National Volunteer Week honors the individuals who dedicate themselves to taking action and solving problems in their communities. For 2014, National Volunteer Week was observed from Sunday, April 6 through Saturday, April 12.
National Park Week is an annual week for celebration and recognition of your National Parks. National Park Week usually coincides with Earth Day (April 22). For 2014, National Park Week was observed from Saturday, April 19 through Sunday, April 27.
Earth Day began when a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, called for an environmental teach-in in 1969, which was inspired by the teach-ins dealing with the Vietnam War. The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, and drew an estimated 20 million participants. Tens of thousands of people filled New York's Fifth Avenue, Congress adjourned so members could speak across the nation, and at least 2,000 colleges marked the occasion. American Heritage Magazine called the first Earth Day "one of the most remarkable happenings in the history of democracy." Today, Earth Day is celebrated in 174 countries by over a half billion people, making it the most celebrated secular holiday in the world, a day on which people get outdoors, plant trees, clean up trash and lobby for the environment.
Your National Parks are living examples of the best this nation has to offer-our magnificent natural landscapes and our varied yet interrelated heritage. Parks can provide recreational experiences, opportunities to learn and grow, and places of quiet refuge.
This year, take a moment, an hour, a day to visit the national parks near you.
As part of our Earth Day and National Park Week celebration, Point Reyes National Seashore hosted or participated in a variety of activities throughout the week prior to and after Earth Day to promote sustainability, to raise environmental awareness, and to discuss actions we can take to help reduce our environmental footprint. The weeks' activities include:
On Shaky Ground Date: Saturday, April 19 & 26 Time: 10:30 am Location: Earthquake Trailhead at Bear Valley
Description: Dare to tread the San Andreas Fault where the earth's crust shifted and moved 5 meters (16 feet) in 1906! Meet a Park Ranger at the start of the Earthquake Trail for this easy 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) walk. Program lasts 1 to 1.5 hours. Contact: Bear Valley Visitor Center, 415-464-5100 x2 x5, email
Photography exhibition: Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary a National Treasure, a Local Jewel Date: Daily Location: Red Barn Classroom Description: Cordell Bank is an offshore underwater oasis that thrives with ocean species above and below the surface. Its biological wealth earned federal protection as a National Marine Sanctuary in 1989. Since it's so difficult to visit, come visit it in this photo exhibit, where we bring it to you. Photographs of some of Cordell Bank's marine organisms are on display in the Red Barn Classroom at Point Reyes National Seashore from January 8 through June 3, 2014. The Red Barn art gallery is open by appointment only. Visit the Red Barn Art Exhibitions section of our Indoor Activities page for more information.
Journey of the Whales Date: Saturday, April 19; Sunday, April 20; Saturday April 26; & Sunday, April 27 Time: 1:30 pm Location: Point Reyes Lighthouse Visitor Center Description: Join a Ranger to learn about gray whales as they migrate past Point Reyes. Learn about their habits and adaptations, and hope for a whale sighting from the Observation Deck. Program lasts 30 minutes. This program is given out-of-doors. Come prepared for windy, cold and damp weather. Contact: Point Reyes Lighthouse Visitor Center, 415-669-1534, email
Science on a Sphere Date: Saturday, April 19; Sunday, April 20; Saturday, April 26; & Sunday, April 27 Time: 1:30 pm Location: Bear Valley Visitor Center Auditorium Description: Join a National Park Service ranger in the Visitor Center's auditorium to get a perspective of planet Earth that once was available only to astronauts. Science on a Sphere® gives a view of the Earth and the forces that shape life on our planet. We use the Science on a Sphere® to illustrate various models from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and other scientists, such as atmospheric warming, ocean acidification, sea level rise, and other potential effects of climate change. Contact: Bear Valley Visitor Center, 415-464-5100 x2 x5, email
Kule Loklo Walk Date: Sunday, April 20 & 27 Time: 10:30 am Location: Bear Valley Visitor Center Description: Join a ranger for this 1 to 1.5 hour tour of Kule Loklo, a replica Coast Miwok village. This leisurely 1.3 kilometer (0.8 mile) tour introduces visitors to the Coast Miwok Culture. Program lasts 1 to 1.5 hours. Contact: Bear Valley Visitor Center, 415-464-5100 x2 x5, email
Electronic Waste (e-waste) Recycling Collection Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2013 Time: 10 am to 2 pm Location: Bear Valley Visitor Center parking lot Description: On April 22, at the Bear Valley Visitor Center, from 10 am to 2 pm, Point Reyes National Seashore hosted an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling collection, joining thousands of local organizers holding recycling and other events across the country to celebrate Earth Day, the only nationally and globally recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating planet Earth and the protection of its resources.
Please note the following items were accepted:
All computers and related accessories and peripherals
Televisions/CRT Monitors
Audio/video equipment
Small printers, scanners, and faxes
Wires, cables, and power cords
Printer toner and inkjet cartridges
Cell phones, PDAs, and telephones
Small kitchen appliances
VHS, cassette, 8-Track tapes
The following items were NOT accepted:
Dry cell batteries (AA, AAA, D, etc.)
Light bulbs of any kind
Large household appliances such as refrigerators and stoves
Furniture
Commercial copy machines
NO HAZARDOUS WASTE
All e-waste was taken to Renew Computers in San Rafael, California, for recycling. For more information about e-waste recycling at Point Reyes National Seashore contact Dale Dualan at 415-464-5286.
415-464-5100
This number will initially be answered by an automated attendant, from which one can opt to access a name directory, listen to recorded information about the park (e.g., directions to the park; visitor center hours of operation; fire danger information; wildlife updates; ranger-led programs; seasonal events; etc.), or speak with a ranger. Please note that if you are calling between 4:30 pm and 10 am, park staff may not be available to answer your call.
