No. 76 Winter 2014
Fearney’s Cabin, First Park Headquarters in Borrego Palm Canyon, 1934
A Gift from the People to the People:
Celebrating California’s Public Spaces by Kathy Dice, ABDSP Superintendent
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park celebrates two milestone birthdays in 2013–2014: AnzaBorrego’s 80th birthday and the 150th birthday of California State Parks as a whole. Very exciting times indeed! Common wisdom says that there is nothing so American as our parks, and yet the concept of parks is young and still evolving. From the time man began walking this earth, he has had mixed emotions towards nature. There seems to have always been a need to harness and harvest the wilderness bounty with little time to appreciate the beauty of the surroundings. It wasn’t until the Built in 1940, this swimming pool was fed by a 1 early 1800s when Lewis and Clark pushed passed inch line from Borego Palm Canyon. the boundary of the Mississippi River to explore the new Louisiana Purchase (and so witnessed and reported on the Western landscapes stretching to the Pacific Ocean) that the idea of a limited and finite frontier began to take hold. It is true that over time, travel writers, painters, poets, photographers and the expansion of railroads all did their part to increase appreciation and appetites for the romance of outdoor adventure, but the overall concept of conservation took a long time to reach the masses. 1951 Anza-Borrego Park Rangers Schneider,
In California, it was the news of the gold discovery Beckman, Staneley and Craig that caught the imagination of the Eastern U.S. newspapers. With the rush of thousands of people heading West, there was little attention in print about the beautiful spots in the newly acquired territory. In 1852, however, a story that did not mention gold appeared in a newspaper. That spring the Calaveras Grove of Big Trees (a State Park as of 1931) in the northern Sierra Nevada, continued on page 4 www.theabf.org
Winter 2014
1
From the President
BOARD of TRUSTEES: Ralph Singer PRESIDENT
Jim Smith
VICE PRESIDENT
Delores Lukina
VP OF ACQUISITIONS
Bill Reavey SECRETARY
Wendy Youngren TREASURER
TRUSTEES: Nicholas Clapp Ernie Cowan Al Ducheny Diane Hydoski Joanne Ingwall William “Pete” Lee, Ph.D. Bill McDonald John Peterson Jeffrey Safford Dick Troy ABF STAFF: Paige Rogowski
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Joan Carskaddan
TOUR COORDINATOR
Tracie Cofer
STAFF ASSISTANT
Emi Gates
MEMBER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE
The end of the year brings a period of remembrance. Things that were accomplished, things that are pending, and things that we should be planning for next year. We’ve acquired another 475 acres of land to protect and preserve for future generations of people who will have thousands of undisturbed acres to enjoy and cherish. While the acquisition of inholdings has been one of our primary goals as an organization, we can see the end of that goal. There are presently 22,000+ acres of inholdings left yet there are thousands of acres outside the boundaries of ABDSP that need to be protected. Will this need be met by organizations like ABF? Or will ABF take up an additional challenge? On a local situation, ABF has been given a seat on the Borrego Water Coalition. The coalition has as its goal, the sustainability of usable water in and around Borrego Springs. As many of you may know, water is a critical issue for the future of Borrego Springs and ABDSP. The coalition endeavors to bring the diverse interests in the area to share in a common goal of providing a future basin management plan for the Borrego aquifer. Though we don’t yet know the exact role ABF will play, as an organization we stand ready to work with the community where we are needed. The educational component of ABF continues to be a central part of our mission. We will become more deeply involved with education of young people in order to provide them with a knowledge and love of this desert and thereby help create future enthusiasts of ABDSP and all it offers. We will continue to develop seminars and classes that provide interested students, both young and old, with a continuing education path featuring ABDSP. We will, as the months and years go on, work diligently to foster our partnership with the University of California, Irvine. The marvelous Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center will be something that ABF can focus on for the long-term. The opportunity to work with this facility is something we are very excited about. As we go forward, our main thrust will continue to be working with and for ABDSP. As a cooperating association, our primary client is the Park. We will continue to do what is needed for the Park and will continue to work even closer with the Park volunteers. There is always work to be done so we as an organization will never run out of a reason for our existence. But as always, without all of you as donors and partners, our work could not be accomplished. Help us, join us, tell us what you would like to us do. We need you. Ralph Singer President of the Board
Ashley Kvitek
EDUCATION COORDINATOR
Briana Puzzo
EUCATION MANAGER
Chris Rogowski
INTERPRETIVE SALES MANAGER
Janice Smith
5TH GRADE CAMP COORDINATOR
ANZA-BORREGO FOUNDATION 587 Palm Canyon Drive #110 & 111 Borrego Springs, CA 92004 (760) 767-0446 www.theabf.org info@theabf.org Anza-Borrego Foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt [IRS code 501(c) (3)] charitable organization DESERT UPDATE: Briana Puzzo, Paige Rogowski, Emi Gates, Ashley Kvitek, EDITORS The Bloom Organization GRAPHIC DESIGN
Printed in U.S.A. on 50% postconsumer recycled paper.
A Tribute to Carl Kennerson by Sally Theriault Carl Kennerson came to Anza-Borrego as a park volunteer after retiring from a celebrated 31-year career as an L.A. police officer. He graduated in the Visitor Center Training Class of 1992, but within a few years was tapped to fill in as an employee, first during the summer and then as a seasonal Visitor Center park aide, where he quickly became indispensable. Carl took care of so many tasks at the Visitor Center including volunteer scheduling, tracking of hours and awards, planning for the spring volunteer recognition gala and even setting up coffee in the Discovery Lab for groups and meetings! Many of our volunteers have mentioned recently how much they will miss Carl’s stories; Abby will miss his institutional knowledge and I his calm, reassuring presence. But it is the little things that catch Abby and me off guard and bring us to the verge of tears — having to reset the timer for the walkway lights (Carl always did that) and having the VC ready to go at 9:00 a.m. sharp (he was here at 7:30 a.m. every morning) — as we are reminded again and again that his absence will be felt for a long time. Rest In Peace, Carl. We all miss you so much!
