The Survival of the California Condor
Conservation biologist Bill Toone, the Founder and Executive Director of the Ecolife Foundation, joins Treehuggers International to talk about his work in the federally appointed California Condor Recovery Team, as well as his current work with the Ecolife Foundation and the upcoming Walking 4 Water 5K at Mission Bay Park on October 4th.
Tribute to David Rodriguez, 1959 – 2009
Podcast: Download (Duration: 31:18 — 28.7MB)
Treehuggers International presents a special, encore presentation of our interview with David Rodriguez, who died of complications from diabetes on July 1st in Washington D.C., where he’d been serving as the Director of Communications and External Affairs for the National American Indian Housing Council. At the time of his appearance on Treehuggers International, David was in his sixth year at the Urban Corps of San Diego, where he was the Director of Administration and Grant Development.
David’s appearance on Treehuggers International was originally broadcast March 9, 2008.
A fan of FM 94/9, David grew up in the San Diego County outdoors learning to appreciate, value, and protect the environment, and he ably brought his knack for community organization and stewardship together with his passion for the environment at the Urban Corps of San Diego, which continues work at Chollas Creek, long a project of David’s, who also served as the Political Director for the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians and the CEO of the Native American Corporate America Business Conference during his long career of community leadership in San Diego.
More about this post at:
- Urban Corps of San Diego
- Activist Well-Served Environment, Youth, and His Community (San Diego Union-Tribune, 8/6/09)
- National American Indian Housing Council
- Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians
- Pascua Yaqui Tribe
Los Angeles County Trails with Jerry Schad
Veteran Southern California outdoor writer and science professor Jerry Schad talks about the newly-revised edition of his book Afoot and Afield In Los Angeles County, and also gives tips on places to go stargazing in Southern California.
Guns In National Parks
Podcast: Download (Duration: 32:33 — 26.1MB)
Yosemite and Half Dome: Is it time to lock and load at America's National Parks?
Michael Cipra from the National Parks Conservation Association’s Desert Field office in Joshua Tree talks about the danger to rangers, wildlife, and the public with the introduction of firearms into National Parks after a long-standing prohibition on loaded weapons, first made law in the 1930s and upheld by President Reagan in 1981, was curiously repealed.
An 11th hour amendment added to the 2009 Credit Card Reform Act to allow loaded firearms in National Parks and other National Park Service lands has passed Congress, and the entire legislative package, complete with the guns-in-National-Parks provision, has regrettably been signed into law by President Obama.
We at Treehuggers International are exceedingly disappointed in Congress’ unwillingness to have a public debate on the matter of firearms in National Parks, and at President Obama for signing the package into law in what appears to be an act of pure political concession.
While hunting is appropriately allowed in some National Parks and wildlife refuges, we at Treehuggers International, along with citizens’ groups, conversation organizations, and retired park rangers, can’t think of a more reckless move than to allow loaded weapons in National Parks in all seasons, especially in areas where conservation is the guiding principle, not an afterthought.
More about this post at:
- National Parks Conservation Association
- Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, statement on guns in National Parks
- National Parks Gun Law Takes effect In February (Washington Post; 5/22/09)
- Shotguns, AK-47s, and Your National Parks (NPR; 5/22/09)
- National Parks Bracing for Armed Visitors (New Jersey on-line; 5/21/09)
- Guns In National Parks A Deadly Decision (Opposing Views; 5/21/09)
- Fine Print In Credit Card Bill: Concealed Weapons At National Parks (Los Angeles Times; 5/20/09)
- Ranger, Conservation Groups Oppose Guns In National Parks (The Oregonian; 5/14/09)
Eighty Percent of California State Parks to Close
California’s State Parks are the envy of the nation, but they are facing grim times as Governor Schwarzenegger intends to close, padlock, and mothball 80% of state parks by the end of the summer.
Bio Blitz with the San Diego Natural History Museum
Dr. Michael Wall from the San Diego Natural History Museum talks about the museum’s second annual 24-hour Bio Blitz, happening this year at Mission Trails Regional Park.
San Diego River Park Foundation
Rob Hutsel, Executive Director of the San Diego River Park Foundation, talks about conservation work along the length of San Diego’s namesake river, including the San Diego River Park Foundation’s recent milestone of one million pounds of trash being removed since the organization’s founding in 2001.
Defending the Environment In Court
Angela Howe, the Legal Manager at the Surfrider Foundation’s national office in San Clemente, talks with Tommy about upholding environmental law and taking environmental scofflaws and persistent lawbreakers to task in court.
