutan.

We were lucky to see adozen Black-necked Cranesfrom the spotting scopes inthe Visitor Center. We saw a

video of the Director talkingabout how the young peopleneed to take responsibilityfor the cranes. They alsoeducate the local farmersabout the importance of thehabitat of the area for thecranes.

We also got to see the takinsat the Takin Preserve. Thelast king had decided to letthe takins loose since he didnot feel the zoo was a goodhome for the takin. But thetakin did not want to leaveso they remain at the zoofor tourists to see them.

The people all speak Englishand are friendly. What thingI learned is that India helpsBhutan so the people areallowed into the countrywithout a visa and cantravel on their own. Thealso send Engineers to buildroads and bridges and Indiancraftsman help build theirhomes. The homes arecolorfully painted.

I wouldhighlyrecommenda visit toBhutan andto the parksof Nepal.


On Friday, November 8,2019, Board Secretary JeffPrice attended the Off-Highway Motor VehicleRecreation (OHMVR or OHV)Commission meeting atSpring Hill Suites inAtascadero representingCSPRA.

OHMVR Commissioner PaulSlavik, Chairman of the 50thOHV Anniversary Committee,gave a brief report andasked OHV Chief BrianRobertson and staffer DonSchmidt to give theCommission an update onthe Department’s planningfor the OHV anniversary.Robertson then introducedPrice who presented a briefbackground of CSPRA’sinvolvement, interest andsupport for the upcomingsemicentennial event.

Prior to the meeting,Director Lisa Mangat

initially asked Price notto make anypresentation at all.After a discussion inthe hall with DirectorMangat, she agreedPrice could beintroduced and make avery brief presentationon CSPRA’s interest andinvolvement in theanniversary. She stilldid not want anyportion of the CSPRAresolution readpublicly, distributed tothe Commission or havethe poster presented toCommission ChairmanTom Lemmon, as wasplanned. However,Price was able todistribute copies of theCSPRA resolution to theOHV Commissionersand after hispresentation, hepresented the photo-opposter version of theresolution to OHVDivision Chief BrianRobertson outside inthe hall.

Commemorating OHV 50th Anniversary

CSPRA OHV Resolution Presented

(L to R) OHV Chief Brian Robertson, CSPRA Secretary JeffPrice, staffer Don Schmidt making 50th Anniversary pre-sentation to OHV Commission. Chairman Tom Lemmon inhat.

OHV Chief Brian Robert-son (L) receiving CSPRAposter from SecretaryJeff Price


Plan to join us at DonnerMemorial SP, Truckee fromSeptember 14-17, 2020 forthe annual CSPRARendezvous.

Conference LodgingTruckee Donner Lodge10527 Cold Stream Rd,Truckee, CA 96161(right next toDonner Memorial SP)truckeedonnerlodge.comGreat Room Rates pendingReservation InfoAvailable SoonCancel by 48 hours inadvance or lose 1st nightfee. Rate is available 5nights: Sunday 09/13 thruThursday 09/17 nights(depart Friday 09/18)

FREE WIFI INTERNET

FREE PARKING

COMPLIMENTARY BREAKFAST

Camping:Free camping will beavailable at DonnerMemorial SP

Camping reservations mustbe made through CSPRA bycontacting Ann Meneguzziat [email protected]

Program details onlineat cspra.com

California State Park Rangers AssociationAnnual Parks Rendezvous & Conference


By Jeff Price

OK, we can all probablyagree that the recent out-of-control fires in Californiaare a bad thing. Many parkprofessionals believe thatmanaging wild lands withprescribed fire wouldprevent the wildfirecatastrophes we have seenrecently. But there isanother deadly threat to ourparklands – a silent andsneaky invasion.

Non-native plants areinvading our parks andnatural areas and crowdingout native species. Theassault is often difficult torecognize. Although they arenot always obvious, thereare significant differencesbetween how native speciesand nonnative exotic speciesinteract with theenvironment.