A
fter several encounters between the extreme desert winds and the yurts used for Camp Borrego, it seems we have finally found a solution with our current yurt manufacturer. With the help of many great volunteers, construction on the last three yurts was finished in early December! Mark Jorgensen, just one of our volunteers, had this to say in response to our thanks: “It is not a problem for us to do this. We’d rather spend the time and do the work ourselves than pay someone $5,000 to do it. We’d rather have that $5,000 go to the kids. With that much money, we can send 23 kids to Camp Borrego. We’re maximizing the donations. And we had fun!” ABF is lucky to have several talented and dedicated volunteers who spent many hours building our yurts. Our special thanks to Mark Jorgensen, Chuck Bennett, Herb Stone, Ray Mouton, Dick Troy, Ray Shindler, Steve Bier, Dick Helvig, Mike Puzzo and Jack Jorgensen for their elbow grease, smiles and time.
Superintendent’s Corner by Kathy Dice, ABDSP Superintendent Fall is a time when the desert begins to awaken from its summer torpor and moves into warm days with bright, cool and starry nights. While preparing for the beginning of the high season, the staff of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park got caught up in the Federal Government closure, which instantly put everything into a higher gear when people with plans to visit National Parks suddenly had to change agendas. Our phones rang off the hook with the question “are you open?” and our campground quickly swelled to full in early October — unheard of in most years! We enjoyed a nice bump in visitation and made many new friends who vowed to return having discovered a new favorite locale. Fall has been busy for our staff in other ways as we continue to make improvements in our visitor services facilities. Thanks to our new Maintenance Chief who arrived from Bodie State Historic Park with restoration experience, we have been able to make historically authentic repairs to 1930s-era buildings in the Park, including the popular stone ramadas in Borrego Palm Canyon Campground. We also continue to work on improvements at Tamarisk Grove Campground as we put the finishing touches on 11 new camping cabins there. We hope to offer them for overnight stays in early 2014! We received a special grant that has allowed us to hire seasonal staff to assist in the various campground areas, and we hope you will notice the positive changes this brings to our operation. Fall also brought us sadness when we lost a longtime park friend and seasonal employee to pneumonia in early November. Carl Kennerson began hiking in the AnzaBorrego Desert when he was 18, became a park volunteer upon retirement in 1994 and assisted park visitors as a seasonal aid for the last 17 years. He loved the Park and the volunteers he worked with. He was one of a kind, and he is missed. And yet we continue to celebrate the longevity of parks with our 80th birthday in Anza-Borrego and our 150th anniversary of California State Parks as a whole. People like Carl exemplify the passion for parks and all the promise they hold. We are proud of our heritage and our mission, and we would not be here without the continuing support of you who are taking the time to read these words. Our current park staff is still small, but it’s mighty and made even better with the enthusiastic help of park volunteers. We are ready, and we are OPEN! Come see us soon. www.theabf.org
Winter 2014
3
Celebrating California’s Public Spaces continued from page 1
was discovered by a hunter, who then took some of his friends from Murphy’s Camp there. Almost immediately, two enterprising but unscrupulous men stripped one of the Giant Sequoias and shipped the bark East for exhibition in some of the seaboard cities and then on to the Crystal Palace exhibition in London in 1854. Ironically, these events raised the first protests to protect these California wonders. News of the discovery of Yosemite Valley was accompanied by far less enthusiasm — at first. Then in 1856 an article republished in an East Coast magazine, The Country Gentleman, declared the “Yo-hem-i-ty” Valley to be “the most striking natural wonder on the Pacific” and predicted that it would eventually become a place of great resort. From there followed a parade of artists and writers who would provide the publicity needed to bring Yosemite to the attention of the nation.
The year 1868 brought John Muir to California. Through his writings he showed his deep devotion to the Sierra, and the glory of Yosemite became more widely known. As travel to the West grew more possible and popular, the number of visitors to Yosemite jumped, and concerns about encroaching private interests prompted Congress to create a larger Yosemite National Park around the Yosemite Valley that belonged to the State. Ongoing management challenges led California to retrocede their lands to the Federal Government, which merged the Valley into Yosemite National Park in 1905.
In the meantime, however, other activities to preserve important California landscapes and habitats were in the works. The Sempervirens Fund formed in the late 1800s to try to preserve coastal redwood forests in the Santa Cruz Mountains. In 1902 the first of California’s many redwood parks was established at Big “ The mission of the California Basin (originally called California Department of Parks and Redwood Park at Big Basin and now Big Basin Redwoods State Recreation is to provide for Park). Save the Redwoods League would go on to do similar work in the health, inspiration, and the north coastal redwood forests. education of the people From there the history of our State Parks gained momentum. Famed of California by helping Landscape Architect Frederick to preserve the state’s Law Olmstead Jr. completed a statewide survey of potential extraordinary biological parklands for California in 1928, and the establishment of the diversity, protecting its most Division of Parks followed that valued natural and cultural same year.
