Park Postcards Podcast | Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Aranza Herrera has been working with the Community Outreach team, as part of the Academic Internship Program. To make information about the parks accessible to the public, Aranza interviewed National Resources staff from different park sites this summer. Learning about GOGA's diverse ecosystems, the plants and animals that use these parks as their habitats, how the community can help wildlife stay healthy, and some of the staffs' day to day work and projects. Today she is in conversation with Lidia D'Amico.

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Aranza Herrera: Hello friends, welcome to another podcast.

My name is Aranza Herrera and I'm the academic intern of the community outreach department.

Today I will be talking to Lidia D’Amico, Alcatraz, biologist of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

We will be talking about some of her day-to-day assignments and what we can do when we visit the park.

So, Lidia, tell us, what do you do in the park? What are some of your day-to-day jobs? Your projects?

Tell us about it.

Lidia D’Amico:

Yeah So, it's very interesting, a lot is usually going on, and I'm new to the position, I started back in September, during COVID and so that was an interesting and kind of challenging time and I'm still learning a lot on the job, but basically, my role on the island is to help manage the different seabird and waterbird colonies that exist on the island.

Not a lot of people know that Alcatraz is a big seabird, waterbird Rookery, where thousands of birds come every season to nest, it’s really a unique situation where you have hundreds of thousands of birds, just nesting on the island in close proximity to people.

Alcatraz during pre-COVID times usually has about 5000 visitors a day, with those conditions, we have to make sure that disturbance doesn't happen to the birds while they're nesting. We have to make sure that habitat is suitable for them and that they can continue coming back to the island to breed because it's important for their conservation.

We have an ongoing management and monitoring studies that we do seasonally where we count the number of nests, we look at reproductive health, we look at the number of chicks that are being fledged and we also monitor species diversity.

Over the years the populations fluctuate based on different variables and now we have climate change to consider with all of that on top of these bird colonies nesting in a highly dense urban area, you have issues related to climate change, now going to affect them. So, a lot of it is managing these colonies and providing educational outreach for visitors. Because when people come to Alcatraz, they think the prison, the Rock, they might have some romantic notion of it, but they don't realize that there's a lot of birds here that call the island home.

So, right now we have a lot of birds nesting and all the chicks have hatched and they're getting bigger and they're kind of just wandering all over the island. So, I also do a lot of bird rescues where I try to corral the birds away from public areas and that way there isn't any conflict, or people getting too close to them.

That's basically the position in a nutshell.

Aranza Herrera:

And what is the main project that you are now working on?

Lidia D’Amico:

On Alcatraz there are a lot of different projects and the main species that we monitor is the Brandt’s cormorant. They are the most numerous on the island. There's about 4000, probably over 4000 birds on the island right now. We have a monitoring program where we create subplots and just monitor the number of active nests within these plots and then throughout the season, we take data on the success of that nest, how many eggs did they lay, if all the eggs hatched and if all those chicks went to fledge. We have these different criteria of success or I guess that's the criteria of success for a nest, if the all the chicks survived and they left the nest and they're able to go out on their own. I do that monitoring work with our research partner Farallon Institute, they do the bulk of the field work, and I oversee their monitoring duties, but we do that kind of monitoring for about five to six different species of birds.

We also have Western gulls, pigeon guillemots, which are these little black sea birds with white wing bands. They nest on the island. We also have black crowned night herons, snowy egrets, great blue herons, and most recently we have a pair of Peregrine Falcons nesting on the island. Which is really cool.

I rotate through all those different species and monitor the nests and include that data into the long-term health of those populations and look at trends. We have data sets going back, to the early 90s on some of these populations. There's been instances where the numbers will dip down like the Brandt’s cormorants in 2009 just completely crashed. They didn't nest on the island at all and that was due because of warm water conditions that were happening offshore related to what's called the southern El Nino Southern Oscillation, where a warm current will pass like a warm blob off the coast of California, and so the fish, their prey item, Northern anchovy, which is part of the main diet, wasn't available to them because the ocean conditions weren't favorable for northern anchovy. So, in our data set we see a big dip and then they come back next year. That's one of the reasons why we have these long-term monitoring efforts to look at variability in the populations and try to see if we can associate it with a certain cause, if the population skyrocket, or if they dip, or if they're remaining stable.

Those are most of the projects that I'm doing.

Aranza Herrera:

What is the environmental message you want to give to people?

Lidia D’Amico:

Oh yeah, that's a good one.

There’re so many things, I guess ultimately, these animals, organisms, ecosystems, require protection and they shouldn't just be valued for aesthetic beauty or monetary gain.

These environments exist, not just for the enjoyment of humans, but as part of the greater ecosystem that we’re also a part of. I think just having that perspective shift that people shouldn't be on top like the apex and then everything else is below. It's more like we're integrated into this ecosystem as well. And if the environment starts to degrade and species start dying, you start to see an ecological collapse, that will affect us too.

Aranza Herrera:

Thank you, Lidia, for sharing with us about your job on Alcatraz and to encourage us to be more aware of the health of our planet and ultimately, that's why conservation is so important. It helps preserve the ecosystem and species, not just for aesthetic reasons, but because it helps us. It helps our planet stay healthy.

And thank you podcast friends for tuning in on today's episode.

We hope you'll join us again to learn more about our parks.

Music: “Swing city” (Free to use songs licensed by iMovie)

Find healing and comfort while exploring the magical world at Lands End. Hear from Jainita Patel, a former Park Stewardship intern, and from Community Outreach Manager from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Yakuta Poonawalla who have both shared what keeps Lands End close to their hearts.

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PODCAST DESCRIPTION: Find healing and comfort while exploring the magical world at Lands End. Hear from Jainita Patel, a former Park Stewardship intern, and from Community Outreach Manager from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Yakuta Poonawalla who have both shared what keeps Lands End close to their hearts.

General description: Ranger Fatima This is Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Park Postcards Podcast, where each episode introduces you to what makes each park site unique, through the voice of community members who have visited, and our park rangers and staff partners who work there. We aim to highlight the work we do to connect our local community groups to the special places in our park, and share what these places and experiences mean to them. The beauty of our outreach work is collaborating with diverse community members and newcomers to introduce them and welcome them to their National Parks. We hope that through listening to these “audio postcards”, you get excited to visit Golden Gate National Recreation Area in a healthy and safe future! Transition to Community Speakers: Ranger Fatima Hello friends, this is Ranger Fatima. You’re tuned in to Episode 8 featuring Lands End, which is actually located at the end of the City - the end of the Geary Boulevard next to the ruins of the Sutro Baths and the historic Cliff House. Feel the cool breeze touch your face, enjoy an amazing stroll along the Coastal Trail, explore the wildflowers and Monterey Cypress trees, and lookout for wildlife of all kinds; in the sky, in the water, and on the land! See birds, porpoises, or coyotes! You never know what you’ll see, hear, or find just around the trail’s bend at Lands End! Let’s welcome Jainita Patel, a former intern and Land’s End Volunteer who will share their experience of finding a sense belonging with the community that welcomed them to their national park, by celebrating cultural diversity with memorable events, and connecting with the park and the people they met along the way. Community Speaker’s Postcard – Jainita Patel: Interning with the parks and working with the parks Conservancy was an incredible experience for me. Though I believe that most people often remember that nature is important to sustaining the planet, they forget that nature is also a place of healing and that that place of healing can have invisible barriers. Growing up I didn't feel welcome in natural spaces, I felt like people like me – people of South Asian descent, didn't belong in nature or that somehow, we were unwelcome. Through my internship I learned that many other people felt this way as well. However, by holding programs that revolve around cultural festivals and focus on celebrations in these minority communities, we can welcome these groups to connect with nature in a way that's not intimidating. During my time as an intern the programs we held up plans and involved a variety of organizations, but more important to me where the theme programs that we held for the whole community that celebrated Diwali, Eid, Pride and a whole set of other celebrations, that allow communities like mine to connect with nature, through an easy access trail at Land's End. Even when we didn't hold theme programs and just sort of hung out with the local community there, I felt a deep sense of belonging, not just to the parks but all to all of the amazing people I met there, that we would see on a weekly basis. I'm not ashamed to say that I cried when I held my last program at Land's End, not just because I was leaving the parks but because I was leaving all the incredible people that I had met there. I grew to deeply care for them both as individuals and as a part of a larger community. No matter where I go, I believe that Land's End will always feel like a second home to me and the people I met there I will always consider my friends

Transition to Yakuta Poonawalla: Ranger Fatima It’s so wonderful to hear that Lands End, your local national park site, has become a place of belonging and has welcomed so many diverse communities. Inclusion and belonging starts with the people who are there to share it with you. We are honored to have Yakuta Poonawalla, a passionate leader and storyteller. Yakuta is the Community Programs Manager at the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the San Francisco Park Stewardship Program. She alongside many volunteers helped both the natural habitat and humans thrive in the Lands End community. Through volunteer events that are welcoming and inclusive to all ages, the program created a safe space for engagement, encouraging authentic dialogue, provided positive healing, and inspired people to find their connection with nature.

