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Golden Gate's Employee Newsletter - August
Back to School - a message from Superintendent Chris Lehnertz
The month of September sees most school-aged kids fully engaged back in their classrooms. Whether their summers were spent playing with friends, working a part-time job, or learning about our national parks – during the autumn the school year always beckons. The NPS has long played a role in educating America. This month, President Obama will introduce legislation for our Centennial. Among the key highlights of the bill is recognition of the importance of the interpretation and education responsibilities in our mission. At GGNRA we have established many programs to involve young people in our parks. In partnership with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the Presidio Trust, we host youth activities like the LINC Summer Program, the Park Stewardship Program, IYEL, Urban Trailblazers, the Summer Wellness Internship and the Academic Internship Program… to name just a few. We met a lot of great kids this summer who were a part of our programs, we sincerely thank them for their service to our wonderful park locations, and we wish them the very best in the 2015-2016 school year. Come back and see us again soon!
Centennial Updates
CHARITY MILES: The National Park Foundation is a featured charity on the Charity Miles app, supported in part by Humana, which allows users to raise money for the foundation as they bike, walk or run. How it works: After downloading the Charity Miles app from the app store and choosing the National Park Foundation as the charity to credit, users can log the miles they are active in their national parks or community, and collect credits for the National Park Foundation of up to 10 cents per mile they bike and up to 25 cents per mile that they walk or run.
CENTENNIAL LEGISLATION: On September 1st, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced that the Obama Administration is proposing legislation to honor the National Park Service’s Centennial. The proposed National Park Service Centennial Act, which would require action by Congress in order to be enacted, would provide new resources to help revitalize our national parks, upgrade park facilities, and connect a new, diverse generation to the great outdoors.
Key provisions of the proposed legislation include:
• Provides up to $100 million for each of FY 16 – 18 to match philanthropic support for signature Centennial projects that provide a stronger foundation for visitor services.
• Provides $300 million for each of FY 16 – 18 to make necessary improvements to park infrastructure and help address the deferred maintenance backlog in a targeted manner.
• Establishes a Second Century Endowment, held by the National Park Foundation, to help the Foundation leverage private donations for NPS projects and programs, and a Second Century Fund, held by the National Park Service, which will be funded with a fee charged to those lodging and camping in national parks and by increasing the lifetime cost of the senior pass from $10 to an amount equal to the America the Beautiful Pass.
• Strengthens the National Park Service’s capacity to provide visitor services and protect the special places in its care by expanding eligibility for young people to participate in the Public Lands Corp, which will extend the timeline for direct-hire authority through that program, resulting in the ability to recruit and hire more young and diverse Americans.
• Allows for increased funding to support the National Park Service’s Volunteers in the Park program by removing the authorization ceiling. Last year, the program engaged at least 247,000 people who volunteered nearly 6.7 million hours of time.
• Allows the National Park Service to use additional contracting tools, which are more consistent with industry practices, to contract with commercial visitor service providers for lodging, food and beverage, and other visitor services.
• Provides clear authority for the education and interpretation work of the National Park Service and while using new methods of reaching people from different cultural backgrounds, abilities, and ages and by using innovative approaches to learning and communicating with visitors.
Samantha Pollak Has Left the Building!
Welcome Sintia Morfin to the Special Park Use Office
You may have seen Sinta working hard at one of the amazing events the Parks Conservancy regularly produces. She and Gwen are the team who make those events magical - or they were. Now Sintia works for the National Park Service in our permit office (SPUG) as an Event Specialist. She'll be tackling some of the park's biggest annual and one time events.
Ame Rose Cruz is now in the events department with Gwen.
Katie Beltrano is moving over to Special Park Uses
Joint NPS / Conservancy Park Stewardship Day
Park Stewardship Day, October 1
Together with the Conservancy, the park is hosting a staff volunteer day in Tennessee Valley on October 1, ~9:30-2:30pm. This is the first of a series of in-field Park Days that the park will be co-hosting in the coming year. Supervisor permission is required. RSVP here by Friday, September 25. Lunch will be provided!