So it came to be in 1864 that some California gentlemen “of fortune, of taste, and of refinement” asked Senator John Conness to introduce a bill in Congress granting to the resources, and creating state of California the tract of And this is where Anza-Borrego land including Yosemite Valley Desert State Park comes into the opportunities for highand the Mariposa Big Trees. In picture. Also in 1928, Guy Fleming quality outdoor recreation.” the throes of the Civil War, the bill of the Natural History Society passed and was signed into law (predecessor to the San Diego by Abraham Lincoln “upon the Natural History Museum) paid a express condition that the premises shall be held for public visit to the newly appointed State Park Commission in San use, resort and recreation, and shall be inalienable for all Francisco and made a case for including the Borrego Springs time.” California had its first State Park! In 1866 one of the Desert in their selection of lands from which to create parks. commissioners of a newly formed parks commission, Galen Luckily for Fleming, this desert had charmed Olmstead, Clark, was appointed “Guardian of Yosemite” at a salary of whose survey recommended its inclusion. Approved by the $500/year. He is now recognized as the first Park Ranger. It State Park Commission in concept, a donation of private would be another eight years until the first National Park was lands to the State in late 1932 (by Louis T. and Lorraine Busch, established at Yellowstone in 1872. whose family still donates to Anza-Borrego Foundation!) 4
Winter 2014
www.theabf.org
Badlands Sunset DAVID WRIGHT
made the creation of Borrego Palms Desert State Park possible. Other private donations and government land transfers in early 1933 began to give this park the recognizable shape it has today. Lands in what is now the southern area of our park were dedicated in 1941 as Anza Desert State Park, to commemorate
Anza and all other desert explorers and pioneers. In order to more efficiently manage these vast desert habitats, Borrego Palms and Anza Desert State Parks were combined in 1957 to form Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Preserving the Legacy
Since the early 1800s when Lewis and Clark explored and charted the American West, the region has been constantly changing. From farms to towns to cities, so much of the natural land has been developed to accommodate the people inhabiting it. Gone are the years of untouched open space throughout America, and while more houses and stores are being built, our priceless natural land is diminishing. Though the land in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is forever protected, there are miles and miles of desert that still need to be preserved. Without donations, AnzaBorrego Foundation can’t work to acquire more land for the Park. That means we risk losing treasured desert landscapes to new development that will destroy native plant and animal habitats. With your donations, we can continue to conserve the AnzaBorrego desert and ensure the safety and well-being of its animals and plants.
17 State Parks and listed 15 employees. Today’s California State Park System manages 280 State Park units and about 4,000 employees. I am proud to work with some of the most dedicated, talented people anywhere, and I hope you will experience that enthusiasm anytime you are lucky enough to visit Anza-Borrego or any other State Park.
California State Parks is a gift from the people to the people. Will you help Anza-Borrego Desert State Park These 280 parks preserve the by donating today? Here at Anza-Borrego crown jewels of California that Foundation, our hearts are set on protecting speak to its natural beauty, rare the Park, and our passion for the desert is flora and fauna habitats, diverse what drives us to preserve this precious culture and rich history. It is land. We can’t imagine a world without State Anza-Borrego has incredible assets important that these continue Parks, a California without awe-inspiring wild that include thousands of cultural on as living, touchable places lands to enjoy. Help us to keep the beauty and historic sites, the most complete that keep this state’s true worth and wonder of Anza-Borrego Desert State Pleistocene-era fossil record in the alive to present and future Park alive so that your grandchildren, greatworld, rare plants and animals, miles generations. What do we grandchildren and even more generations to and miles of hiking and sightseeing hope to accomplish now and come can enjoy this amazing desert. Please prospects and — best of all in my in the future? Our State Park donate today at www.theabf.org. opinion — vast open landscapes. Mission just about covers it: These viewsheds are identifiable “The mission of the California in old photographs; the essential Department of Parks and elements remain unchanged to the Recreation is to provide for the degree that the landscape itself is of historical significance! health, inspiration, and education of the people of California Scenery like that can be nothing less than priceless. We by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological continue to work towards finding a balance between diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural protecting all these amazing resources and providing for resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality recreational opportunities for the ever-increasing park outdoor recreation.” visitation. With the help of great partners like Anza-Borrego Foundation, In 1928 the newly formed Division of Parks managed we are well on our way to protecting the future. www.theabf.org
Winter 2014
5
Living the Legacy
Past Superintendents Recount their Accomplishments Mark Jorgensen, Bud Getty, Kathy Dice, Wes Cater, and Dave Van Cleve at ABF’s 50,000 Acre Celebration in 2012
Anza-Borrego Foundation spoke with
a few retired Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and District Superintendents who shared stories as well as what they are most proud of accomplishing during their tenure at the Park.
Wesley Cater
(Supervisor [a term used before “Superintendent”], 1965–1968)
“I was assigned to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park three times in my career (in the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s), and each time was a unique experience.
In 1949, as a deputy ranger and the sole employee assigned to the Park at that time, my job was to keep my eyes on things. I had a pickup truck for patrol and slept on a cot in the new park residence. When I returned in 1953, one of my first assignments was to remove the swimming pool from Borrego Palm Canyon. The pool was basically a hole in the ground with concrete sides, no filters, no way to be adequately flushed out and did not meet health standards. In the 60’s I was there when César Chávez first organized the United Farm Workers and the strike that shut down grape production in the Borrego Valley. Chávez and his co-organizers camped in the Borrego Palm Canyon Campground. I also vividly recall the birth of ABF in 1967. It all started when the California State Park and Recreation Commission met in Palm Springs. At this meeting 6
Winter 2014
www.theabf.org
the idea was conceived to form an organization to assist the park in clearing over 68,000 acres of inholdings within Park boundaries. My supervisor Jim Whitehead directed me to bring a group of volunteers together to create such an organization, and I did this with the help of Desert Protective Council members Horace “Doc” Parker and Bob Bear. Representatives from various conservation groups met at my Borrego Palm Canyon residence on April 1, 1967. From that initial meeting grew the Anza-Borrego Committee, the predecessor of ABF.”