Yakuta Poonawalla Postcard and Lands End Interp: Dear all, Have you had a chance to meet Land's End in San Francisco yet? If I could use one word to describe what Land's End is to me I would use the word ‘jannat’ (جنت) an Urdu word for ‘heaven’ or ‘paradise.’ You will meet Land's End on the northwestern edge of San Francisco where the vast Pacific Ocean first meets the rocky shores and coastal sand dune habitats. Where local wildflowers wait to surprise you. Where hundreds of migratory birds come to nest and rest and where every nook and corner has a story to offer you. Stories of our Ohlone people and their deep wisdom of the natural world. Stories of land use for recreation, and stories of how many stewards of the earth come together in service of this land and create park site that one cannot help but fall deeply in love with. My name is Yakuta Poonawalla and I first met Land's End through the work I do at the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and now I get to wake up every day and think about how I can get everyone to experience this place in a way that feels most comfortable to them and take them on what I believe is a spiritual journey here. It is here that I get to host weekly habitat restoration community stewardship programs, where volunteers from our local communities come to help with planting local and indigenous plants weeding, helping with community signs initiatives, building trails, and of course enjoying the little gifts of nature. People often ask me, “what should we look for when we come to Land's End?” or “when is the best time to visit Land's End?” and my response to them always is come anytime and come often. And you can start your journey at the Lands End Lookout visitor center where interpretive panels and maps introduce you to natural and cultural history of the area, and take you back in time through black and white historic photos. When there talk to our park staff who can share current offerings with you, and don't forget to ask them if they've seen a whale, a dolphin, or a coyote recently. Close to the Lands End Coastal Trailhead are lots of benches where you can rest and lose yourself into the horizon wondering what ocean treasures the waves will bring with them. When you start your walk along the Coastal Trail, take a few deep breaths and open up all your senses keep your eyes wide open for wildflowers like the Indian Paintbrush, the Yellow Bush and Silver Lupines, the Seaside Daisies, and don't forget to kneel for a closer look at the smaller ones like the Coastal Strawberry and the Live Forevers. Look up at the canopies formed by the Monterey Cypress and pine trees to see if there's a Red-tailed Hawk or owl hiding in there, or try and hear the bird songs and calls of the White Crowned Sparrows, hummingbirds and the California Scrub Jays. There are two overlooks along the trail where you can pause for a moment take in the views of Marin Headlands and the classic Golden Gate Bridge, and as you make your way towards the East End, continue to communicate with the natural world through your senses and allow yourself to reflect to find joy connection and healing. Ask yourself during your walk, do you see some new shapes and colors in nature? Do you hear some new sounds? What are they? How do they make you feel? and if you have the time and are feeling a bit adventurous and just want to make your way to the labyrinth, a hidden gem on the way to Mile Rock Beach, I would highly recommend it. I go there often to indulge in some quiet time and some nature journaling. All lands and waits to mesmerize you and I hope you get to meet this park site soon. Come here to find some rest. Come here to hug a tree. Come here to talk to a plant. Come here to celebrate something special or something that is meaningful to you and your community. Come here for the sunrises and sunsets. I welcome you, I invite you and I hope you get to meet Lands End soon.

Conclusion and looking ahead: Ranger Mariajose Thank you Yakuta and Jainita for transporting me to such a magical, beautiful, healing place. I can’t wait to go hiking and exploring with my family at Lands End in the near future. If you’d like to visit Lands End, remember to bring and wear you face covering, wash your hands, dress in layers, bring some water and a healthy snack, and maybe a journal to sketch the wildlife and gorgeous vistas along the way.

Stay tuned for episode Nine! We’ll head down from Lands End to Ocean Beach and we’ll hear from our park ranger Marcus Combs, who has worked in the GGNRA for over 30 years! We can’t wait for you to hear it! Until then, recreate responsibly in your National Parks! Listen to all our episodes online at www.nps.gov/podcasts/parkpostcardspodcast.htm or find them on Apple Podcasts.

Credits: Voices: - Fatima Colindres - Yakuta Poonawalla - Jainita Patel

Soar virtually over Hawk Hill, Rodeo Lagoon and Point Bonita Lighthouse at the magical Marin Headlands with Ranger Cordelia Vargas and special guest Carmen DeLeon, a volunteer leader from the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory.

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Park Postcards Podcast Episode Seven Marin Headlands TRANSCRIPT Welcome and General description - Ranger Mariajose Alcantara: Happy 2021 everyone! This is Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Park Postcards Podcast! This is a podcast where each episode introduces you to what makes each park site unique, through the voice of community members who have visited, and our park rangers and staff partners who work there. We aim to highlight the work we do to connect our local community groups to the special places in our park, and share what these places and experiences mean to them. The beauty of our outreach work is collaborating with diverse community members and newcomers to introduce them and welcome them to their National Parks. We hope that through listening to these “audio postcards”, you get excited to visit Golden Gate National Recreation Area in a healthy and safe future! Introduction to Podcast - Ranger Mariajose Alcantara: You’re tuned in to episode seven featuring two guests who absolutely love the Marin Headlands as much as I do. This is your friend and host, Ranger Mariajose. The Marin Headlands is the most magical place of the GGNRA, at least in my opinion as a former Headlands ranger. From 2008 through 2018, I had the privilege to live in the historic military barracks at Fort Cronkhite and Fort Barry, where I woke up to the chuckles of quails and elephant seals, and fell asleep to relaxing foghorns as I saw the shadows of deer pass my windows. I’ll never forget the evenings spent hiking the hills at sunset and making friends with a skunk who would walk me home from the visitor center. I am thrilled to introduce our guest Carmen DeLeon, who will share her audio postcard from the Headlands. She’s an environmental educator, born and raised in San Francisco. She studied wildlife biology at UC Davis and natural resources at the University of Idaho before flying back to the bay as fast as possible! She has worked both for the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory and Nature Bridge- one of our park partners. Carmen got to know the Headlands landscape through work and daily life, also as a resident in the historic housing. She is currently a volunteer leader at the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory where she has supported the science of protecting migratory raptors since 2008. Let’s hear her story:

Special Guest from Golden Gate National Raptor Observatory – Carmen DeLeon’s Postcard: Hey there, it's Carmen and I'm coming to you from Hawk Hill in the Marin headlands. Whenever I set foot in the headlands, I'm transported to my favorite memory of hawk hill where I get to spend time as a volunteer bird bander and docent. come along with me for a day on Hawk Hill as we remember the very first bird I was able to band with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory. I was a brand new intern on my first real adventure working in the world of wildlife biology. It’s the month of August affectionately called “Fogust” by a lot of us volunteers, and we drive up the windy road toward our field site gazing at the rolling Bay waves below and watching for birds along the signposts. we climbed the trail to Hawk Hill with the gravel crunching beneath our feet and nimbly avoiding the Lupine plants to approach the bird blind. The bird blind is kind of like a hideaway where we can sit to avoid disturbing the landscape and wildlife when we do our work to monitor the migrating Raptors. my teammates and I cheer and give each other high fives as we see the blue sky break through the fog and feel the northwest wind. We eagerly watch the sky. Suddenly! an American Kestrel the smallest falcon in North America, flies into one of the vertical threadlike nets at the field site. I quickly darted outside and gently scoop her up protecting her folded wings and lightly placing my fingers around her yellow legs. Though I work fast to keep her calm and safe, the world stops for a moment as I notice how perfectly each tiny feather lays across her face. The darkness of her eyes is striking we bring the kestrel into the cool dark space of the bird blinds, measure her, and use special pliers to apply a metal anklet- the bird band. It has a unique number to help us track her movements over hopefully long and healthy life. After we collect the measurement data, it's important to return our banded birds to their migration quickly so they have time to find food to continue their journey and shelter to rest each night. Our encounter lasts just 15 minutes before our Kestrel is back on her way hovering along the hillsides in search of tasty dragon flies. Even though I can't bring everyone with me on a field day bird banding, I think you should definitely check out the view from a hike to Hawk Hill. There's always something new to notice any time of year from whales spy hopping, to resident Ravens preening their shiny feathers. Be sure to bring binoculars, and wear lots of layers, the weather here can change suddenly from sunny and warm to fog so thick that you feel like you're on a rocky island with only the bellowing foghorns to remind you that there is water below. Hawk Hill is a place where I come to reflect and to refresh as I think about the dynamics of migration, movement as natural as the rhythm of our breath, for both people and wildlife. It's such an honor to know that my appreciation for this place and raptors also contributes to important work for conservation. I hope that you can enjoy it too as we all embrace nature and the outdoors in our own unique ways.