Thursday, Oct 1, 2015, 09:30 AM
Tennessee Valley Trailhead, Tennessee Valley Road, Mill Valley, CA, United States
San Mateo News Notes from Christine Fitzgerald
- The Roving Ranger will be participating in the Pacific Coast Fog Fest in Pacifica on September 26 & 27! http://pacificcoastfogfest.com/ This annual event draws visitors and members of the community for a fun festival filled with music, food and beverages, arts, crafts and local vendors. We’re looking for help! If you are interested in working a 4-hour shift to engage with Pacifica residents, please contact Christine FitzGerald at cfitzgerald@nps.gov.
- Centennial update – We’ve been out in the community spreading the word about the Centennial in San Mateo County, including presentations at REI and developing a “Packing the Parks” 4-day backpacking trip next summer through GGNRA.
- Strategic Planning – join the San Mateo Team at 10:30am on 9/24 in the Golden Gate Room to discuss Rancho Corral de Tierra as one of the Stewardship Initiatives in the Strategic Plan.
Marin News Notes from Mia Monroe
Signs of fall: monarchs often seen in coastal areas such as Stinson, Muir Beach, Tennessee Valley and Fort Baker (watch at Fort Mason, too), ladybugs clustering up Bootjack (upstream of Muir Woods), hawks overhead and being watch by GGRO hawkwatchers (join them each weekend for a HawkTalk!), fall color thanks to maple, alder and poison oak!
September 12/13 was last weekend of Marin Headlands pilot shuttle which built use quietly and steadily...ditto for the Muir Woods 66F which ran weekdays through the summer and not only offered a car-free "ride" to Muir Woods but also helped with those stranded by UBER, others wishing to make a loop with a bus ride completely the trip. Good pilots and thanks, Darren Brown, for getting these tested!
Daphne Hatch reports that although many common murres are dying of starvation (no food, probably because of warmer oceans) overall the population is at a record high AND one place in GGNRA they've been nesting is on Bird Island, Marin Headlands...leave the dead birds for those scavengers who need marine detrituts, thx to NOAA volunteers who walk the beaches and track these phenom.
Another challenge on the beach, this time at Muir Beach is water contamination. Samples taken weekly April 1 - Oct 31 by NPS staff and analyzed by County Environmental Health Services. Check up on this yourself by calling 473-2335.
Ticks? yes! 'tis the time to take precautions, even if walking in shady redwood forests! stay on trail, do a tick-check upon return home, wear protective gear!
More marine news: The Marine Mammal Center celebrates 40 years at its NPS-Marin Headlands facility providing rescue, care and research on marine mammals...congrats and thank you!
Get involved! Learn more!
Coast Clean-up Sept 19 at a your favorite beach!
National Public Lands Day Sept 26 (fee free at Muir Woods)
CelebrateTam with a two day event centered in Mill Valley featuring activities on Saturday and informational tables Sunday morning with TamTalk Sunday afternoon PLUS a wine and cheese reception to open the Tom Killion show of art featuring Tam-scapes on Saturday eve...look for schedule and to sign up at CelebrateTam.org
Treevia: When did this person say this about which GGNRA treesure? "You look up at those redwoods and they go on forever, they've been there forever. It's impossible to not be inspired."
Three Simple Ways to Report Incidents or Needed Repairs in the Park
MAINTENANCE WORK ORDERS: Have you noticed a leak, broken door, missing gadget in your office or shared work space? If you noticed something that needs to be addressed by Maintenance you can submit work orders and requests to the Maintenance Work Order Desk, goga_maintenance_workorderdesk@nps.gov.
INTERNET AND COMPUTER HELP: If you need help with a computer or internet issue there are several ways to contact the IT Office. You can submit a work order to http://npshelpdesk.nps.gov, or send an email nps_goga_it@nps.gov or call 415-561-4717.