Maurice (Bud) Getty
(Area Manager [a term used before “Superintendent”], 1972-1981)
“The most important project
accomplished during my last assignment in the Park was the construction and opening of the Visitor Center. When Wes Cater was the Park Superintendent and I was the Park Naturalist, we were visited by the Secretary of the Resources Agency Claire Deidrick and the Parks and Recreation Department Director William Penn Mott, Jr. We had them captive for several days as we toured the Park and told them the critical needs of Anza-Borrego. We stressed the need to acquire the private inholdings of the Park, and the need for a quality Visitor Center. Wes and I were told there wasn’t enough money to do both so we should pick our highest priority. We discussed this and I pushed for the
acquisition program. Wes agreed that was important but felt that a Visitor Center could showcase our private inholding problems, which would accelerate the completion of the Park lands program. The Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association went to work and quickly raised $500,000 which State Parks matched. An architect was hired, the site was vegetated and the completed center was staffed by the Park and numerous volunteers. It turned out that Wes was absolutely correct! When visitors saw that they could donate their lands, they began to contact us. This welding of the community and the Park has continued with the highly successful partnership of the Anza Borrego Foundation.”
Dave Van Cleve
(District Superintendent,1989–2004)
“ When I arrived at Anza-Borrego in
1989, ABF was involved exclusively in acquiring inholdings, and pretty small ones at that. I began talking to ABF, and in particular its President, Diana Lindsay, about expanding the role of ABF to include outholdings acquisition — large tracts of land that would either connect the Park to other protected reserves or add significant, landscape-scale tracts of desert lands to the Park. Diana supported this idea enthusiastically, and in short order Sentenac Canyon, Lucky 5, Vallecito, Mason Valley and Tulloch Ranch — continued on page 13
Winter 2014 Education Programs Visit theabf.org/events or call 760-767-0446 for full event information. Salton Sea: The Neglected Treasure
Blair Valley Bike Ride
Paul Johnson January 26, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. $70 / $60 for ABF Members
Jim Roller and Gary Haldeman January 19, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. $20 / $10 for ABF Members
Blair Valley is a historic area in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, located approximately 45 minutes from the State Park Visitor Center in Borrego Springs. This backcountry mountain bike ride will take us through unique areas that were once inhabited by the Kumeyaay Native Americans and are now part of a Cultural Preserve.
The Salton Sea is a treasure of abundant wildlife and mysterious geology. Explore the area looking for birds, fascinating geology, mud volcanoes, the clay mountain that one man has been painting for over 20 years and much more! Lunch at the Wildlife Refuge and learn about the natural and cultural history of this place.
Nature Writing Workshop Judy Fort Brenneman
January 26-31
$700 / $650 for ABF Members
Over the course of the workshop, participants will go on field trips, have daily workshop sessions with topics of focus, an optional one-on-one session with Judy and time to write, reflect and explore. This is an open workshop appropriate for writers of all levels and genres. Daybreak over Font’s Point, BILL DAHL
Arroyo Hueso Discovery Hike
Paul Remeika January 25, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. $70 / $60 for ABF Members
This moderately strenuous hike will lead participants on an adventure centering on the fossil and geologic history of East Hueso Wash. Paul Remeika will introduce participants to the land of many years past by interpreting what that earlier landscape looked like based on the physical evidence viewed from the trail.
SAM WEBB
Clark Lake Petroglyphs
Chuck Bennett February 1, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. $35 / $25 for ABF Members
Join us as we hike across the desert floor, into and out of the wash bottoms, to the Clark Lake Petroglyph site. This site lies at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains just east of the mouth of Rockhouse Canyon. The petroglyphs, interpreted as an early Cahuilla type, are embedded in the reddish-brown patina of the boulders at the base of the mountains.
PAUL REMEIKA
www.theabf.org
Winter 2014
7
Faults and Figures: The San Andreas Fault and Corn Springs Petroglyphs
Land Before the Rain Shadow
Paul Remeika March 8-9, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. $140 / $130 for ABF Members
Paul Johnson February 8, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. $70 / $60 for ABF Members
This trip will offer an opportunity to visit two of PAUL JOHNSON the more dramatic places in the Colorado Desert: the San Andreas Fault and the outstanding petroglyph site at Corn Springs. Join Paul Johnson on a trip to touch the San Andreas Fault, see the spectacular Painted Canyon and then head to the Corn Springs Petroglyphs.
This field course will assist you in recognizing the importance of the local geologic record and the reasons why AnzaSEEM TOan BEoutstanding MISSINGexample THIS INFO Borrego isI considered of a worldclass, out-of-doors museum worthy of protection and preservation. This field course carries no prerequisite and is open to anyone interested in the earth sciences. 4WD required.
