Backyard Giants

Episode 2 – Backyard Giants 

SPEAKERS

Monica Carcamo-Binetti (host), Maria Mowrey (guest), Armando Quintero (guest), Kourtney Boone (guest), Kirstie Dutton (guest), kids (guest), Nancy (guest). 

[Intro Music]

[00:00:00] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Hi, friends. Welcome to episode two of Season five. I’m your host, Monica Carcamo-Binetti. A couple of weeks ago, I spent a day at Samuel P. Taylor State Park in Lagunitas to celebrate the kickoff event for California State Parks Week. California State Parks Week is an exciting annual event that celebrates amazing diversity of California state parks and the people who visit and help protect these wonderful places surrounded by soaring redwoods, I joined park staff, volunteers, community partners, and families who came to celebrate these wonderful natural places that shape and feel at home because just like its theme, this is where you live. I spent the day wandering at the groves with a mic in hand, gathering conversations. I spoke with three inspiring people, each with a unique relationship to Samuel P. Taylor State Park, but all with a similar idea. When a park feels personal, whether it’s a Saturday picnic, a childhood field trip, or a first glimpse of salmon in the creek, the influence these spaces have on us is life changing. 

So, cue up your mental trail map, tighten those metaphorical boot laces, and join me among the giants as we head back to June 11th starting early in the morning with our first guest.

[00:01:28] Maria Mowrey

I am Maria Mowrey. I am the District Superintendent for the Bay Area here at California State Parks.

[00:01:34] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

I always like to start with the story behind the story. Okay. So how did you get into working for state parks? Was this always something that you dreamt of doing? Tell me about it.

[00:01:48] Maria Mowrey

As a kid, growing up in a military family, we camped a lot. Being of Filipino descent we were expected to become nurses and doctors, and so I was trying to go the doctor route. 

[00:01:59] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

 Okay.

[00:01:59] Maria Mowrey

So, I was doing a lot of biology and that kind of thing. And so have a background in camping and the outdoors, but in high school I did an advanced biology class. We raised money and did a trip to Yosemite, so it was a week-long trip to Yosemite as a junior.

[00:02:17] Maria Mowrey

And so, in high school I was selling M&Ms to do this trip. We hiked all over Yosemite, from the snow at the top down to the valley. Cross country skiing, I learned how to do there.

[00:02:30] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

 Oh my gosh.

[00:02:30] Maria Mowrey

So, it was just really this immersion into the outdoors, and you know, it’s Yosemite, so

[00:02:35] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Magical.

[00:02:35] Maria Mowrey 

Yeah. And then in that same class, we did a debate on the redwoods in the spotted owl. Back then, I’m not going to tell you when it was, but you know, it was a big deal with a spotted owl and cutting down redwoods. That biology class really kind of set the tone. Even though I was supposed to become a doctor, I ended up becoming environmental biology major at college.

[00:02:59] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

So that one trip really set the tone for you.

[00:03:01] Maria Mowrey

 Yes.

[00:03:02] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

That’s so amazing. Because the importance of having access to a park, a state park, a national park, or even a local park that could really impact your entire life.

[00:03:15] Maria Mowrey

It has and it really did.

[00:03:17] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Thank you for sharing that. That’s amazing.

[00:03:19] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

All trees are beautiful, let’s be honest. Right. Small, big, large. But there is something about this old growth, redwood trees up north. That it just, the silence of being in the forest and how, for me, just humbles you. 

[00:03:37] Maria Mowrey

The size and to me it’s an aura.

[00:03:41] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Okay.

[00:03:41] Maria Mowrey

Or a spirit. And when you say silence, that resonates with me too, because it’s like there’s this vibration.

Monica Carcamo-Binetti 00:03:48

Yes.

[00:03:48] Maria Mowrey

The tree is speaking to you a hundred percent. It might not be through voice, but it’s, it’s a sensation.

[00:03:54] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

 I completely agree. Mm-hmm. And I could talk to people that are in this space about trees for hours, and I thought for a long time that I was alone.

[00:04:03] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

And then I come into this space here with the League and just meeting people like you and I don’t feel alone, and you just fully understand what I’m saying. Mm-hmm. And that’s what I love about this space as well, right? It’s like we have this unspoken connection.

[00:04:16] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

This year’s California State Parks Week tagline is “this is where you live”.

[00:04:22] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

What does that phrase mean to you personally?

[00:04:26] Maria Mowrey 

Natural spaces are life to me and where I live and happen to get to work in are these spaces. For someone who isn’t a park professional, someone who might be visiting a park for the first time because they heard through state parks week that we’re having events.