DISPATCH: If you ever see an unsafe condition or situation contact Dispatch as soon as possible so that they can notify the best authority to manage the situation until a repair can take place. The non-emergency number is 415-561-5505, or in the case of an emergency call 415-561-5501. Dispatch can contact the Leadership Team, law enforcement, the Public Affairs Officer in a timely manner to help protect people and the resources.
In the news
FLAX Art Supply Coming to Fort Mason Center
Fort Mason Center's newest partner, Howard Flax of FLAX, Art and Supply was featured in the SF Chronicle on August 31, 2015 Here are excerpts from the article:
"Flax is gearing up for a mid-October opening of a 5,000-square-foot store in Building D of Fort Mason, a venture that will cater to the art students, actors, musicians and workers who staff the many cultural nonprofits that fill the campus . . . On a recent afternoon, (Howard) Flax was out at Fort Mason touring his new space and talking to the arts groups that he expects will be his customers. Flax will occupy space that was previously part of the Mexican Museum and at one point housed the Whole Earth Catalog bookstore. The space has five roll-up doors left over from its days as an Army barrack, two of which will be replaced with glass storefronts. On nice days, the doors will be opened and the arts merchandise will spill out onto the walkway in front of the building. . .
"Fort Mason, 13 acres between Aquatic Park and the Marina, is more of a destination than a place people happen to walk or bike or drive by. It is home to the City College of San Francisco arts campus, as well as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Artists Gallery, the Long Now Foundation museum, Readers Bookstore, Cowell Theater, BATS Improv, Blue Bear School of Music, the Magic Theatre and other groups. The San Francisco Art Institute is to open a facility there in 2017.
“Super-stoked,” said Blue Bear administrator Richelle Cullen when asked about Flax moving in. “Most of us are artists and musicians, and we like to buy art supplies. We are going to spend all our money downstairs.”
"One nice thing about Fort Mason is that it’s a lot prettier than gritty central Market Street. There are boats and seabirds, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the ever-changing bay. So Flax plans to rent out easels and painting supplies to visitors or plein-air enthusiasts who want to capture the scenery without lugging around a bunch of equipment.
“Someone strolls down to the end of Pier 2 with an easel, and they can while away three hours, no problem,” said Flax."
The full article can be found at: http://bit.ly/1QcN3LA
Old military balloon hangar near Sausalito gets new use
By Mark Prado, Marin Independent Journal POSTED: 09/11/15, 5:28 PM PDT
A historic balloon hangar in the Rodeo Valley near Sausalito is getting a makeover after surviving various military and National Park Service uses for more than 90 years.
The hangar at Fort Barry was built as part of the U.S. Army’s very brief experiment using tethered balloons as part of the nation’s system of coastal defenses.
Constructed in 1921 and abandoned for balloon use the same year, the structure is the only surviving hangar of its type that actually housed an army balloon, and one of only two examples of its type known to survive in the country, according to a report done for the National Park Service.
“It’s a pretty cool structure with some interesting history,” said Rich Melbostad, project manager for the park service.
“The hangar was used as a riding rink for equestrians, one of its many uses,” said Jason Hagin, historical architect for the park service.
The equestrian use was its latest incarnation. The first was as a balloon hangar, completed on June 27, 1921. It is believed the 24th Balloon Company moved its balloon into the new structure not long after. Then the work began on how to use the balloons for military purposes.
“Experiments continued ... into 1921 on various techniques for directing artillery fire. The first method was the simplest, consisting of a single balloon with two observers in the wicker basket watching for the splash (called ‘the fall of shot’) when a shell landed near a target, and relaying corrections back to the (gun) battery,” according to the park service report.
A long telephone line was strung from the basket to the ground. “There were no cellphones in those days,” Hagin said. High winds would wreak havoc with the balloons on blustery Bay Area days and before the end of 1921 the balloon companies were removed from the Harbor Defenses of San Francisco, according to the park service report.
“The balloons did not last very long at all, but the building has held up all these years,” Hagin noted. “Now we are making it safe. It’s an interesting part of history.”