SALLY THEIRAULT
Insects and Spiders of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Rattlesnake Canyon Hike
Mike Puzzo February 16, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. $45 / $35 for ABF Members
Much more of a hike than a nature walk, this 12-mile strenuous trek will follow Rattlesnake Canyon into the Santa Rosa Mountains. Prepare to sweat as you wind your way up the sculpted canyon to a saddle with views of the Borrego Badlands to the south and the Coachella Valley to the north. No More Boring Slideshows
Phil Roullard March 1, 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. $25 / $20 for ABF Members
Many of us have hundreds — if not thousands — of photos sitting on our computers from various trips and adventures. Learn what you can do with your travel and landscape photographs to share them in exciting ways with friends and family. Old Kane Springs Mountain Bike Ride
Bob Theriault and Alan Tulving March 2, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. $20 / $10 for ABF Members
Winter 2014
www.theabf.org
Participants will join Dr. MICHAEL WALL Wall on a guided nature hike. You will learn how to identify the signs of different kinds of insect and spider activity. Participants will also learn about which plants act as hosts to specific insects. Finally, participants will conduct a small survey of ants and discuss different ways that insects are collected for research and education. Secrets of Desert Cahuilla
Paul Johnson March 15, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. $70 / $60 for ABF Members PHILL ROULLARD
Join us for a moderately strenuous 17-mile mountain bike ride starting on Old Kane Springs Road. Enjoy impressive desert views as you continue across Highway 78 to explore the varied terrain in the Buttes Pass area.
8
Michael Wall March 9, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. $35 / $25 for ABF Members
On this FWD trip we will explore the geologic wonders of Big Wash PAUL JOHNSON and Verbena Wash, parts of the Desert Cahuilla area of ABDSP. We will see many different kinds of sandstone concretions, fault offsets, rich plant life, deeply patinated rock deposits and some of the most pristine desert views in Anza-Borrego.
BILL CHIONG
Save The Date! Be sure to save these dates on your spring calendar! We’ll be adding these programs to our website soon, so make sure to check back with us.
2014 Anza-Borrego Desert Photo Contest
Seismology of Anza-Borrego April 5 Bob de Groot
Ferns of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and San Diego County April 13 Jon Rebman and Annette Winner
Have you taken a fabulous photo in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park? Share it by submitting it to ABF’s annual photo contest! Adult and youth categories include: Desert Plants, Desert Animals, Desert Landscapes/Skyscapes, People Enjoying the Desert and Black & White Photography Entry forms and contest rules can be found at www.theabf.org/photocontest Important Dates January 31: Entry Deadline February 9: Judging February 12: Winners Notified February 18–March 1: Exhibition of winning photos at Borrego Art Institute March 1, 5p.m.: Awards Ceremony at Borrego Springs Performing Arts Center; 6 p.m.: Reception and Silent Auction at Borrego Art Institute
Sam Webb
The Untold Stories of Anza-Borrego
March 15, 7:30 p.m. $5 at the door, Borrego Springs Performing Arts Center
Landscape Photography Tour
Calumet Photographic and Ernie & Kati Cowan
Hear the untold stories of Anza-Borrego from the mouths of those who lived them. Join past park superintendents and rangers for an evening of shared memories, storytelling and tales from earlier times in the park. Southwestern Desert Bats
Patricia Brown-Berry, Ph.D. April 11-13, 6 p.m. Friday – 1 p.m. Sunday $175 / $155 for ABF members
Discover what makes bats critical components of our desert ecosystem. Dr. Patricia Brown-Berry has conducted bat research for the past 45 years and will introduce participants to the world of bats and techniques used by scientists to study these amazing mammals. The 3-day class (Friday evening to Sunday) includes daytime lectures and nightly field work using ultrasonic bat detectors, mist-netting and night vision equipment to observe wild bats.
© Ernie Cowan
March 22, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$100
This landscape photography workshop is designed for both the beginning photographer who wants to learn some exciting new approaches to nature and landscape photography, or for the advanced amateur who wants to expand their creative landscape photography techniques. This is a field workshop, with locations in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Please visit www.calumetphoto.com to register.
www.theabf.org
Winter 2014
9
2014 DE S E R T H O S T E L
Escape to the Land of Alpenglow Paul Remeika August 7-14, 2014 $1,395 per person
An introduction to the dynamic outcrop geology between Owen’s Valley and the Sierra Nevada, California’s easternmost frontier. Join us on a seven-day, two-wheel-drive geologic trek across the uneasy crust of California’s easternmost frontier. This special Desert Hostel field trip highlights the natural wonders between the subsiding Owen’s Valley and the uplifted tilt-block of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
For more information or to register for these programs, visit us online at www.theabf.org/events or call us at 760-767-0446 ext. 1003
2 0 1 4 DES ERT HOS TEL
Landscape of Dinosaurs:
The Lost World of the “Terrible Lizards”
Paul Remeika September 17 – 27
$1,675 per person This Desert Hostel is a geologic introduction to the Colorado Plateau’s Grand Staircase, its fossil resources, and hidden scenic attractions. This trip highlights the natural wonders within the Dinosaur Triangle, between the cities of Grand Junction, Colorado, and Vernal and Price, Utah. The wonder of discovery will be experienced at many points of interest, plus supported with visits to the Dinosaur Journey Museum, Dinosaur National Monument, the Field Natural History Museum, and ClevelandLloyd Dinosaur Quarry in the San Rafael Swell. 10
Winter 2014
www.theabf.org
Join retired ABDSP Superintendent Mark Jorgensen on a two-week tour of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert during the summer of 2014! Tour leader Mark Jorgensen, along with a bilingual guide, will lead you on a variety of hikes and drives that explore the Gobi Desert’s wildlife, history, and current research. Visit grasslands, sand dunes, STEVE BIER and steppes habitat. This all-inclusive adventure will introduce you to the distinctive culture, wildlife, and varied terrain of Mongolia, including remote desert landscapes and Mongolia’s bustling capital, Ulaanbaatar. Contact Education Manager PHIL ROULLARD Briana Puzzo at briana@theabf. org for details.