Transition to Ranger Cordelia - Ranger Mariajose” I feel like I was right there with you Carmen! Thanks for inviting us into your vivid memories of the Headlands! Now let’s hear from our ranger friend and my colleague Cordelia Vargas who has been working in the Marin Headlands since May of 2019. Cordelia has a Bachelor's in Environmental Studies, and minor in Feminist Studies from UC Santa Barbara. She’s super passionate about social justice and has researched indigenous Miwok history, women of the Nike Missile Site, and Marincello- the housing project that never came to be in the headlands. Ranger Cordelia recently coordinated social science surveys throughout the Headlands to assess visitor interactions and safety throughout the pandemic. Since the Headlands is a bird haven, of course Cordelia is also a bird lover who enjoys the outdoors and has inspired hundreds of visitors to also fall in love with her park site. Let’s hear some of her interpretation and what she loves best about working as a Ranger in the Marin Headlands.

Ranger Cordelia Vargas’ Postcard and Marin Headlands Interpretation: Hello, my name is Cordelia Vargas, and I am a Park Ranger in the Marin Headlands, which is on the ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok. Why do I love working in the Marin Headlands? I’ve actually had a pretty hard time answering this question because there are so many things I love about this place. For one, I am kind of a bird nerd and the Marin Headlands has so many birds to enjoy. We have the raptor migration here in the fall, but really any time of year you’re going to see tons of turkey vultures, hawks, and harriers all soaring over the headland hills. There are a bunch of different wading birds and sea birds that frequent the Rodeo Lagoon, like the Great egret and double crested cormorants. There are peregrine falcons that nest by the Point Bonita Lighthouse, and if you are lucky you might see a great horned owl if you visit here at night! You could truly do a tour of the headlands revolving around birds. A couple of months ago actually, I was hiking by Rodeo Lagoon, and as I approached, I could hear this loud splashing in the distance. It almost sounded like rain and I was confused because it was sunny. I thought, “What on earth is that?” and as I got past the tall fennel blocking my view, I could see down into the lagoon where there was a massive flock of brown pelicans. They were just flapping away, splashing in the water, fishing, preening, and enjoying the lagoon. It brings me so much joy to see all these amazing creatures right in my office, so to speak. Ultimately though, I’d say my favorite aspect about working here is that I get to share what I know and love about the Marin Headlands with visitors. Whether it be sharing the history of all of our military batteries from World Wars I and II, peering through a visitor’s binoculars and helping them identify a bird they’ve never seen before, or sharing the story of how community activism stopped the Marin Headlands from becoming housing and helped it become a national park in 1972. Among my favorite aspects of this job has been leading tours down to the Point Bonita Lighthouse. I love to surprise people with the fact that where the lighthouse stands today is not where it was originally built in 1855. It was originally built high up on a cliff hundreds of feet above the water, close to where the radar tower is today. But this lighthouse was only the 4th one built on the west coast of the United States, so there were environmental conditions they didn’t quite take into consideration, and by that I mean the dense fog we have here! It rendered the lighthouse basically useless in its original location. So in 1877, the lighthouse was moved to where it stands today at the very point of Point Bonita, but to do that required the building of a tunnel through unforgiving basalt rock, rock that formed 300 million years ago from volcanoes erupting and cooling underwater. The tunnel that we can walk through easily in a matter of moments to reach the lighthouse today, took Chinese-American railroad workers 4 months of carving by hand to make that trip possible. The history of our lighthouse is a rich one, and reflecting on how this light has been a guide to ships, allows us to examine how we can be guiding lights to the people in our lives. Now I am a little biased, but I believe that anytime to visit the Marin Headlands is the best time. If you visit on a foggy day, the moisture in the air captures the earthy perfume of the coastal sagebrush flora here and its pretty remarkable. But if you want to catch the iconic views we have of the golden gate bridge, you’re going to have a better chance seeing those views unobstructed by fog if you visit during the spring and fall months. Karl the fog tends to ease up around those times of year, but there are of course no guarantees. As our sites re-open, like the Point Bonita Lighthouse, they’ll only be open on specific days and times so be sure to check on our official national park service website for the most up to date information. Getting outdoors and enjoying nature can be so beneficial for one’s physical and mental health, and to do this while we face COVID-19, please wear a mask out on the trails when you cannot social distance from others. Consider visiting earlier in the day, or to less frequented areas to avoid the crowds. I also recommend bringing layers anytime you visit. It could be sunny and warm everywhere else in the San Francisco Bay, and it could still be cold and foggy in the headlands. I hope that giving this a listen sparked your curiosity about this fascinating and beautiful place, and I invite you to come give us a visit! We hope to see you safely and soon.

Conclusion - Ranger Mariajose: Thank you Ranger Cordelia for the valuable tips on visiting the magical Headlands, and for sharing some of its history with us! I’ll keep and ear and eye out for splashing pelicans on my next visit too!

And I want to thank you podcast friends for tuning in! We are happy to have explored the Marin Headlands with you on this episode, and we hope you will join us again on future episodes that will feature other park sites around the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Stay tuned for episode eight! We’ll feature Lands End and we’ll hear from our park partner Yakuta Poonawalla from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and former park intern Jainita Patel, who have shared both of their Park Postcard. We can’t wait for you to hear it! Until then, recreate responsibly in your National Parks! Listen to all of our episodes online at nps.gov/podcasts/parkpostcardspodcast.htm and find them also on Apple Podcasts. Take Care!

"I thoroughly enjoyed this this walk. It was very encouraging just talking to the different people in the group, very comforting, very stress free, very relaxing. So thank you for making this possible!" Erica Choy after a socially distanced trip to the Presidio.

Tune in to Episode 6 to listen to community members from the Rafiki Coalition and Community Partnerships leader, Amy Deck from the Presidio Trust share their experience watching the Presidio projects come to life.

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[Background music fades in: “Trail” – Adobe Stock Music] General description: Ranger Fatima “This is Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Park Postcards Podcast! Each episode will introduce you to what makes each park site unique, through the voice of community members who have visited, and our park rangers and staff partners who work there. We aim to highlight the work we do to connect our local community groups to the special places in our park and share what these places and experiences mean to them. The beauty of our outreach work is collaborating with diverse community members and newcomers to introduce them and welcome them to their National Parks. We hope that through listening to these ‘audio postcards’, you get excited to visit Golden Gate National Recreation Area in a healthy and safe future!” Transition to Community Speakers: Ranger Fatima “Hello everyone, welcome to Episode 6 of the Park Postcards podcast. My name is Fatima Colindres, and I am park ranger with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Community Programs and Outreach team. As part of outreach work we collaborate with community group leaders and park partners to bring non-traditional park users to their National Park. It is my pleasure to introduce Betty Delaney and Erica Choy, two members of the Rafiki Coalition, an organization located in the Bayview, which has the mission to ‘eliminate health inequities in San Francisco’s Black and marginalized communities through education, advocacy, and by providing holistic health and wellness services in a culturally affirming environment.’ . They will be sharing their memories of a recent walk in the Presidio of San Francisco, when they explored the Tennessee Hollow watershed restoration from Crissy Field Marsh to the Main Post.”

