UPPER LAKE
Lake County Land Trust’s Rodman Preserve is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
The Lake County Land Trust’s Rodman Preserve at 6350 Westlake Dr. near Upper Lake is continuing to welcome visitors on Saturdays but hours have changed from 9 a.m. to noon to 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Volunteers have noticed that most people prefer arriving later in the day so an effort is being made to accommodate them. The preserve offers a moderate one and a half mile walk where visitors will see birdlife and even some mammals like foxes and coyotes.
A volunteer will open the gate at 10 a.m. and visitors are asked to sign in before embarking on a pleasant morning walk. The nature center remains closed due to Covid-19 concerns but visitors are welcome to enjoy the walk and the open air back porch.
Go to the Lake County Land Trust website at www.lakecountylandtrust.org for more information and don’t mistake the Rodman Preserve for the Rodman Slough County Park which is down the road from the Preserve on the Nice/Lucerne cutoff.
—Submitted
WILLOWS
Mendocino National Forest opens more developed campgrounds and trailheads
Mendocino National Forest is opening several developed recreational campgrounds and trailheads to the public on Feb. 16, 2022, ahead of the Presidents Day weekend.
Current information on campgrounds and trailheads can be found on the forest website.
Several campgrounds and trailheads identified in Forest Order 08-22-01 remain closed due to safety hazards from the 2018 Ranch Fire and 2020 August Complex.
These recreation sites remain closed to the public:
- Forest Trail No. 85463
- Cedar Camp Campground
- Copper Butte Trailhead
- Hammerhorn Campground
- Kingsley Glade Campground
- Lower Nye Campground
- Plaskett Meadows Campground
- Smokehouse Ridge Trailhead
- Soldier Ridge Trailhead
- Sugar Springs Campground
- Sugarfoot Campground
- West Crocket Trailhead
- West Crocket Campground
Forest officials remind visitors to continue recreating responsibly.
“We want visitors to have fun, but we ask everyone to make smart decisions,” said Mendocino National Forest Supervisor Ann Carlson.
“Let someone know where you’re going. Bring extra supplies and pack out your trash. It’s also a good idea to carry a satellite phone in case of an emergency. Downed trees and falling limbs continue to be a hazard on the forest. Visitors should bring a chainsaw and plan for alternate routes in case roads become impassable.”
—Submitted
SAN FRANCISCO
Coastal Commission awards historic Whale Tail Grant Round
The Coastal Commission approved 91 Whale Tail Grant applications totaling more than $3 million, the single largest annual grant cycle in the Commission’s history.
Whale Tail Grants are supported by drivers who purchase Whale Tail License Plates, as well as California Taxpayers who “Check the Coast” at tax time with contributions to the Protect Our Coast and Ocean Fund. Over the past 20 years the Commission has awarded an average of $350,000 annually across approximately 20 grants, primarily for projects that provide opportunities for inland, rural, and historically excluded communities to experience and learn about the coast and ocean and develop leadership, stewardship, and science-based skills.
Last year, due to an historic surplus in the State Budget, the Legislature appropriated an additional $10 million for the Whale Tail Grant Program, to be expended over five years. After several months of extensive public outreach, and guidance on how to apply for the grants, Commission staff received 168 applications. Many were first-time applicants, with innovative proposals engaging communities historically excluded from coastal education opportunities. The additional funding enabled the Commission to distribute $3,192,380.
Some of first-time applications included funding for environmental education and coastal field trips for coastal tribes, adults with developmental disabilities, students from rural Siskiyou County, and foster youth from Antelope Valley.
On Feb.9,2022, the Commission unanimously approved the following 91 competitive grants totaling $3,192,380 to the following organizations for specified projects including: $18,261 for Jug Handle Creek Farm & Nature Center. In a partnership with six tribes, multi-day retreats will connect native communities to the ocean and their traditional Pomo lands with regenerative cultural activities, nature education and restoration activities, and fun activities on the coast. Project Timeline: May 2022 to April 2024
—Submitted
