10 Spring 2021 Applegater Pacifica trails offer escape from COVID trials BY PEG PRAG 2021 brings humble thoughts for us to ponder BY JANIS MOHR-TIPTON Being thankful: For rain that is soaking into our park’s soil, supporting all of the root systems. Looking forward: To the waning days of the pandemic, so we can see more of each other, and spring can bring all the beautiful wildflowers’ colors and fragrances to the park. Very grateful: For park users who have been thoughtful and courteous to the park hosts, rangers, and staff who have been working with reduced staff due to COVID restrictions and have just as much work as before the pandemic. Being ever so grateful: For the wonderful donors, volunteers, and supporters of Cantrall Buckley throughout all of its development, growth, and transitions since it became a park 51 years ago. Patience: So appreciated as we wait for projects to be completed and new ones to begin for enhancing, restoring, and maintaining this 88-acre forest park. With positivity in our hearts: Looking forward toward the future with new ideas and plans taking shape as we move from virtual to on-the-ground work again in 2021. Remembering: That gratitude is an important part of keeping our lives healthy so we can take walks, picnic, swim, and enjoy seeing others at our community’s park. Best of thoughts in 2021. Janis Mohr-Tipton, the Park Enhancement Team, and A Greater Applegate (AGA) Now: What are the park plans for this year? We have still been meeting virtually, but are starting to assess what upkeep, restoration, and development are possible to address on the ground, working in small groups of people (in interesting arrays of color and design of masks as needed). This is the summary of what is being planned: • Small work groups (ten maximum) throughout the spring for removing weeds and invasive plants, amending the soil, and mulching in landscaped beds along the parking area of the lower area. • A cleanup day in partnership with SOLVE for Earth Day on April 17. Sign up online at solveoregon.org (project location is in Jacksonville) or contact Janis. • Art projects. The artists for our two art projects in the park (Cheryl D. Garcia and Jeremy Criswell) are slowly moving back into their work as their bodies are healing from injuries. Still looking at completion in 2021. And by then, we hope to be able to gather to celebrate! • Trail maintenance. Watch for the date to participate in the Applegate Trails Association’s trail maintenance work in the park. • Outdoor Education in the park. Scheduling is now beginning for small groups, spread throughout the park, to do studies, art, and service work. This is a partnership with the park team, AGA, and the Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council’s (APWC) Environmental and Cultural Education Program. • Riparian Restoration along the park side of the Applegate River. This is a partnership with Jackson County Parks and APWC, with the park team and AGA supporting the plan and providing volunteer teams for some labor hours. The invasive species that have overtaken the young native trees and shrubs will be removed, aging trees will be trimmed, and new native species planted. This will create a healthier zone, help to mitigate the spread of fire, and develop better food sources for animal and bird species. There will be interpretative signage for education and cultural awareness for all ages. Steve Lambert, Jackson County Parks Manager, said that after he had seen the devastation on the greenway from the Almeda Fire in September, he was happy for this restoration in the park, especially for educating the public on the importance of having more fire-safe riparian zones for both private and public areas. • A Hiker-Biker site in the Cantrall Buckley Campground. Community donations can be specified for this project. Fundraising will be ongoing. The project will begin when the campground is closed for the winter season. We will list the dates and times for each project that needs volunteer support on the AGA weekly bulletin, Applegate Connect, and the APWC website, as well as provide flyers at multiple businesses and public locations. If you would like to be placed on a volunteer list to be called as needed, you can contact Janis at janis. agapark@gmail.com. Janis Mohr-Tipton • 541-846-7501 janis.agapark@gmail.com It’s spring, and everyone should be outdoors enjoying it…unfortunately, just not together. Hiking and walking, however, are permitted, even encouraged, at Pacifica. So here’s the plan for “COVID-Trial Trail-Trekkers.” Pacifica, a 420-acre, education-based nonprofit, is open (except during events) and free to the public during daylight hours for catch-and-release fishing, hiking, dog-walking, horseback-riding, and disc golf. There are six or seven miles of trails. All, except one, are very easy and pleasant walking. The trails take you through woods and oak meadows and by ponds, with great views of the Siskiyous. The Nature Center is working on interpretive activity stations along the Camp Meeting Creek Trail that explain the five different habitats you’re walking through. Hopefully, by March 1 we’ll have a box at each trailhead kiosk where you can pick up a map; a variety of changing printed scavenger hunts and activities for families; a self-guided, create- your-own nature journal hike; and color identification sheets (to be returned at the trail-end kiosk) of flowers, birds and trees. Every month there will be a new themed hike, such as a Habitat Hike, Scavenger Hunt, Learn Leaves, etc. Anyone can play—families, kids, adults, dogs—just not in groups other than those you’re living with. Please remember, if you should, by unlikely chance, meet anyone, respect social distancing and stay at least six feet away. You can pick up the appropriate activity instructions from the waterproof box at either trail head. Please keep these papers; don’t return them to the box. If, at the end of this challenging time, you have at least three hike papers, you’ll receive a COVID-Trial Trail-Trekker Star (if you can say it three times fast in a row!). In March, a great wildflower show will begin, and by April you might start to see the migrating warblers. Pacifica is an excellent bird-watching site because of its different habitats. In April, also, the plants in the large Fragrant Garden and Pollinator Garden should begin to bloom. Be sure to stop to enjoy them. Clean hands, busy feet, and happy hearts! Peg Prag peg@pacificagarden.org Miles of trails at Pacifica are open to the public for free, socially distanced use. Map by Ann Gunter.