[00:04:44] Maria Mowrey

It’s like knowing that you can go 45 minutes down the road. It’s literally their backyard. But it’s also when someone comes in camps or they come and fish, or they just want to ride their bikes. Like this park is a really popular bicycling park. You can go from one end to the other on a bike trail and its literally kids on their regular bikes and it’s like riding their bike through their neighborhood. It’s just cool that way.

[00:05:13] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

And that there are enough spaces in and around everyone’s backyard.

[00:05:18] Maria Mowrey 

Right.

[00:05:19] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

So, to that point, having this event here at Samuel P. Taylor Park, what do you hope the visitors take from today or these events that are going on? Whether they’ve been here before, this is their first time.

[00:05:33] Maria Mowrey 

To me, it’s a celebration of what state parks represents, and this park specifically represents. It’s a redwood park. It’s that quiet, it’s that drive towards the coast, and then you stop, of course you use the restroom, maybe have a cup of coffee, or you’re camping, but just celebrating that it’s so local, so accessible and it’s there.

[00:05:57] Maria Mowrey 

Today is special because we have all of our friends and partners and family enjoying it together and really just having a really fun party.

[00:06:06] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

There are so many activities happening today. Can you tell me at least one or two that you’re excited about?

[00:06:14] Maria Mowrey 

There’s so many and we have so many partners here and it’s really great. Cali the Quail is exciting. And then we have a Lorax coming.

[00:06:23] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

I know. I posted about it yesterday and my girlfriends were so jealous that they couldn’t come. I told them to quit their jobs. I was like, you just, yeah, just come out. It’s like your bosses will under, it’s the Lorax.

[00:06:38] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Are there any Truffula trees at Samuel P. Taylor State Park?

[00:06:42] Maria Mowrey 

No. We have the Coast Redwood, and we have some non-native trees. If you walk around the campground, there’s some trees out there just do not look like they belong. But that’s just how it works with places that have had people inhabiting it for a long time. But yeah, the Lorax, the Lorax is exciting because you know what the Lorax story is about.

[00:07:05] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Yes.

[00:07:06] Maria Mowrey 

And so, I mean, I think this place really represents that we’re sitting underneath the coast Redwood, like right now, we have campers leaving. They spent the night, which is like they get to see this. And then we also had a bunch of hikers walk by doing the quick morning hike. So, we have all these events today. I’m actually wanting to do the Tai Chi.

[00:07:26] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Good. One final thought that you can leave us with. If there’s somebody that’s listening that maybe is on the fence and maybe they feel fearful of the unknown of coming to a state park or going on a hike, like what is a thought that you might leave us with?

[00:07:41] Maria Mowrey 

Take the time and do a little bit of research. Always be prepared for anything, so always have your water, a few snacks, a hat, some sunscreen and layers. It doesn’t matter where you go if you have those things. You’ll be ready for anything.

[00:07:57] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

And they don’t have to be, none of this has to be fancy or anything.

[00:08:00] Maria Mowrey 

Doesn’t have to be expensive. It could just be a plastic bottle of water, a ball cap. It doesn’t have to be the super expensive hiking boots. It really doesn’t.

[00:08:08] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

That’s really good advice. So, thank you so much. I really appreciate your time and I really appreciate everything that you do. It’s amazing. So thank you so much. It was really wonderful talking to you.

[00:08:19] Maria Mowrey

Thank you for being here today.

[00:08:20] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Yeah, absolutely.

[00:08:21] Maria Mowrey

Happy State Parks Week.

[00:08:22] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Thank you. Yay.

[00:08:24] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Just moments before I met up with our next featured guest, I came across a familiar face. He reminded me that every trail, shoreline and Redwood Grove is really an extension of our own backyard. His reflection on how these places anchor our lives was too good to keep to myself. So, I asked him to step up to the mic for a quick surprise visit.

[00:08:48] Armando Quintero 

My name is Armando Quintero, and I am the Director of California State Parks. The thing that I love about what we’re doing at Parks in California is a current tagline is “This Is Where You Live”. And the idea is that when you go to a park, I want people to realize that they live in this place.

[00:09:08] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Yeah.

[00:09:09] Armando Quintero 

This place is California. And also, if they see an image, a photograph of the coast or tide poles or the desert You live there or

[00:09:18] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Or the redwood.

[00:09:18] Armando Quintero 

Yeah. Or the redwoods. You live here too. Yeah. Whether you’ve been to them physically or not. And so, I just feel like I get to work in the world of imagination and heart.

