If you’re looking for a way to explore nature with your children this month, look no further than California Wildlife Day on Saturday, March 19. Since its inception in 2017, California Wildlife Day has been an annual recognition of the importance of conservation and the role of the native environment to California’s wellness as a state. This year’s hybrid celebration will take place online from 10:00 am - 12:30 pm and in-person at Garland Ranch Regional Park from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm.
Historically, the weeks leading up to the spring equinox have always been a time of nature-oriented reflection on both the U.S. and global stages. National Wildlife Day is celebrated twice a year (February 22nd and September 4th) and the entire planet comes together for World Wildlife Day on March 3rd.
California Wildlife Day became a local extension of these when area residents, spearheaded by Beverly Eyre, petitioned for government recognition of the importance of conservation in California, specifically the role of watersheds and their role in biodiversity. Using a grassroots-style campaign that eschewed online marketing, it wasn’t long before the endeavor secured the support of state Senator Bill Monning and Assemblyman Mark Stone. The former sponsored the official bill, where it passed unanimously on March 17, 2017.
Since then, many local organizations such as the Carmel River Watershed Conservancy (CRWC), Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District (MPRPD), and the California Natural Resources Agency have helped to organize an annual celebration and outreach program at local outdoor venues, encouraging families around Monterey County to learn more about the importance of wildlife and a balanced ecosystem.
“The first year we had 450 people, the second year we had 750,” says CRWC president Lorin Letendre. “It just keeps getting bigger.” Designed to be a diverse outdoor event, past activities ranged from topical speakers from the Mountain Lion Foundation to kid-friendly exhibits like a butterfly garden. The focus has also changed from year to year, covering pertinent topics like wildfire, the wildlife-urban interface and water availability. The theme for 2022 is “Connecting Communities: Wildlife and Watersheds.”
“The idea behind this theme is that our watersheds throughout the state are interconnected,” says Abbie Beane, executive director of the CRWC. “We are pushing to grow this event throughout the state and bring attention to other California watersheds and communities. Human, animal, and plant communities are also inextricably connected, and if we can understand that and care for our environment and wildlife, then we are also supporting our own human communities.”
Like nearly everything else, COVID-19 brought changes to the annual celebration. In March of 2020, local school systems jumped in, making posters, poems, and other visual media for display in an online gallery, which is still visible on the CRWC website. This continued the following year, as well as the addition of several online speakers such as local naturalists and park officials. Despite being confined to an online format, kids and families still had the chance to learn about everything from local birds to the finer points of animal track identification.
In a sign of a gradual return to normalcy, this year’s event will combine both virtual speakers in the morning and guided nature walks at Garland Ranch Regional Park. Online pre-registration through the CRWC website is encouraged (visit www.carmelriverwatershed.org). Additionally, schools from the area will again have student work on display, both online and at the Discovery Center at the Palo Corona Regional Park in Carmel.
“I think it’s safe to say we’ve done a lot of outreach,” says Beane. “We’re spreading the word!”
For more information, visit www.carmelriverwatershed.org or www.cawildlifeday.net.
Originally from New England, Matt Desenberg is a writer living in the Monterey.