Community Speaker’s Postcard: Betty Delaney – Rafiki Coalition Community Member “My name is Betty I'm from San Francisco. I'm a native to San Francisco and I love the Presidio. Today I took a short walk and we were taking a break at the Redwood Grove, and I would encourage you to come here because you get to see, not only what was - in terms of how they're doing the development of the watershed - but you get to go through the shaded area of the redwoods. You can sit on the benches that have been recycled from trees from the Presidio, and you can enjoy all the beauty of the nature in this one segment of the Presidio. Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to see the Presidio, for all the work being done by the people, and I encourage you to come be a part of it.”

Community Speaker’s Postcard: Erica Choy – Rafiki Coalition Community Member “Hi my name is Erica and I just wanted to give an ending to my nice hike or walk that we just took with Miss Amy and Miss Rebekah. As a San Francisco resident a lot of times we take for granted that there's so many beautiful places here within the city, that we actually don't even know they exist! My children did attend the Presidio Child Development Center, so I was familiar a little bit with the area, but I've always loved this area. So thank you for making this possible for us, and that I didn't have to pay to come to this nice tour. Sometimes that can also be a hindrance for low income families, so but I was very glad and I really enjoyed it. I have back problems, I have a knee problem, and I thoroughly enjoyed this this walk. It was very encouraging just talking to the different people in the group, very comforting, very stress free, very relaxing. So thank you for making this possible. So I invite anybody from the city, you know come and see this gem that our beautiful city has to offer, and all the wonderful work that is still in progress, but at the end you know is going to be done, and so thank you for making this possible for us, thank you very much have a good weekend.”

Transition to Amy Deck: Ranger Fatima “Thank you Betty and Erica for sharing your memories. As you described your experience, I traveled back in time to 1998 when I first started working in the Presidio, when Thompsons reach and the Redwood Grove did not exist and all that was there in its place was a field of tall non-indigenous grass, and nothing else. Wow! How this place has changed! Next I would like to introduce Amy Deck, who works for our partner agency, the Presidio Trust. She will share the story of the Tennessee Hollow watershed and all the new transformations taking place right now in your park.”

Amy Deck’s Postcard and Presidio Projects overview: “Hi my name is Amy Deck and I work for the Presidio Trust in our Community Partnerships Department. I'm going to talk about a trip to the Presidio with the Rafiki Coalition, a group from the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco. We are learning how to engage with communities in different ways during the pandemic, and this was one of our first safe walks with masks and social distancing in place.

The Rafiki Coalition is a longtime partner, and it was wonderful to get outdoors and welcome these friends back to the park. On a beautiful Fall sunny day with a slight breeze, we took a walk through the northern part of the Tennessee Hollow watershed - and I have to share that I was nearly moved to tears to see the amazing work that has been made on the Tunnel Tops Project and the restoration of the Quartermaster Reach Marsh project. The Tunnel Tops project is well underway and is planned to be open in October of 2021. The Quartermaster Reach project is one of the last projects in our efforts to revitalize the Tennessee Hollow watershed.

For well over a decade, the Presidio Trust, with our partners, has been revitalizing sections of the watershed. This means that creeks have been brought back above ground, native habitats have been restored, Army landfills have been removed, trails and playing fields are being upgraded, and the history of those who once lived here is being shared. Volunteers have been key to this ongoing work by caring for these newly created habitats, by planting and weeding.

We met at the Sports Basement parking lot, and we were so thrilled to see the new terminus for the Muni 30 Stockton - it now comes straight into Crissy Field. We were able to see the Tunnel Tops new trails and overlooks taking shape, and the channel cut in the Marsh restoration project. We talked about the watershed and how after many years of restoration projects, this section of the freshwater Creek has been brought back to the daylight after running through pipes for many years. It was very interesting to be here at a time where we could see the formation of the creek, and talk about how our natural resource specialists have a plan to draw oysters from the Bay into this new habitat using oyster shells gathered from restaurants.

We walked up the Tennessee hollow trail and took a rest at the Wayburn Redwood Grove - which I'm pretty sure was Betty's favorite spot. The Grove was dedicated to Ed and Peggy Wayburn, who advocated for the preservation of America's wild open spaces and the establishment of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which the Presidio is a part of. This Redwood Grove overlooks Thompson's Reach, which was a riparian restoration project that was completed in 2005 and connects to the Quartermaster Reach. We walked up towards the Main Post where we were able to see a new topographic map that's positioned right in front of the fire station. It was a wonderful way to see the entire watershed.

Overall, it was a fantastic walk and visit with some of our beloved community partners. I encourage you to come back to enjoy the Presidio, your National Park “

[Background music escalates to a more upbeat rhythm: “Trail” – Adobe Stock Music]

Conclusion and looking ahead: Ranger Fatima “Thank you once again Betty, Erica and Amy for sharing your special memories of the Presidio visit to the incredible watershed restoration that can now be enjoyed by all visitors at The Presidio. For more information about the sites discussed today, visit https://www.presidio.gov/places

And thank you podcast friends for tuning in! I hope you’ll join us again on future episodes that will feature other park sites around the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. In our upcoming Episode 7 we’ll hear from Ranger Cordelia Vargas, our friend from the Marin Headlands, who’ll share her bird knowledge and highlights from her area of the park. Episode 8 we’re excited to hear from park partner Yakuta Poonawalla from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy at Lands End. We can’t wait for you to hear them! Until then, stay safe and recreate responsibly in your National Parks!” [Background music fades out: “Trail” – Adobe Stock Music]

"Alcatraz was my home base on and off for 19 months. I felt safe and secure, but as children we sometimes are invisible and forgotten so we hear the adult conversations. I was still trying to understand why we were there. I would not understand this until later in life, but the memories lie deep within my soul and grew me to be the person that I am today - a storyteller." - UrbanRezLife, Kristina Longoria Hear UrbanRezLife and Ranger Jackson Lam's personal connection to the Rock and it's history.

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Park Postcards Podcast Episode Five Alcatraz Script

[General description: Ranger Mariajose ]

This is Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Park Postcards Podcast!

Each episode will introduce you to what makes each park site unique, through the voice of community members who have visited, and our park rangers who work there.

We aim to highlight the work we do to connect our local community groups to the special places in our park, and what these places and experiences mean to them. The beauty of our outreach work is collaborating with diverse community members and newcomers to introduce them and welcome them to their National Parks.

We hope that through listening to these “audio postcards”, you get excited to visit Golden Gate National Recreation Area in a healthy and safe future!

[Ranger Mariajose's Transition to Community Speaker: ]

This is Ranger Mariajose. You’re tuned in to episode five featuring the famous rock in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island. Most people immediately think of infamous inmates, cell doors slamming, or action films when they hear about Alcatraz, but the Rock holds a much deeper history and culture that still rises strong. Let’s step back over fifty years ago.. it’s 1969.. Imagine yourself stepping off a boat onto an island of rock, the gulls and hummingbirds pirouette and sing above, a fire welcomes you along with hands of familiar strangers, your new family. Just a mile and a half across the bay, San Francisco grows curious about the movement singing loud and proud led by indigenous activists of all tribes.. and of all ages. I am honored to introduce you to our special guest, a veteran of the Indian occupation who has called Alcatraz her home since the age of eight. UrbanRezLife, also known as Kristina Longoria, is a storyteller, activist, an artist featured on the Red Power exhibit on the island, who is always happy to share her experience.

[Community Speaker’s Postcard: Kris Longoria – UrbanRezLife ]

Welcome community. First I would like to acknowledge the Ohlone people whose territory I occupy. My name is Urban Rez Life, I am a member of the Caddo nation and I'm also Cheyenne Arapaho. I was born and raised in San Francisco CA. Welcome to Alcatraz my “urban rez.” Not many people know about the occupation of Alcatraz. On November 20th 1969, a group of students and activists boarded a boat and headed to Alcatraz to claim it. They were led by Richard Oakes and Dr. LaNada War Jack. They wanted the federal government to honor treaties and federal laws, to this day we are still fighting for treaties to be honored.