For California’s native plantsand animals, it can meanthe difference between lifeand death. The state hasmore than 6,300 nativeplant species. Of these,2,100 plants occur naturallynowhere else on earth. Manyof California’s naturallandscapes and nativespecies have been damagedby exotic plants, animals,and diseases, and manymore are threatened. Newinvaders of all kindscontinue to appear inCalifornia, arriving byaccident or introducedintentionally asornamentals.

Over 1,000 types of exoticplants alone have beenintroduced into California’swildlands. Non-nativeplants have found their wayinto our wildlands fromagricultural seed andlivestock feed, or fromplantings used to stabilizethe land or to providewindbreaks. Many haveescaped from neighboringgardens.

Non-native plants havefound their way into ourwildlands from agriculturalseed and livestock feed, orfrom plantings used tostabilize the land or toprovide windbreaks. Manyhave escaped fromneighboring gardens. Onceintroduced, exotic plantscan spread rapidly throughplant fragments and seedscarried by animals, water, orthe wind, and as“hitchhikers” on vehicles,

clothing and recreationalequipment. Invasive exoticplants often outcompetenatives for space to growand for soil nutrients,literally crowding out nativevegetation. Tall plants mayshade others from neededsunlight. Some producesubstances that inhibit thegrowth of other plants, andothers consume largeamounts of water, depletingthis precious resource in dryareas.

Many parks hold a widely-advertised volunteerassistance day, sponsored bytheir agency and helped bysupport organizations toremove invasive species.When I was working as aRanger at the 600,000 acreAnza-Borrego Desert StatePark, one of our invasiveplant issues was the

Beware the Sneaky, Silent InvadersPark Threats You Can Control

Tamarisk in full bloom


introduction and spread ofTamarisk (aka salt cedar) --a fast-growing, deeply-rooted desert tree.Unfortunately, theTamarisk’s root system actslike a sponge and sucksevery available drop ofwater out of the sandy soil.

Tamarisk natively grow inthe Middle East, Asia, andparts of Africa, but therethey are adapted andaccustomed to harshlandscapes with little or norain. The invasive tree wasfirst brought to the USA asan ornamental. The tree wasbrought into the desert forshade and as a wind break.In the California desert theTamarisks are extremelyinvasive in ripariancommunities, often nearlycompletely replacing nativevegetation withimpenetrable thicketsbecause they are aggressiveusurpers of water, with onemature tree taking up asmuch as 100 gallons ofwater in a day.

Dense stands of these treesgravely depress biodiversitywhere they flourish. Thetrees even dry up needed

summer water sources andsprings which then affectsthe health of native desertanimals, such as the BigHorn sheep.

So, back to the volunteeridea! When Tamarisk treesare young, they have yet todevelop a deep root system,and invaders can be pulledvery easily by hand or with aweed-wrench. Volunteerswalked along in a line alongthe park’s many sandywashes and completelyremove the trees every fall.This effort began to halt theinvasion and gave localcitizens some ownership oftheir park.

I would encourage you tofrequently patrol your park’sboundaries and be alert toexotic plant invasions.Consider involvingvolunteers. If your parkborders a highway, watch forincursions by plants used aserosion control orlandscaping and “weeds”such as scotch broom,pampas grass, Arundo donax(giant cane), cape ivy, seafig, eucalyptus, tamarisk,and star thistle.

A glimmer of hope — it paysto know the science. I wastalking to former Anza-Borrego Park Supt, MarkJorgensen, and he tells methat USDA has beenexperimenting in southernUtah for a few years withintroducing a beetle thatdevours only Tamariskfoliage. This biologicalcontrol has yet to beapproved for use inCalifornia, but Mark says injust a few years the beetlehas worked its way down theColorado River and is havinga positive effect incontrolling the exoticinvasive.