Full Story is at: http://bayareane.ws/1K5MyS1
Hundreds evacuate Kings Canyon National Park as massive fire swells
By Veronica Rocha, LA Times, Sept. 10, 2015
The National Park Service issued evacuation orders Thursday for hundreds of employees and visitors in the Sierra and Sequioa forests as the Rough fire exploded to more than 110,000 acres, making it the largest active fire in California.
Employees and residents of Wilsonia, the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park, were asked to leave the area as firefighters increased their attack on the fast-moving blaze that threatened to spread into the area, park officials said.
Fire crews began burnout operations along Highway 180 on Wednesday night to minimize the risk of the blaze jumping across the road. The fire is 29% contained.
“It’s very slow, it’s very methodical,” Team 3 Incident Cmdr. Mark von Tillow told residents at a meeting Wednesday night. “We are not lighting this stuff up and ripping the trees off and you are not going to be left with a bunch of black sticks.”
U.S. Forest officials say the drought is contributing to the active fire behavior. Much of the forest area is steep and plagued with dead trees killed off by pine bark beetles.
Years of drought have stressed millions of pine trees on forestland, making them more susceptible to bark beetle attacks. Forest officials estimate the Southern Sierra Nevada has 10.45 million dead trees.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks lie in the southern Sierra Nevada and are home to some of the largest and oldest living trees.
More than 2,100 firefighters are battling the lightning-sparked fire, which started July 31 just east of Fresno. The fire spread rapidly due to low humidity and warm temperatures.
Von Tillow said the fire is burning anything in its path, even rocks.
Additional evacuation orders went out to residents north of Highway 180, stretching from Hopewell Road to the west, to the Armenian Church Western Diocese Summer Camp.
Highway 180 is closed east of Dunlap Road, as well as the following access roads: Highway 245 in Pinehurst, Millwood Road between Dunlap and Highway 180, and Highway 198 at Red Fir into Kings Canyon National Road.
Video available at: http://lat.ms/1KQoaHr
Ocean Beach Fire Program Update
Public Meeting
Thursday, September 24
6:00 pm 8:30 pm
Presentation/Discussion at 6:30 pm
County Fair Building, Golden Gate Park
In the Auditorium
1199 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
Reminder: Child Care Survey open until 9/18
The park is beginning to explore the demand, suitability of facilities, and feasibility of hosting child care on park lands. If you currently have or anticipate having child care needs in the near future, please take 5-10 minutes to complete the following survey.
The survey will be open until September 18. Once we have determined interest, we will decide which direction makes most sense. http://goo.gl/forms/0kxd6TZro9
Contact James Sword (james_sword@nps.gov) with questions.
CELEBRATE TAM!
On Sunday, come for a day of family-friendly fun and activities at the Mill Valley Community Center! Our Kid Zone is the perfect place for your toddler through middle schooler to test their jumbo Jenga skills at the Tower of Tam, work off some extra energy in our bouncy houses, get creative with face-painting, temporary tattoos, and a variety of arts and crafts for all ages. Some samples of activities include bird nest making, dot art, bag decoration, jewelry making and more!
You’ll also enjoy food trucks, live music by Jill and Steven Pierce (2/3 of the band Orange Sherbet), and the chance to interact in fun ways with the amazing organizations listed below that are working to care for Mt. Tam.
Saturday, Oct 3, 2015, 10:00 AM
Mt Tamalpais, Marin County, CA, United States
One Minute for Safety- Ten Rules to Preserve Ten Fingers
1. Beware of pinch points. Train yourself to recognize pinch pints and avoid placing your hands and fingers in such hazardous spots.
2. Expect the expected. When using wrenches and other hand tools, with which you expect resistance, anticipate that the tool might slip or the object to which pressure is being applied may suddenly give way.
3. Inspect tools. Check to see if they are in good condition and safe to use.
4. Do not work on moving equipment. If the equipment can be stopped, do so. Working on moving equipment presents a real threat to hands and fingers.
5. Replace machine guards following repairs that require removal of guards. The presence of machine guards is an important factor in keeping hands and fingers out of dangerous areas.