The occupation of Alcatraz led to the most significant changes in Indian country today - especially during this time. 1969 was a year of many changes. Hundreds of people joined them on Alcatraz including my family: my mother, my tia, my sisters and I. This was the spark that lit the fire, as this has been one of the most historical moments in Indian country, since then we've had more like Standing Rock.

We are currently celebrating the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Alcatraz we have a large exhibit showcasing some historical photos from the occupation, as well as the memorabilia. I also have some storyboards on display giving some insight to my thoughts and experiences of living on Alcatraz as a child during the occupation.

Sitting on the dock watching people come to the island and leave the island, to this day it's still one of my favorite things to do on Alcatraz. I remember going to the kitchen area always to go help peel potatoes to stay out of the cold and keep warm, to make sure also that my siblings were fed and of course to listen to all the conversations that were going on in the kitchen as I was still trying to figure out what was going on. Fond memories of looking for coats and hats and shoes through the prison cells. Many donations came from people that were donating to the cause. Vivid memories of playing hopscotch, jumping into the water with my friends that I had met, and sitting by the fire as adults met and made plans.

As soon as the boat approaches the island, I see the “Indian land” political statements and I know that I'm home. As a child from an activist family we were always on the move. Alcatraz was my home base on and off for 19 months. I felt safe and secure, but as children we sometimes are invisible and forgotten so we hear the adult conversations. I was still trying to understand why we were there. I would not understand this until later in life, but the memories lie deep within my soul and grew me to be the person that I am today - a storyteller.

I've had the honor to reunite and meet many veterans of Alcatraz and hear their stories. Everyone has a different story and perspective and that makes this place beautiful because just one visit is an adventure in itself.

On the island you will notice some political statements on various building. It has been an honor to work with the National Park Service on the restoration. The main political statement located at the dock was recently restored when we had the opening of the 50th anniversary exhibit. It was amazing to see veterans and their families restore it 50 years later with the next generations.

Two times a year we have a sunrise ceremony, once an Indigenous Peoples Day and the other is on Thanksgiving Day. I have been a part of this ceremony for over 25 years. I need to acknowledge Eloy Martinez – a veteran of Alcatraz, who up until COVID hit, kept our fire on point during sacred ceremonies and also is a keeper of the stories of this island. I strongly suggest you add this to your bucket list, as you can only feel this special medicine on Alcatraz.

If you would like additional information about the occupation of Alcatraz I strongly suggest the book by Dr. LaNada War Jack called “Native Resistance”.

This large exhibit will be up until June 21st, I highly recommend visiting and checking it out. I hope one day to meet you on the island to share more detailed stories of my experience as a veteran of Alcatraz you might even catch me by the “Red Power” statement. The occupation of Alcatraz may be over but our vision and work on this island is still happening. Indians of All Tribes still has its presence here on the island. Thank you to Steve Cote, and the rest of the Alcatraz team in the National Park Service for this collaboration. So come on you guys, come check out Alcatraz! Peace, Urban Rez Life

[Ranger Mariajose’s Transition to Ranger Jackson:]

Hearing UrbanRezLife’s story takes me back to the 50th Anniversary of the Indian Occupation November 2019, I was also there that day, supporting the events and taking in the history being made once again. I must admit tough my eyes teared up, with joy though, to see today’s youth and leaders repainting the faded words to transform them into a bright red. I was amazed by the magic felt on the island those three days and I’m grateful for the sense of community everyone shared as people exchanged stories, made friends or reconnected with old ones. Now, I don’t usually get to work on Alcatraz, but let’s hear from my ranger friend who does – Jackson Lam.

[Ranger Jackson’s Alcatraz Story: ]

Hello, my name is Jackson and I’m a Park Ranger on Alcatraz Island.

My favorite thing about working on Alcatraz is that I get to take a ferry to an island every day. And if I’m lucky, I get to sip coffee under our Eucalyptus tree while watching the sailboats go by. On most days, we have a 360-degree view from the middle of the Bay, though we often find ourselves shrouded in fog, but hey that’s the Bay for you.

I also get to work with wonderful people, which includes National Park Service, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and Alcatraz Cruises staff. I’ve made some good friends and I’ve also learned a lot of interesting things about the island’s history.

Many people don’t realize Alcatraz was the site of an important Native American occupation that took place in the context of the wider Civil Rights movements going on at the time. This was the location of the longest occupation of Federal Land in protest of the government. The occupation lasted 19 months in total, starting on November 20th, 1969 to June 11th, 1971, and it was led by a group who later called themselves The Indians of All Tribes.

Now, I understand the irony as a government employee commemorating a protest of the government, but this was something that happened half a century ago, and as with some historical events, it was eventually understood to be a positive one for Native American Rights, despite the complexities of the protest itself at the time.

The Indians of All Tribes still exists today, and participated in the 50th Anniversary commemorations held in November 2019. Veteran occupiers and their families returned to the island for a weekend of events, including the grand opening of the “Red Power” exhibit, which is presently open and accessible to visitors inside the New Industries Building.

One of the coolest things that happened during that weekend was repainting the “Indians Welcome” sign near the dock so that it’s historically accurate to 1969, and that was done by hand by the original occupiers and their families. And also, a shout out to our National Park Service Maintenance staff who helped make that happen safely for everyone.

The Dock Sign is one of the first things that you see when you get off the boat and we get a lot of questions about it, and also the messaging on the water tower, and for particularly observant folks, the Red Power fists that are scattered around the island. So the next time you’re here, keep an eye out for those.

In addition to the Red Power exhibit, there are two events annually that help keep the memory of that occupation alive. On Indigenous People’s Day (aka Columbus Day) and Thanksgiving Day (aka Un-Thanksgiving Day), there is a Sunrise Ceremony on Alcatraz that is organized by the International Indian Treaty Council. These ceremonies have been happening annually since the mid-70s and is a reminder of the layered histories of the island and of the ongoing movements for Indigenous recognition and sovereignty.

Operations on Alcatraz have recently resumed after a prolonged closure due to COVID. If you’re excited to visit Alcatraz in the near future, you should know that we’ve made some adjustments for public safety. Upon arrival to the pier in San Francisco, a staff member will perform a touchless temperature check. You will be required to wear a properly-fitting face covering to board the boat. We also remind folks to keep at least 6 feet distance from other groups while on the boat and on the island. This means that there will be certain areas that are limited in capacity, have a one-way directional flow, or may be closed altogether. Check our website, www.NPS.gov slash A-L-C-A, for the most current information. And lastly, please follow all instructions by Alcatraz staff. We’re here to make sure everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience, and we’re looking forward to seeing you here on The Rock.

[Ranger Mariajose - Conclusion and looking ahead]

Thanks podcast friends for tuning in! I hope you will join us again on future episodes that will feature other park sites around the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Stay tuned for our upcoming episodes, we’ll hear from Ranger Cordelia Vargas who works in the Marin Headlands, additionally we have voices from our park partners from the Presidio Trust including Community Partnerships leader Amy Deck and program participants who have shared their Park Postcards, we can’t wait for you to hear them! Until then, recreate responsibly in your National Parks!

"They gave us little solar lamps, since it was getting dark. We could see the sun setting on the sea. The day was something very special, very magical." - Matilde Tellez, Good Samaritan Hear our rangers Mariajose and Fatima with special guest Matilde Tellez's audio postcard remembering their magical Crissy Field moments.