[00:09:34] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

It is 10:13 AM and we’re still here at Samuel P. Taylor Park and we are sitting by the creek, and I am joined by my new best friend, Kourtney Boone. Kourtney, tell us a little bit about yourself.

[00:09:49] Kourtney Boone 

Sure. Hi. Very nice to be here, Monica. I really appreciate it. It’s a beautiful morning to be talking about Samuel P. Taylor and some of the work that we’re doing here. My name is Courtney, like you mentioned. I’m with California State Parks as a state park interpreter. I’ve had about two years to really explore this park. I love redwoods and I love state parks, county parks, national parks, the whole shebang.

[00:10:10] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Nice.

[00:10:10] Kourtney Boone

But it’s been really special to have time in this park.

[00:10:14] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Wonderful. Admittedly, I’ve never been to this park before and I find that a little bit embarrassing because I pride myself in knowing about cool spots in the Bay Area, and it is so beautiful here.

[00:10:26] Kourtney Boone 

If it helps you feel any better, I do very often hear that locals or folks from the city or people that have passed by this park a lot, don’t know it’s here and a, a lot of folks share that embarrassment sort of the first time they come here. But it is, it’s a really sleepy park. It’s really community friendly, very family friendly. Save the Redwoods League sends us these groups that have maybe never been in the Redwoods before or don’t get to interact with them as, as much as they do. Or we get families that are camping, and at a certain point, you know, you talk to so many people, you’re not sure who is absorbing what, but it is really neat to know that every single person that enters this park that has an experience with this park is an integral part and can make a huge difference when it comes to conserving and protecting these areas and helping with climate change, resiliency. It all comes down to the individual and their actions, and it can be as easy as just talking about it and bringing that into conversation. Bringing that to light, and that’s something I’ve learned over my last two years in interpretation is talking about stuff is really important.

[00:11:33] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Tell me something that stands out to you about the park and the redwoods in this park.

[00:11:37] Kourtney Boone 

Oh, I’d love to, one of my favorite things to point out when we hike is these trees are ridiculously tall.

[00:11:44] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Yeah.

[00:11:44] Kourtney Boone 

Looking around, if I lean back, my hat will fall off. YEAH. They’re so tall. But they’re babies. These are baby redwood trees at the beginning.

[00:11:52] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

How old are they?

[00:11:53] Kourtney Boone 

I would wager to say no older than a hundred to 150 years. Wow. Considering that’s the time that Samuel P. Taylor was around, and all of that logging was happening.

[00:12:03] Kourtney Boone 

So, most of the trees that we see now would have grown after that. But you can look around and you can see like all these really cool fairy rings and all these trees, but they’re just at the start of their lifecycle. They’ve got hundreds of years before they reach a mature redwood tree. But if you go on our trails here, specifically the Pioneer Tree Trail, you go through what remains of the old growth. So you watch those trees just get bigger in size almost within a few steps. And then as you move along, you get into the younger trees and you’re watching them grow up in their nurseries or their families, and it’s really neat to see that. And you kind of wonder which ones are going to make it to be the big ones and how long is that going to take, and what is this going to look like in 100, 200 years.

[00:12:49] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

If you could give any advice or just thought to someone who is joining us today, what is your message to someone who is at a state park for the first time or is listening and maybe is like nervous or scared? What are some words of wisdom that you can share with us?

[00:13:07] Kourtney Boone 

The first thing that really comes to mind is ask, right. If you’re nervous about something, be curious about it. Don’t be afraid to ask those questions. Don’t be afraid to start whenever. I know on a, on a personal note, when people do ask me these questions, I get excited. I get to help someone or stand alongside someone as they go along their journey and navigate their relationship with nature. It is easy to feel scared and it’s okay to feel scared, but along with that, the best way we can combat fear is by understanding.

[00:13:42] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Yeah.

[00:13:43] Kourtney Boone 

And the way that we bridge that gap is through curiosity.

[00:13:45] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

To hear you say that you were scared, that makes. A world of a difference just for us to talk about it and that everybody is going to have a little bit of fear of something, but to make your mind up and to change that fear and to be curious about it. I love that you said that. I think that that’s fantastic advice.

[00:14:04] Kourtney Boone 

Right on. Thank you.

[00:14:05] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

What do you hope visitors take away with them from this event experience?

[00:14:09] Kourtney Boone 

There’s a lot that I hope that people take home with them. But if I had to pick one thing, I’ll stick to the state parks slogan for State Parks Week, which is “This Is Where You Live”.