6. Be mindful of equipment that starts automatically. Never work on such equipment without first eliminating the possibility of automatic startup.
7. De-energize electrical equipment prior to working on it. Flash burns caused by electrical equipment shorting out is a threat to hands and fingers when work around such equipment is being performed.
8. Be mindful when closing doors. Keep hands and fingers clear. Also, watch for children’s fingers in the family car.
9. Avoid touching lines or equipment that is hot. Every hot line or hot piece of equipment is a potential source of painful injury to any hand or finger that comes in contact with it.
10. If the work being performed requires gloves, use them. Gloves offer protection from sharp objects, wood and metal splinters, acids, electrical burns, chemicals, and many other sources of injury.
*Information from http://www.safetytoolboxtalks.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=2
Health and Wellness News
The long-time chair of the Health and Wellness committee (HAWC), Samantha Pollak, has moved on to pursue a graduate degree at SFSU. Although we’ll miss all of Samantha’s hard work and dedication to the HAWC, her departure provides an opportunity to re-envision the future of HAWC.
While we’re in the process of developing HAWC 2.0, please keep up the great work on taking care of yourself and your co-workers! Get plenty of rest; eat your greens; go for a walk; meditate; smile; do whatever you need to stay safe and healthy.
A few reminders:
· The gym facilities are for everyone to use, but please be respectful and clean up after yourself. Wipe down equipment. Bring your towels and toiletries with you to the shower but do not leave them in the bathroom (NOTE – the shower at 201 will be cleaned by October 1. If you wish to keep any of your things, please remove them by that time or they will be discarded).
· New bikes are available for use at work! Please contact Chuck Plummer with questions at Charles_plummer@nps.gov.
· Are you interested in participating on the HAWC? If so, please contact Christine FitzGerald at cfitzgerald@nps.gov.
Stay tuned for some new and exciting changes on the horizon and stay healthy.
Opportunity to Donate Annual Leave
The Voluntary Leave Transfer Program allows employees to donate a portion of their annual leave to other employees who are experiencing a personal emergency or hardship.
If you would like to donate leave to an employee in need please complete an OPM 630A form and fax to 360-569-6529, attention Lisa Lombard, Human Resources Specialist, NW SHRO Operations Lead. The form is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website. With the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader, the form can be completed on-line and printed locally. Use a web browser to go to http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/html/formindx.htm.
Donation of leave is a very personal matter. Your participation in the leave transfer program is entirely voluntary and will be treated confidentially.
Snapshot of Visitor and Resource Protection and US Park Police activities
- On September 6th, Lifeguards conduced water safety patrol via an RWC for a GGNRA permitted open-water swim from Alcatraz Island to Aquatic Park. During the event, lifeguards made ten separate water rescues for fatigue and tide related issues.
- On September 6th and 7th, Rangers responded to and mitigated many high visitation related issues. The Labor Day Weekend brought very hot weather and with it extremely high visitation. Rangers worked traffic closures at Muir Woods, Muir Beach, Stinson Beach, and the Headlands. Rangers and Beach Patrol also managed visitation related issues at Ocean Beach and Fort Funston.
- On September 7th, Rangers observed an occupied homeless encampment within the wooded area of Sutro Park. Rangers called out the occupant and when identified, she returned with 24 active warrants. The subject also appeared to be under the influence of methamphetamine. When giving Rangers her ID, she dropped a plastic bag filled with suspected methamphetamine remnants. The subject was arrested on the warrants and transported to San Francisco County Jail.
- On September 12th, Lifeguards joined the SF Fire Department to participate in a multi-agency large-scale emergency event called Urban Shield. The goals of the training were to enhance skills and cooperation among water-based first responders in a mass causality incident. The scenario involved a situation in which two passenger ferries collided and a large scale passenger evacuation was needed. Lifeguards operated their RWC during the training and were deployed to pull patients from the water and transport them to a large rescue boat for triage.
Send Your Feedback About this Newsletter!
Email: alexandra_picavet@nps.gov