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Park Postcards Podcast Episode Four Crissy Field Transcript Introduction : Ranger Mariajose Welcome to a new podcast from Golden Gate National Recreation Area called “Park Postcards.” Each episode will introduce you to what makes each park site unique, through the voice of community members who have visited, and our park rangers who work there. We aim to highlight the work we do to connect our local community groups to the special places in our park, and what these places and experiences mean to them. We hope that through listening to these “audio postcards”, you get excited to visit Golden Gate National Recreation Area in a healthy and safe future! You’re tuned in to our fourth episode and second special Spanish language Park Postcards Podcast. This is Ranger Mariajose with you again. The beauty of our outreach work is collaborating with diverse community members and newcomers to introduce them and welcome them to their National Parks. This episode I have the pleasure of introducing you to one of our greatest community leaders who has connected families to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and our team for over a decade! Matilde Tellez, a community program manager at Good Samaritan of San Francisco and CARECEN, San Francisco’s Central American Resource Center. Let’s hear one of Matilde’s favorite park memories, an evening harvest program with Ranger Fatima in the Fall of 2019. Community member Matilde Tellez: Hola mi nombre es Matilde Tellez, promotora comunitaria y en esta actuación les voy a hablar de crissy field. Ranger Mariajose: Matilde has shared her audio postcard with us in Spanish but we’ve added a bit of podcast magic and have translated it too. Let’s hear from my mom Ana Cristina, who has voiced Matilde’s translation. Take it away mom! Interpreter – Ana Cristina Alcantara voicing Matilde Tellez in English: Hello, my name is Matilde Tellez, community promoter, and in this audio I am going to talk to you about Crissy Field. Crissy field has a community resource center where there are various activities, such as resource fairs and events. One of those events was the harvest night hike to give thanks for the end of the harvest. We want to thank the rangers and all the staff in advance, as they make it possible for Latino families to come to the center, and they provide us with transportation and different activities. I have taken families from the Central American Family Resource Center and the Latinos Independientes group from the Good Samaritan, and one of those Crissy Field activities we attended was the walk I mentioned. Upon arrival we carried out an art activity where adults and children participated and had a lot of fun. Another of the activities was the walk where they gave us little solar lamps, since it was getting dark. We could see the sun setting on the sea. The day was something very special, very magical. The children were delighted with their lamps and we love that they take it into account that some people can walk fast, others moderately fast and others slower and we appreciated that. At the end of our walk they gave us a small dinner with food that the first people prepared to celebrate the end of the harvest. It was something very special. Since Fatima has the ability to tell us stories, we paid great attention. Apart from those stories, she taught us this song that goes like this: Matilde Tellez Sings in Spanish: Lunes y Martes Miercoles 3 Jueves Viernes Sábado 6 y domingo 7. Ana Cristina sings in English: Again: Monday and Tuesday Wednesday is 3 Thursday and Friday Saturday 6 and Sunday 7. Matilde Tellez closes in Spanish: De nuevo nuestro agradecimiento para todo el personal de guardabosques, todo el personal que atiende Crissy Field y gracias por mandarnos el transporte para poder acudir a las actividades. Ana Cristina in English: Once again we give our thanks to all the ranger staff, all the Crissy Field Center staff, and thanks for sending us the transportation to be able to attend the activities. Ranger Mariajose: “Thanks for the translation Mom!” Ana Cristina: “De nada! Con mucho gusto, you’re welcome it’s my pleasure.” Ranger Mariajose – Transition : Wow! What a great experience Matilde! I can imagine how magical that Harvest Night Hike must have been! Oh Crissy Field, the picturesque lively stretch of land that welcomes thousands maybe millions of visitors every year to San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of Fine Arts, and Fort Point. People love a casual stroll, a bike ride, flying a kite. Even furry friends and wildlife enjoy rolling around the grass, sands and chilly salty waters. Up next is our own Ranger Fatima Colindres who will share the rich natural and cultural history of the place that she’s had the joy to work at since 1998! Ranger Fatima Colindres - Crissy Field Interpretive history: Hello podcast listeners, my name is Fatima Colindres. I am a park ranger with the Community Outreach team at Golden Gate National Recreation Area. I love working at this park because I get to bring community groups out to one of my favorite park sites, Crissy Field, and share the story of the dramatic transformation of this place through the years. Crissy Field has gone through many transformations through time. In the time when all of San Francisco was Ohlone land, Crissy Field was a huge marsh, connected to other marsh land which circled the entire San Francisco Bay. The area now known as Crissy Field was a rich, and ecologically diverse wetland. Early Spanish conquerors wrote in their journals that there were so many bird species, that if there was a loud noise, like a gunshot, the whole sky would turn dark with birds taking flight. They also named the area ‘La Isla de Las Fresas” or “Strawberry Island,” because the land was covered with beach strawberry. For 70 years after the Spanish/Mexican arrival, the area continued to be a marsh until the Gold Rush, when people moved to this area in huge numbers, and the landscape changed dramatically. It went from a bird haven on the Pacific Flyway, to one of the first garbage dumps of the city of San Francisco. The new Americans did not see the marsh as a treasure, a natural protector for our city and Bay. They did not understand that this marsh provided vital habitat to so many birds, plants, and even humans. They did not realize back then that the marsh would help prevent flooding and would serve as a natural filter protecting the Bay’s fish from ingesting contaminants carried in run off after heavy rains. Instead they saw the area as a wasteland, to be filled in. The army did not have the funds to fill in the marsh as fast as they would wish, but with the help of the city, the marsh was finally filled in with the city trash left over from the 1906 earthquake, just in time for the construction of 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition world’s Fair. As you can imagine, it was a grand event, to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal, and to show the world that the City by the Bay had been able to recover after the devastating earthquake and fire. There was an airfield and a racetrack built to showcase new technological advances in travel. The fairgrounds included rides and pavilions and palaces dedicated to everything from art, science and culture. Only one building remains from that event, the Palace of Fine Arts. After the 1915 Exposition ended, the Army took back the area and maintained it as an airfield until 1937. During those early years of aviation, the area was christened as “Crissy Field,” in honor of one of those early pioneers of flight, Major Dana H. Crissy. In 1937, after the Golden Gate Bridge was completed, the airfield was no longer a safe place to land and take off, because of the large obstacle in its path. So, it transformed again, this time to a helicopter landing area. Eventually the area became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1972. Thanks to a partnership between the National Park Service, and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the area was transformed once again by 2001. During the 4-year restoration project, over 80 tons of waste were removed from the marsh, the original racetrack-shaped grassy airfield was restored, and a small portion of the marsh was brought back signaling to birds that it was safe to return. With the help of thousands of volunteers that came to “help grow Crissy Field,” the native plants came back too. Since Crissy Field has been restored, it has become a beloved spot for recreation on the San Francisco shoreline. Since I started working at the park 20 years ago, it has been my pleasure to bring countless groups out to their national park, to experience this unique place. I love seeing visitors play on the sand, go bird watching, or snap the most amazing photos of the iconic Bridge. I also love to share the natural and cultural stories of this place through my interpretive programs. Before it’s time to say goodbye, I remind visitors that we need their help to keep the marsh healthy and clean by recycling, reducing, reusing and composting, to ensure their trash doesn’t end up in the marsh ever again. I hope this episode has sparked your curiosity to visit Crissy Field. And when you do, we encourage you to bring and wear your facemask, and keep proper physical distance from others. Stroll the Promenade, explore the boardwalks over the marsh, look for signs describing the native plants and learn their medicinal uses, but please don’t pick them! Together let’s make sure this place remains for all to enjoy. Bye Bye! Ranger Mariajose Concludes Podcast: Thank you Matilde and Ranger Fatima for sharing your favorite memories of Crissy Field and thanks again friends for tuning into this special fourth episode of Park Postcards Podcast! I hope you will join us again on future episodes that will feature other park sites around the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Stay tuned for our next episodes, which we’ll hear from Ranger Jackson Lam, from Alcatraz, featuring Ranger Cordelia Vargas from the Marin Headlands and beyond that we’ve got an incredible line up of episodes with voices from our park partners the Presidio Trust and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and their very own program participants who can’t wait to also share their Park Postcards. Until then, recreate responsibly in your National Parks!

Tune in to hear more about Mori Point, your park that's closer than you'd think on our special spanish episode of our Park Postcards Podcast. Let's celebrate Hispanic Heritage month with our community voices. Hear our rangers Mariajose and Fatima with special guest Tomasa Bulux's audio postcard remembering their Mori Point moments.