[00:14:20] Kourtney Boone 

And really that doesn’t end with State Parks Week, right? We celebrate it. We promote it for a week out of the year, but these parks are here all year, and people like me and the team that have put on these events, we are here all year, and we want you to come back. We want you to participate. We want you to be curious, and we want you to remember that.

[00:14:39] Kourtney Boone 

We’re humans and we live here. This is our home. There, there really is no separation between this environment that we live in and our built communities, or what we see is like our street or our block. All of this that we’re looking at right now and everything that we’re doing today impacts all of us as a community, and so you know, this is where you live.

[00:15:02] Kourtney Boone 

You belong here. Enjoy it, love it. Please come back.

[00:15:06] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

I absolutely will. So, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me today.

[00:15:12] Kourtney Boone 

Thank you, Monica. This was awesome.

[00:15:19] Kid #1

APAC. 

[00:15:20] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

APAC. And what does that stand for?

[00:15:22] Group of Kids 

Asian Pacific American Community Center. Center. Center.

[00:15:26] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

There you go. And then you guys went on a hike today?

[00:15:29] Group of Kids

Yeah. Yes.

[00:15:30] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

What did you like most about your hike?

[00:15:32] Kid #1 

We, we saw some animals on the way.

[00:15:35] Kid #2 

Like a raccoon.

[00:15:37] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

You saw a raccoon.

[00:15:37] Kid #3

A squirrel.

[00:15:38] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

A squirrel. And what else did you see out there? Any birds?

[00:15:42] Kid #1 

Yeah, we had a hummingbird.

[00:15:44] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

A hummingbird. What about

[00:15:45] Kid #2 

Some bees. 

[00:15:45] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

 Any trees? Did you see any trees?

[00:15:47] Group of Kids

A lot. Trees. Trees. Red redwood trees. Redwood.

[00:15:51] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Hello? Hello. We’re back here next to the creek, later in the afternoon here at Samo P. Taylor Park, and the sun is out, and I am here with Kirstie Dutton. Hello, Kirstie. Nice to meet you.

[00:16:05] Kirstie Dutton 

Yeah, nice to meet you.

[00:16:06] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Thanks so much for joining us today. Can you tell me a little bit about what your role is at your work?

[00:16:12] Kirstie Dutton 

I am from an organization located in San Francisco, Asian Pacific American Community Center. I. And despite the name, we actually help a broad range of people. I am one of the program managers at APAC. It’s our shorthand. In particular, I run the youth programs that we have.

[00:16:27] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Have you been to this state park before?

[00:16:29] Kirstie Dutton 

I have not. I was supposed to, but I got sick last year, so I’m happy to be here.

[00:16:33] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

How did you hear about the Redwood Rides transportation program? And how do you think that that has helped connect to the community? To have access to something that we think is simple, right? To have a ride, to get someplace.

[00:16:50] Kirstie Dutton 

Let me put it this way. So, for many, the vast majority of our families, they rely on public transportation to get to work, to get to school, anything. It’s very rare that we have families that have cars themselves.

[00:17:03] Kirstie Dutton 

And so, for a lot of our families, they’ve never even stepped foot outside of San Francisco, much less their kids. So having this service to transport them for free to different state parks outside of the city and sometimes even outside of the Bay Area, it’s an awesome thing because it allows them to see things right outside of their own homes, outside of their own cities, to be able to see what they see as nature.

[00:17:28] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Yeah.

[00:17:28] Kirstie Dutton 

Because they have the concept of nature in the city, but they don’t actually have concept of nature in the forest.

[00:17:33] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

What do you hope that your community will take away with them from this type of event? 

[00:17:38] Kirstie Dutton 

What I hope that they learn is that there is such a huge system that supports the parks. That it takes a group effort in order to have these parks open so that they’re accessible to the public and continue to be accessible. We actually had a park ranger come to our middle school program to talk to them about what he does within the state park system. And so, not just for the older kids, but even for the younger kids to understand, it’s like these parks just don’t exist like how it is.

[00:18:11] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Yeah.

[00:18:11] Kirstie Dutton 

It takes a lot of upkeep, it takes a lot of maintenance, but it takes a lot of care. I’m hoping for that, for the kids, for the families that do come with us because we do have some families who are with us, them especially them as immigrants, understanding like California is not just the city. Like you always have the image of the California, the beaches, the cities and all that, but not a lot of people think of the redwoods.