STEVE BIER
Balancing Out the Universe Junior Rangers Benefit Concert with
Tony Feathers Friday March 7 7:30 p.m. Borrego Springs Performing Arts Center $15 each
Songwriter and Park Volunteer Tony Feathers will share an evening of original songs. Prepare for a night of eclectic Americana music, stories that might be true (or not), and a chance to become a kid again and join in on a few of Tony’s songs for children. All proceeds will benefit the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Junior Ranger Program. Seating is limited. For tickets and information, visit theabf.org or contact Ashley Kvitek at ashley@theabf.org.
Camp Borrego Turns 10!
By Ralph Singer, President I am excited to announce a new leadership giving society for Anza-Borrego Foundation called “Friends of ABF.” The Anza-Borrego Foundation is lucky to have so many devoted donors, and Friends of ABF is a way to recognize those who contribute $1,000 and above annually. More than just a listing on our website, Friends of ABF will see their gifts in action through a variety of enriching experiences and opportunities. From nature walks to special mailings and evening lectures, Friends of ABF will bring the Park to life. Friends of ABF offers three giving levels and all Friends of ABF will receive: • A family membership with Anza-Borrego Foundation. • Invitations to exclusive events. • Subscription to ABF’s quarterly newsletter, the Desert Update, with special recognition as a Friend of ABF. • Invitations to enriching programs, lectures and symposia at the Park and in surrounding cities. Donors who give to Anza-Borrego Foundation in one of the following levels are included as Friends of ABF. (Note: You can even join with a monthly donation of just $85 per month!) $1,000–$2,499 Benefactor’s Circle $2,500–$4,999 President’s Circle $5,000+ Founder’s Circle But, Friends of ABF isn’t just about recognizing those who give — it’s also about bringing people closer to the Park. I expect this robust group to enjoy lively discussions and many fun social engagements that include friends and neighbors. Sharing the Park in a meaningful way is just as important as any donation we can give. I hope you will join me as a member of Friends of ABF to ensure that this jewel of a state park will be a resource and refuge for generations to come.
March 29, 5:00 p.m. $125 / $100 for ABF members
Introducing “Friends of ABF”
More glamping than camping, join us for a spring evening at the mouth of beautiful Borrego Palm Canyon in AnzaBorrego Desert State Park. We will be celebrating 10 years of Camp Borrego. Proceeds benefit Anza-Borrego Foundation and their outdoor education camp for San Diego and Imperial County 5th graders. Elegant camp dinner under the Anza-Borrego stars, auction, music, and of course, s’mores.
www.theabf.org
Winter 2014
11
First Cultural History Symposium a Success n early November, Borrego Springs Resort helped host our Colorado Desert Cultural Heritage Symposium. The symposium celebrated the cultural history of our Southern California desert and introduced attendees to the various different research projects happening in the area. This human history symposium follows what was a very popular natural history-focused event in 2012. ABF’s intention is to rotate the symposium’s topics every year and feature new speakers and research at each event. Every symposium is designed to facilitate opportunities for collaboration and connection between professionals, enthusiasts and the general public. Kicking off the weekend of events was a reception and poster session that took place at Borrego Art Institute. Guests were welcomed by ABF Executive
Director Paige Rogowski and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Superintendent Kathy Dice. Research posters were presented by both professionals and undergraduate students from the San Diego Archaeological Center, a doctoral student from UC Irvine, the Colorado Desert Archaeological Society and Colorado Desert District Site Stewards. ABF President Ralph Singer and Kathy Dice greeted the 12
Winter 2014
www.theabf.org
crowd the next morning over breakfast. The day of presentations started off with Professor Michael Wilken, who mesmerized the audience with his vast knowledge of Kumeyaay ethnobotany, and continued with a discussion regarding the revival of the Serrano language and a sharing of traditional songs and stories by esteemed Cahuilla/Serrano Ernest Siva. During breakout sessions, Phil Brigandi and Nicholas Clapp focused on the area’s history. Barbara J. Roth, PhD, Dr. Suzanne Griset, Mark W. Allen, PhD, and Mariam Dahdul, PhD, all presented their archaeological work that was supported by the Begole Archaeological Research Grant Program. After lunch, venerable speaker Dr. Lowell Bean entranced the crowd with his stories of animals and his experiences with the Cahuilla people. Richard Carrico gave an enthusiastic presentation about identifying native places on the land. Other speakers included George Harwood Phillips, Dr. Joan Schneider, Heather Thomson, Don Laylander and Michael Connolly Miskwish. Dr. Joan Schneider and Chuck Bennett introduced all of the speakers and kept the day running smoothly. Photos by Sam Webb
Living the Legacy continued from page 6
spectacular landscapes all — were added to the Park. When Rick Gulley was President of ABF in 2002, I brought to his attention the notion that ABF should expand its role to become an Institute: the first of its kind in the State Park System. I encouraged ABF to be thoughtful about this, since it would dilute its laser focus on land acquisition but would greatly expand its ability to serve the Park and its visitors and supporters. Within a year, ABF became an Institute. The jam-packed day ended with a lovely banquet dinner at Borrego Springs Resort and a keynote address from Julia Bendímez Patterson, Archaeologist and Director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History in Baja California. Our symposium weekend wrapped up on Sunday with field trips to various culturally significant locations throughout the park. Each field trip was led by a local expert. Our special thanks to Chuck Bennett, Sam Webb, Susan Gilliland, Lisa Pridmore and Carol Black of the Colorado Desert Archaeology Society; Fred Jee from California State Parks (retired); Nicholas Clapp, author/ filmmaker; and Phil Brigandi, local historian, for leading these field trips. We have a long list of people and groups to thank for helping us facilitate this wonderful event. Our thanks go out to the 96 attendees and volunteers who participated and helped make our first cultural history symposium a success. We couldn’t have pulled this off ourselves, so
thank you to our partners at California State Parks, the Colorado Desert Archaeology Society and University of California, Irvine. Thanks also to our generous sponsors: Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, Barona Band of Mission Indians, ASM Affiliates, Borrego Valley Inn, and Applied Earthworks. Special thanks to Borrego Springs Resort for their in-kind sponsorship. We look forward to seeing you in November 2014 for the next symposium!