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[Background music fades in: “Calm Optimistic Ambient” by Hooksounds.com] RANGER FATIMA COLINDRES: Welcome to a new podcast from Golden Gate National Recreation Area called “Park Postcards.” Each episode will introduce you to what makes each park site unique, through the voice of community members who have visited, and our park rangers who work there. We aim to highlight the work we do to connect our local community groups to the special places in our park, and what these places and experiences mean to them. We hope that through listening to these “audio postcards”, you get excited to visit Golden Gate National Recreation Area in a healthy and safe future! RANGER FATIMA COLINDRES: Welcome to Episode Three, a special Spanish language Park Postcards Podcast in celebration of Hispanic Heritage month. My names is Fatima Colindres and I am a proud Latinx ranger with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Community Outreach team. As part of our outreach work, we collaborate with community group leaders from Bay Area community based organizations who help us bring diverse non-traditional visitors, to their National Parks. On this episode we welcome Maria Tomasa Bulux, the health promotion program manager at CARECEN, San Francisco’s Central American Resource Center. Tomasa will share her memories of visiting Mori Point in the past with her family program. VOICE IN SPANISH LANGUAGE OF TOMASA BULUX: Hola mi nombre es Tomasa Bulux. Trabajo para el programa de promoción de la salud de CARECEN San Francisco y fui al parque Mori Point por primera vez, con varias de las familias participantes de nuestro programa que también por primera vez visitaban el parque. Fue una excelente experiencia, fue bonito ver a las familias aprender y escuchar de la historia del parque de la ranger Jasmine y Rafael. Después de un almuerzo saludable en la playa, algunas familias caminaron a la cima de la colina y otras en la playa. Esperamos regresar pronto para disfrutar de una caminata mas y de otro día agradable acompañados de nuestros queridos rangers. Gracias Golden Gate National Parks, a Fátima, a Mariajosé y a Takeo por las excelentes oportunidades que nos han dado. VOICE OF RANGER FATIMA COLINDRES INTERPRETING TOMASA BULUX’S SHARED MEMORY INTO ENGLISH: Hello, my name is Tomasa Bulux. I work for CARECEN’s San Francisco’s health promotion program and I went to Mori Point for the first time with several of the families participating in our program who were also visiting the park for the very first time. It was an excellent experience; it was nice to see the families learn and hear about the history of the park from Rangers: Jasmine and Rafael. After a healthy lunch on the beach, some families walked to the top of the hill and others walked by the beach. We hope to return soon to enjoy one more hike and another pleasant day accompanied by our beloved rangers. Thank you, Golden Gate National Parks, Fátima, Mariajosé and Takeo for the excellent opportunities you have given us. RANGER FATIMA COLINDRES: Mori Point is a hidden gem in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area located in the southern stretch our national parks. Up next is Ranger Mariajose Alcantara, my fellow teammate and Latina park ranger who will share her most memorable Mori Point moments. RANGER MARIAJOSE ALCANTARA: Hello my name is Mariajose Alcantara, one of your community program rangers, I am also the editor and co-producer of this podcast! I am Salvadorian, born in San Francisco, California and proud to be a Latinx leader in the National Park Service. Although my office is traditionally located in the Presidio of San Francisco, during this quarantine at home, I have reflected on moments when I enjoyed my job the most: taking families to natural areas for the first time. One of our magical Golden Gate National Recreation Area sites that is lesser known but we love to share is Mori Point in Pacifica, CA. Hidden behind cypress trees, houses, and a golf course just off Highway 1, there are beautiful hills that kiss the fog and a marsh. My favorite Mori Point memory is a magical day I shared with my co-workers in preparation for a community trip. We climbed the trail to the top of the mountain as the wind blew my face and ruffled my hair. [Mariajose takes a breath in] I was already gasping for air from the steep path, but also the view of the sea shining with the rays of the sun took my breath away. But those were not the only rays that I saw that day, but also the glowing rays of a mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which someone had painted on an old cement slab on the side of the trail. Though painting, tagging, and defacing our protected park resources is not permitted, the graffiti of ‘la virgen’ was a beautiful surprise that filled me with peace, reflection and joy to leave my worries to the wind. Descending to the marsh, I ran into a mentor and friend from my childhood who was also my fourth-grade teacher. Sheila lives in Pacifica and frequents Mori Point as her personal backyard, and when we saw each other we excitedly hugged and shared our favorite reasons for visiting this area, especially exploring the ecological features. The Mori marsh is a haven for wildlife, especially for the most delicate creatures, the red-legged frog and the San Francisco Garter Snake. One cannot live without the other! Imagine a skinny snake that is no longer than three feet. Its head is orange with its bright turquoise body outlined in black and red stripes. For snake lovers, seeing a San Francisco Garter Snake would be the most fascinating thing in their entire life, because this snake is considered the most beautiful snakes in all of California. But if you are like me, afraid of snakes, if you were to see one, maybe you’d scream with fear yet at the same time, appreciate its radiant colors. Until today, I haven’t seen one, except in photos, because they are an endangered species. In the time of the indigenous Ohlone people, hundreds of years ago, these snakes lived throughout the San Francisco Peninsula along with their favorite food, red-legged frogs. Over time populations of these colorful creatures declined rapidly as their environment grew smaller too. They lost their habitat due to the increase in agriculture, development of homes, ranches, towns, and eventually a golf course. Unfortunately, the red legged frogs began to disappear quickly too because of people who captured them for fun, sport or gastronomy. That’s right, not only did the snakes savor those delicious little frogs, but so did the newly arrived American people who ate them. Nowadays, thanks to restoration done by thousands of park volunteers, the National Park Service along with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, have restored small marshes or ponds where red-legged frogs can now lay their eggs, and their tadpoles can develop into adults and provide nutrition to our beautiful San Francisco Garter Snake. But if you don't like snakes or frogs, I invite you to come and see this beautiful landscape full of wildflowers, especially in the spring. The hills of Mori Point are covered in wildflowers like a blanket of green, yellow, orange and purple. The flowers you might see include: Lupines and the famous California Poppies. Mori Point is a perfect place to see a variety of whales pass by during most of the year. If you can walk, climb the wooden staircase or the Mori Point Loop trail. For y’all who explore on wheelchairs or strollers, continue your exploration on the flat path boardwalk towards the beach-side trail, or ascend the Lishumsha Trail to the top of the Mori Headlands. There you can observe the horizon - if there is not much fog - listen to the waves and the birds, [Mariajose breathes in to smell] smell the aroma of the sea, enjoy a lunch outdoors [Mariajose expresses a “Mmm!” sound to insinuate the taste of a yummy meal] , and feel the wind on your skin. I invite you to enjoy Mori Point, a part of the Golden Gate National Parks in Pacifica. If you manage to explore this hidden gem, remember to bring and wear your face masks, practice social distancing, and bring a sweater, even if it's sunny. See you soon RANGER FATIMA COLINDRES: Special thanks to Tomasa Bulux from CARECEN and Ranger Mariajose for sharing their favorite memories of Mori Point and thank you for tuning into this special third episode of Park Postcards Podcast! I hope you will join us again on future episodes that will feature other park sites around the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Up next in our forecast for episode four, we’ll have another Spanish language Podcast to continue the celebration of Hispanic Heritage month. Until then, recreate responsibly in your National Parks! [Background music fades out: “Calm Optimistic Ambient” by Hooksounds.com]

During this period of sheltering in place and with limited park access and on-site interpretation, Park Postcards Podcast is meant to provide audio snapshots or “postcards” that visitors can enjoy from afar. On this second episode of Park Postcards Podcast, Gina Gutierrez shares her memories visiting Fort Point during Living History Day. Ranger James Osborne shares why he loves working at the famous windy fortress.