Exotic Cape ivyArundo cane

Invasive Pampas grass


Pat Clark-Gray, recentlyretired District InterpretiveSpecialist for the MontereyDistrict, (and former CSPRABoard Member) has beenselected to receive aprestigious national honor.She was selected this year asMaster Front-LineInterpreter. The award ispresented annually by theNational Association forInterpretation.

“Pat has been intimatelyand intensely involved indozens of exhibit, visitorcenter and museumprojects. She has developededucational materials forcountless school programsincluding outreach efforts todisadvantaged youth. Shehas trained, coached,mentored and recognizedmany thousands ofvolunteers and seasonal

staff” according to DonnaPozzi, Interpretation andEducation Division, Chief(retired).

“Pat has a wide variety ofexperience,and hasworked inseverallocations andjob duties.One thing thathas beenconsistent isher graciousway withpeople, herability to getprojects done,and herconstantstriving forexcellence ineverything shedoes” saysJanet andDave Carle,Retired State

Park Rangers, “Pat is atreasure. She has theprofessional skills toorganize big events, and theskills to involve manypeople as help”.

The Master Front-LineInterpreter is presented toan NAI member who hasworked for five or moreyears in the profession anddoes not supervise the workof others. Recipientsdemonstrate a mastery ofinterpretive techniques,program development, anddesign of creative projects.

The award was presented atthe NAI National Conferenceheld in Denver, CO. NAI is aprofessional organizationdedicated to advancing theprofession of heritageinterpretation, with over7,000 members in theUnited States, Canada, andover thirty other nations.

Pat Clark-GrayReceives National Recognition


Wave GoodbyeJake ZaigerJanet Carle shares thisrememberance of Jake:“How lucky that Jake Zaigerwas the ranger at Patrick'sPoint! When I expressedinterest in campfireprograms, Jake encouragedme to lead the singing.When I wanted to try anature walk, Jake let meand didn't laugh when I gotlost leading the group in a425 acre park.

Far from home, Jake and hisfamily made me feelwelcome and that made allthe difference. I was ableto thrive and gain valuableexperience in parks.

Several years later, I washired as a Ranger Traineeand assigned to FolsomLake. How thrilled I was tofind Jake there as aSupervising Ranger. Thedynamic was different in abigger place, but Jake wasthe same — that slow smile,that cracked joke and thatheart always wishing thebest for everyone. As Ilearned the ropes of being aPeace Officer, a big stretchfor me, Jake was an islandof familiarity and support.”1929-2019

Kirk WallaceKirk Wallace was the lastsurviving member of thefounding CSPRA Board,serving as our VP 1968-70.He founded the RetireesRendezvous 28 years ago.

Kirk started working for theDepartment of Beaches andParks as a seasonal at BigBasin in 1956, later workingfull time there as a ParkAttendant. Kirk waspromoted to State ParkRanger and was transferredto Anza Borrego Desert SP,and Cuyamaca Rancho SP.

Then came Franks Track SRAin the Delta; then toBrannan Island SRA. He waspromoted to SupervisingState Park Ranger andmoved to D.L. Bliss andEmerald Bay State Parks atTahoe. Several years laterhe transferred to PismoState Beach. After ninemonths of sand, hepromoted to Chief Rangerof Montane Area, overseeing

Cuyamaca Rancho andPalomar State Parks. Kirk’snext move was toHeadquarters. His job wasto move personnel aroundthe state, something heunderstood all too well.

He later served atSilverwood Lake StateRecreation Area, Point Muguand Leo Carrillo State Parks.

His last assignment wasSouthern Region in SanDiego, as Deputy RegionalDirector. In 1991, Kirkretired after serving for32.5 years. He returned as aretired annuitantbackground Investigator foranother ten years.1937-2019

Fred MeyerFred was born in Oakland,and eventually found hisway to State Parks.He andhis wife Linda loved to ski —you would hear of hisadventures during staffmeetings and trainings inthe Cascade District back inthe late 1980s. Steve Moorerecalls “I first met Fred atHistoric Preservationtraining at Asilomar in 1974;he was at Weaverville JossHouse then, and stayed

there up to his retirement.I arrived at Cascades forBurney/Ahjumawi, andconnected with him duringstaff meetings andDT/Firearms trainings. Heonce gave my wife and me apersonal tour of the JossHouse at about closing timeone day.”