Finally, in the early 1990s, I got the notion that there should be an academic research facility stationed in the Park. I believed that, based on the unique situation in Borrego Springs (a community within the Park that could provide services), proximity to major universities in Southern California, the possibility of a link between university and park scientists and the fact that the Colorado Desert was underserved vis-a-vis research stations, this was an idea that would provide scientific benefits to the Park and the desert for a long time. Mark Jorgensen (Superintendent, 2001–2009)
in Borrego in 1972 when I was hired by Bud Getty “toI began study bighorn sheep for four summers. With the dedicated
teams I worked with in all of my years at Borrego in various capacities, I was proud of our many accomplishments together. Perhaps two of the accomplishments that may have the longest positive impacts on the Park are the establishment of more than 420,000 acres of State Wilderness and the removal of non-highway licensed motor vehicles from the Park. I began writing wilderness proposals for our first designation of State Wilderness as a Park Aid in 1974, continued as a Park Naturalist for our second round in 1982 and saw 69,000 more wilderness acres designated as Superintendent in 2005. During my tenure at the Park we saw the elimination of 150 feral cattle from the backcountry, along with 29 feral horses from Coyote Canyon, seasonal closures of Coyote Canyon to protect desert bighorn, removal of vehicles from Lower and Middle Willows, massive tamarisk tree control projects, establishment of the International Biosphere Reserve, the Sister Park Project with Ikh Nart Nature Reserve in Mongolia, PORTS program, Fifth Grade Environmental Camp, the approval of the Park’s General Plan, creation of the Robert S. Begole Archeological Research Center, enlargement of the Stout Paleontology Lab and the continuing great work of the Anza-Borrego Foundation. I was fortunate to work for great Superintendents in my day, including Bud Getty, Jim Hendrix, Dave Van Cleve, Mat Fuzie and Mike Wells. When I began work at Anza-Borrego it was said that the Park held 482,000 acres, and when I retired we were protecting over 600,000 acres!”
www.theabf.org
Winter 2014
13
McCormick is Back! Classical Guitar Concert February 21, 7:30 p.m. Borrego Springs Performing Arts Center $20 each
Classical guitarist Michael McCormick, a Borrego Springs resident and loyal ABF member and Park supporter, returns to the concert stage for the sequel to last spring’s sold-out smash success: the first-ever benefit concert for ABF. The evening’s solo guitar recital program will include music by Saint-Luc, Bach, Turina, Bennett, Takemitsu, Ponce, Rodrigo and Sor. All proceeds from this event shall be donated to the AnzaBorrego Foundation. Seating is limited. For tickets and information, visit theabf.org or contact Ashley Kvitek at ashley@theabf.org.
Welcome Anza-Borrego Foundation’s 2014 Borrego Partners Support the business that support the Park!
ABF’s Wish List
There are many ways to give to Anza-Borrego Foundation. Some of our donors give money, others give their time and expertise, and some just pop in and help us with anything and everything. We know, however, that there are people out there who do not like to gift money but instead like to donate tangible objects. And it’s no secret that everyone likes to know what their general donation might be used for. With those preferences in mind, ABF and the ABDSP Visitor Center have put together a wish list of things we would buy if we had unlimited resources. These are all things we need but either can’t afford or they end up getting pushed down on our priority list. If you’d like to help us with any of these specific items, let us know! 4x4 Toyota Highlander Binoculars to lend during programs Goal Zero solar charger for cameras, radios, etc. Red-lens flashlights for Night Sky programs New and complete first aid kits Stand-up projector screen 20-cup coffee maker Air pots for serving hot beverages Big coolers Lightweight, portable tables and chairs for the ABDSP Visitor Center Discovery Lab Cushioned mats for volunteers to stand on while on floor duty New laptop computer New desktop computer
14
Winter 2014
www.theabf.org
You can support the Park too! Join Anza-Borrego Foundation as a member. Sign up at the State Park Store, Visitor Center, www.theabf.org or call 760 767-0446
New items for sale at the Visitor Center & State Park Store 2014 standing calendar featuring the art of acclaimed artist Armand Frederick Vallée. Twelve amazing images to help mark the days. 5 ½” x 7 ½”
ANZA-BORREGO: A Photographic Journey Second Edition by Ernie Cowan. This softcover repressing of photographer Ernie Cowan’s award-winning book captures the essence of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. It’s the item your coffee table has been waiting for.
($19.95 plus tax)
($21.95 plus tax)
Visitor Center: Open Everyday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. State Park Store: Open Friday - Wednesday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Why I Give: Art Renews the Spirit Michael McCormick has a firm belief: If you give it, it will come back to you tenfold. Maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow and maybe not in the same form, but it will come back. Michael has chosen to give his gift of music to support Anza-Borrego Foundation. And in return, the most essential gift given back to us is the restorative quality of nature to the spirit.