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[Background music fades in: “Edge of the Earth” by Hooksounds.com] RANGER FATIMA COLINDRES: Welcome to a new podcast from Golden Gate National Recreation Area called “Park Postcards.” Each episode will introduce you to what makes each park site unique, through the voice of community members who have visited there, and park rangers who work there, we aim to highlight the work we do to connect our local community groups to the special places in our park, and what these places and experiences mean to them. We hope that through listening to these “audio postcards”, you get excited to visit Golden Gate National Recreation Area. RANGER MARIAJOSE ALCANTARA: Hello everyone and welcome to Park Postcards Podcast! My name is Mariajose Alcantara and I am a park ranger with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Community Programs and Outreach team. As part of our outreach work, we collaborate with community group leaders from Bay Area community-based organizations who help us bring diverse non-traditional visitors, to their National Parks. On this episode we welcome Gina Gutierrez from San Francisco’s Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church and school community. Gina will be sharing memories from her experience visiting her favorite national park site, Fort Point. SPECIAL GUEST - GINA GUTIERREZ: My name is Gina Gutierrez and I was the community leader for Saint Anthony’s School. I collaborated with the outreach Park Rangers to provide families of Saint Anthony's the opportunity to experience natural, cultural history in the Bay Area, by enjoying our national parks. My most memorable experience was when outreach park ranger Fatima Colindres invited us to go to Fort Point. Visiting Fort Point during a historical recreation event was simply amazing! It was a walking historical tour that made the exhibits even more enjoyable. I felt like I was literally a time traveler. As we walked through the entrance, we were greeted by a couple of Park Rangers. I saw a few union soldiers gathering around, and off to the side I saw a couple of laundry ladies playing a game of toss-the-ring. One of the exhibits featured holes on the wall where the big guns used to be. We went up the stairs to see the other exhibits, including the barracks where we spied some of the union soldiers taking a break. As we continued up the stairs to the roof, we bumped into a union soldier and asked him where he was from. He stayed in character as he explained that he traveled from Pennsylvania and had been doing this for a couple of years. Despite it being cold and windy we managed to go all the way up to the roof. We took this unbelievable photo with the Golden Gate Bridge right behind and above us, and where you can see the tips of the Marin Headlands. As we left, right at the entrance again, we met the drummer boy and he gave us an impromptu performance. Oh, and by the way, it was completely free! I love San Francisco’s Fort Point! RANGER MARIAJOSE: What does it feel like to walk into a historic fortress full of history? We have asked Park Ranger James Osborne to share some of his favorite Fort Point moments and why he enjoys working there. RANGER JAMES OSBORNE: Hello everyone, I’m Ranger James Osborne, and I have spent a lot of time exploring and teaching about Fort Point over the last 35 years or so. This big brick building underneath the even bigger Golden Gate Bridge is a mystery to most people, and it still is to me! I love the solid red brick walls, the graceful arches, and the solid granite spiral stairs. I wonder how it felt to build this fort, as part of a team of hundreds of masons, working for eight years during the Gold Rush in the 1850’s. Or to be a soldier in a company posted here, a hundred and fifty years ago, during the Civil War. I know that it was cold, because it’s always cold at Fort Point! Even in the summer, the wind and the fog from the Pacific Ocean swirls over and into the fort. I always wear my Winter uniform and a thick jacket just to stand here in the middle of the Parade Ground and talk with people who come to see and work in the fort. The wind tries to blow my flat hat right off my head, but I’ve gotten pretty skilled at anticipating and leaning my head into the wind. And of course, I like to take visitors to the quieter, stiller spots to show off cannon, barracks and mess halls, but the wind constantly shifts, and we have to move! A high point of events here at the fort is Living History Day. We love meeting and watching the hundreds of men and a few women as they portray a typical day at the fort during the Civil War. Some even persist after hours to experience a night on a straw mattress in the barracks, trying to sleep on a bunk next to another soldier’s feet! The laundress’s workplace and quarters were a 10 minute walk down the shore, where a picnic area is today, and I bet their lives were a little less windblown, but just as difficult as a soldiers! Up here on the 3rd tier, where the privates were jammed 24 to a room, there was a corner of the fort, behind the mess hall, where the cooks lived. For a short period during the War, a dozen soldiers “of African descent” were in the Companies of soldiers assigned to the fort, but they were designated “assistant undercooks” and all they did was cook. Reports are brief, but when one complained about treatment by an Orderly Sergeant, they all ended up with an unknown punishment and removal from the fort. This incident, and a large Buffalo Soldier exhibit on the 2nd tier, illustrate that black soldiers, while every bit as brave and dedicated as other soldiers, were treated “separately but unequally” for a century, until desegregation during the Korean War. When I'm not sharing stories about the fort and its people….one of my favorite things to do is to climb these spiral stairs all the away to the fourth level- the barbette tier, and exit the penthouse, under the bridge to just climb on top of the fort, on an old gun platform where I can see in all directions and gaze west to the Pacific Ocean. I want everyone to be able to experience Fort Point National Historic Site, so please visit us, online and eventually in person! RANGER MARIAJOSE ALCANTARA: Special thanks to Gina Gutierrez and Ranger James Osborne for sharing their favorite park site of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area - Fort Point National Historic Site! Thank you for tuning into this second episode of Park Postcards Podcast! I hope you will join us again on future episodes that will feature other park sites around the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Looking ahead to September, we’ll have a special Spanish language Park Postcards Podcast to kick off Hispanic Heritage month. Until then, recreate responsibly in your National Parks! [Background music fades out: “Edge of the Earth” by Hooksounds.com]

During this period of sheltering in place and with limited park access and on-site interpretation, Park Postcards Podcast is meant to provide audio snapshots or “postcards” that visitors can enjoy from afar. Episode 1 features the voices of Ranger Fatima Colindres , Ranger Giessell Aguilar, and community group leader Manuel Raneda from Curry Senior Center, as he shares his memories of visiting Muir Woods, and encourages new park visitors to visit in the future.

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[Background music fades in: “Sunrise at Corn Creek” by Hooksounds.com] RANGER FATIMA: Hello everyone and welcome to Park Postcards. My name is Fatima Colindres an I'm a Park Ranger with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area Community Outreach team. As part of our outreach work, we collaborate with community group leaders from Bay Area community-based organizations who help us bring diverse nontraditional visitors to their national parks. Today Manuel Raneda from Curry Senior Center will be sharing memories from his favorite National Park site: Muir Woods. MANUEL: Hello friends my name is Manuel Raneda with Curry Senior Center and I want to tell you about a trip that we took to Muir Woods National Park, and it is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited in my entire life. And there is a serenity and a peacefulness that one encounters when visiting this place that is unlike any other place you will ever see. Once you visit this park will never forget your visit for as long as you live. Now one of the things that just impressed me the most about this park is that you are surrounded by these enormous trees that have been there for hundreds of years, and you know it just makes you think, as to you know, how much history these trees have witnessed long before we were here, and how much more they will witness long after we are done on this earth. I truly recommend this park to anyone who wants to visit it, it's- I guarantee you that you will not regret a visit and you will remember it for as long as you live. RANGER FATIMA: If you have ever wondered why so many people love to visit Muir Woods and want to visit over, and over again? I have asked Park Ranger Giessell Aguilar to share some of her favorite reasons why Muir Woods is so special to her, and why she loves to work there. RANGER GIESSELL: Hello everyone, I’m Ranger Giessell. I wanna virtually welcome you to Muir Woods National Monument, the ancestral land of the Coast Miwok. There are many reasons why this place is so special. When you first walk into this Redwood forest, you'll notice you're walking into a beautiful old growth Redwood forest. Redwoods are actually the tallest living things in the world. Standing next to a Redwood is one of the most humbling experiences, you feel so small. Even more incredible, these trees can live for more than 2000 years. Some redwoods living today were alive during the Aztec empire. You might be asking yourself, “how can they live so long?” The answer is in a magical chemical called tannic acid. Redwoods are naturally resistant to insects, fungi, and fire because they are high in tannins, a chemical that gives redwoods its red color and also provides resistance to insects and fungi that might otherwise cause diseases. Their thick and fire-resistant bark also provides protection for these trees. One of the most compelling facts about redwoods is how they reproduce. Redwoods are able to clone themselves. Yes that's right! They clone themselves! They are able to sprout from knobby tissue at the base of a parent tree called a burl. A tree can have many burls sprouting and growing from the base. Eventually they will outcompete each other leaving only the most hearty. When you walk in a Redwood forest you may notice several trees growing in a circle, we call them family circles or fairy rings. This is caused by the parent tree dying and decaying leaving the sprouts that have grown, into mature Redwood trees in a circle. This forest is full of natural and cultural history and many amazing wonderful facts, but my favorite thing about working here is that this forest allows me to disconnect from the outside world and encourages me to connect to myself. It is a place where I'm able to re-center myself and think more clearly. By far, my favorite reason I love working here is to welcome and connect diverse audiences to this magical ecosystem. Thanks so much for virtually joining us today and I hope you get a chance to visit Muir Woods National Monument. RANGER FATIMA: I would like to thank Manuel Raneda and Giessell Aguilar for sharing their favorite park site of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. I would like to thank you for joining us today on this segment of Park Postcards. I hope you enjoyed today's podcast and will join us again on future programs, when we feature other park sites around the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Until then I hope to see you in your national parks soon. Bye bye. [Music fades out: “Sunrise at Corn Creek” by Hooksounds.com]