Fred retired to Bend,Oregon and enjoyed manygood years before healthissues caught up with him.1935 - 2019


by Jeff Price, Retired

Mixed Metaphor: A combination ofthoughts that when strungtogether produce a ridiculouslyfunny effect of melded clichés.Send along any overheard slips ofthe tongue [email protected]

A kangaroo republic,maybe?

The whole trial was run likea banana court.

A rare double malaprop!Geography andmathematics can beinfectious.

He should have takengeometry to knowsomething about thecontagious countries aroundAfghanistan.

Another age factor

Senators are chosen ascommittee chairmen on thebasis of senility.

The grind of politics?

These dubious actions marka millstone in the history ofthe Presidency.

Reversed compliment?

I will waste no time inreading your new book.

Hypothetical movement?

Sir, I refuse to answer yoursuppository questions.

Some people are way tooimpatient!

Their marriage wasconsummated last week atthe altar.

By washing his mouth outwith soap?

The Attorney General mustdeal seriously with thisoffense as a detergent toothers in the future.

Pliocene couch potato?

Too many Americans lead alazy and sedimentary life.

Mixed Metaphors &Malaprops

CSPRA is affiliated withother non-profitorganizations that shareour goals.

The Park RangersAssociation of California isa professional organizationfor park Rangers and otheruniformed parkemployees ofmunicipal, county,special district,state and federalagencies.

The International RangerFederation is a non-profitorganization established toraise awareness of andsupport the critical workthat the world’spark rangers do inconserving ournatural andcultural heritage.

Federation of WesternOutdoor Clubs wasestablished in 1932 forMutual Service and for thePromotion of the ProperUse, Enjoyment andProtection of America’sScenic Wildernessand OutdoorRecreationResources.

Association of NationalPark Rangers is anorganization created tocommunicate for, aboutand with National ParkService employeesof all disciplinesand to provide aforum forprofessional enrichment.

Are you Moving?Please let us [email protected]

The CSPRA WaveISSN 0087-9176Brian Cahill, [email protected]

Published by CSPRA,PO Box 3212

Bowman, CA 95604-3212

Deadline for next issueApril 1


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Retiring Soon?If you or a co-worker willbe re�ring soon, pleasecontact MembershipServices CoordinatorBetsy Anderson at (707)[email protected].

I hereby authorize the State Controllerto deduct from my salary and transmitas designated an amount formembership dues in the California StatePark Rangers Associa�on. Thisauthoriza�on will remain in effect un�lcanceled by myself or by theorganiza�on. I cer�fy I am a member ofthe above organiza�on and understandthat termina�on of my membership willcancel all deduc�ons made under thisorganiza�on.Signature________________________

Date_____________________________

Membership by Mail:CSPRA — Betsy Anderson

PO Box 618 Gualala, CA 95445

Join CSPRA Or join us online at cspra.com

Name:_________________________________________________

Address:_______________________________________________

______________________________________________________City State Zip

Job Classifica�on:________________________________________

District / Park:___________________________________________

Social Security #___________________ (req’d for payroll educ�on)

Phone(W)__________________Phone (H)____________________

Email:____________________________________________

Membership Type (Check one)� Active $10/month� Active Retired $60/year ($5/mo.)� Supporting $36/year*� Organization $50/year*� Benefactor $1,000/life*

* Please include check for 1 year’s dues for thesemembership levels.

Photo by Sue Neary

California State Park Rangers AssociationCSPRA is an organization of State Park

professionals dedicated to advancement of thehighest principles of public service, established tosupport and preserve California State Parks for

present and future generations

Founded 1964

“stateparkexpertsandprofessionalsadvoca ... · some dishes, curries, vegetables, and fruit. 550+...

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