[00:18:31] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Yeah, for sure. I think that what you said is really important, that it doesn’t just exist. Mm-hmm. Right? That there are a lot of people behind the scenes, kind of like at a play when you go and you’re like, wow, that play was so amazing, but behind the scenes, there are so many people working to ensure that we have, you know, accessibility to cars coming in and parking spots and cleanliness. And I think that if you start exposing children to it, or younger people to it, it grows that sense of appreciation for the space that they also will want to take care of it.

[00:19:05] Kirstie Dutton 

Yeah.

[00:19:05] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

And it won’t just be this thing that you kind of take for granted.

[00:19:09] Kirstie Dutton 

Yeah. And a sense of responsibility. Right.

[00:19:11] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Right.

[00:19:11] Kirstie Dutton 

They’re going to inherit it eventually. So, they should take care of it, just like they’re gonna inherit taking care of their parents.

[00:19:17] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Yes, exactly right. Exactly right. How do you encourage your community and others to visit Redwoods or the state parks, and how can we partner with you to support it? What can we do to help?

[00:19:29] Kirstie Dutton

So far, we’ve been focusing on the youth, but when people talk about the loneliness epidemic, they don’t talk about seniors enough.

[00:19:36] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Yeah.

[00:19:36] Kirstie Dutton 

And there are so many seniors that are stuck at home. You know, you’re never too old to visit a state park.

[00:19:42] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Never. You haven’t been at the event as long as I have since I’ve been here all day. But what is something that you’re looking forward to about this kickoff event?

[00:19:51] Kirstie Dutton 

I know there are a bunch of hikes and different trails today. It was funny when we were prepping all the kids yesterday, one thing we discussed was the hiking trail and our kids are so excited. A lot of our older kids, like I said, I wasn’t able to come last year when we took them, but a lot of our older kids from last year are here, um, this year. So, they remember this being at this park and they’re excited to start climbing trees.

[00:20:14] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

And they could be ambassadors to the younger kids, right?

[00:20:17] Monica Carcamo-Binetti: 

TO introduce them to some of the things that they saw last year. So that’s wonderful. Thank you so much again. I really appreciate your time, and I really enjoyed our conversation.

[00:20:27] Kirstie Dutton 

Yeah, thank you too.

[00:20:28] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Thank you.

[00:20:29] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Today reminded me that state parks aren’t just places. They’re portals, portals into memory, healing, community and identity. Watching people gather today, especially during State Parks Week, brought so much of this episode’s message full circle. What struck me most was the different kinds of connections people were making. Some quiet and personal, others, loud and joyful. It is that human to land connection we always talk about. I saw it in real time and I hope you felt it too. Although California State Parks Week is over, your local redwood state parks are open and available for you all year long. So come out and explore the redwoods and make some memories this summer.

[00:21:15] Monica Carcamo-Binetti 

Thanks for joining us on I’ll Go If You Go, a Save the Redwoods League podcast. This season is produced by Leslie Parra and hosted by Monica Carcamo-Binetti, edited and sound engineered by Mac Cardona at cWave Media. Thank you to Mary McPheely and Caleb Castle for graphic design and media support and to Adam Kaplan for tech support. Theme Song and music by Nhu Nguyen and Annie Feng. You can find seasons one through four wherever you listen to podcasts or on savetheredwoods.org where you can also find transcripts of each episode. If you like our show, please rate and review. It helps more people find us and join in on the conversation. From behind the scenes and bonus content, follow us on Instagram at @IllGoIfYouGoPod. If you have comments or questions, you can email us at outreach@savetheredwoods.org. We’d love to hear from you and maybe even share your comments on the podcast. I look forward to when our paths cross again on the hiking trails and beyond.

[00:22:22] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Hi, Nancy. 

[00:22:23] Nancy

Hi.

[00:22:24] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

So, you are a volunteer for California State Parks?

[00:22:27] Nancy

Yes. 

[00:22:28] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

And how long have you been a volunteer?

[00:22:30] Nancy

Um, this is my second year, second summer. 

[00:22:33] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Do you want to tell us what your favorite part of the park is? 

[00:22:37] Nancy

Oh, it’s the redwoods I love. I get to close the picnic bathrooms at night when there’s nobody here and walking in the redwoods in the evening is just awesome. Come out and see the redwoods. Stand there under one hold. Put your arms around one of them and hug the tree. And thank them. 

[00:22:57] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Yes. Thank you so much, Nancy. It was lovely talking to you. 

[00:23:01] Nancy

Take care. 

[00:23:02] Monica Carcamo-Binetti

Thank you so much. Thank you. 

[00:23:02] Nancy

Okay.