State Park, signed up sight unseen to be a part of the Annual Sheep Count and was assigned to Borrego Palm Canyon. After spotting just one full curl ram up close, he was hooked; Michael volunteered for the sheep count for five more years, visiting during the sweltering heat of summer.
Last year, Michael gave the first-ever benefit concert for Anza-Borrego Foundation. The event was a huge success, and now Michael is graciously offering to perform again in support of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. He will return to the concert stage on February 21 for the sequel to last spring’s soldout show. Michael’s generosity through his 10 years of membership, donations to Ikh Nart Nature Reserve in Mongolia and in-kind giving, such as his concerts, is his way of helping to protect this treasure — this desert gift to us.
After spending three years caring for his mother, Michael moved to Borrego Springs to recharge and readjust to life. He has since fallen in love with our desert landscapes and sometimes thinks we should be required to pay a “luxury surcharge” just to enjoy the views and beauty the Park offers daily to each of us. Anza-Borrego is transformative: It provides a sense of wonder and inspiration to many. The power and serenity of this place reminds Michael why he works so hard as a musician.
His first introduction to the AnzaBorrego Desert was in 2000. While staying in Twentynine Palms, Michael saw a picture of a Peninsular Bighorn Sheep. Being a visitor, he posed a question we get here in the Park all the time: “Where can I see one of those?” He was directed to Anza-Borrego Desert
Michael says nature is untouchable, unattainable and pure; man cannot possibly recreate it. It is not virtual or digital. It is boundless, limitless and holds wonders beyond our control. For Michael, his music is the same. He began playing guitar at 11 years old, and the day he experienced the magic
of Spanish virtuoso Andrés Segovia, Michael decided to focus his studies on the art of classical guitar. Now an experienced player, Michael plans to spend the rest of his years continuing along his path towards Art. Inspired by the words of one of his heroes, the French poet Charles Baudelaire, Michael reminds himself that art is timeless and time is fleeting. ABF is honored to have Michael as a devoted member, supporter and friend. And we’re certain that his generous gift will find its way back to him. Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow. But it will.
www.theabf.org
Winter 2014
15
Anza-Borrego Foundation P.O. Box 2001 Borrego Springs, CA 92004
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 17 San Diego, CA
ABF thanks the following for their generous support and welcomes our new members! New Members September 1 – November 30, 2013 Michael and Lynda Alamo David Aleshire Claire and Gary Almquist Steve and Gloria Robert Berghofer Nita Bishop ND Carey Blakely Pia Brown Charles Cameron Nate Capehart Kelly Chu John Downing Michael Field Albert Foster Patricia Gifford Stacy and Gerry Goss Bill Griswold and Maureen Fedy Melvin Hochhalter Chandler James Teresa A. Jover Jennie Kelly Terry Klein Aleta Lawrence Ralph MacIntyre and Debby Baskin Deb Martin Alan Marvin Kathy McKernan Timothy Mielcarek and Brian Marquez Paul Milling Lynn Mohns Nancy Monte Rose Murphy 16
Winter 2014
www.theabf.org
Rebecca Olsen Brian Parnham Briana and Mike Puzzo Cynch Ramos Anne-Catherine Roch-Levecq Vanessa Rusczyk Ernest Sato Brian Sixt Brent Stephenson Krista Stephenson Paul Tedford and Pat Tedford Dr. Katherine Tsaioun Gerald Vernon Mary B. Watkins Chas White Jody Young Robert Younger Hans Zima
Gifts from September 1 – November 30, 2013 Annual Fund Joyce Applen in honor of Ralph Webb Toni Atkins Sharon L. Barta Lynn Gay Basquez in memory of Mark Basquez Borrego Outfitters Nancy Boss in memory of Carl Kennerson Cactus and Succulent Society of Massachusetts in honor of Frank and Marty Colver Calicos California Overland
Carmelita’s Mexican Grill & Cantina Shirley and Webb Cate in memory of Carl Kennerson Janene Colby Coldwell Banker Marilyn Dickson in memory of Carl Kennerson Lawrence Fine Dr. Mary Harte Marjorie Hatcher in memory of Carl Kennerson Stephanie Hernandez in memory of Paul Basart Hewlett-Packard Barbara Holden Tony and Janice Hoople Lou Jackson Victoria and David James Just Give in honor of Dana Carson Kendall’s Cafe Dr. Arie Korporaal in memory of Carl Kennerson Paul Larson and Mary Ekelund in memory of Carl Kennerson Ray and Lucy Larson in memory of Carl Kennerson Diana and Lowell Lindsay in memory of Robert Johnstone Diana and Lowell Lindsay in memory of Carl Kennerson Lyn Loerke in memory of Carl Kennerson Margaret G. McIntyre in memory of Paul McIntyre Victoria Morgan
Ann Morton Nourse in memory of Carl Kennerson NRG Energy Inc. Oceanside Photo and Telescope Judy Schwartz David Sewell in memory of Richard Garnett Sarah Super in memory of Casper Medema Linda Tandle The San Diego Foundation Silke Thode Doug Thompson Sam and Astrid Webb in memory of Carl Kennerson Barbara Williams Land Acquisition Norman H. Anderson James Bauer Camp Borrego San Diego Gas & Electric The Foster Family Private Foundation Superintendent Fund Mike Medema Paleontology Paulette Ache and Bill Holst
www.facebook.com/ AnzaBorregoFoundation