All calendar items are subject to change as we navigate the changing conditions and guidance related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please continue to adhere to all safety protocols including physical distancing, wearing masks and frequent hand washing. For information on how to get vaccinated in California, please visit myturn.ca.gov.
Wildlife areas, ecological reserves and other properties may be closed due to wildfires or wildfire damage. Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts are strongly encouraged to check for closures before leaving on any recreational trip.
Various Days — Guided Wetland Tours by Reservation at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, 3207 Rutherford Road, Gridley (95948). A wildlife naturalist will lead any group, school or organization on a half-mile route through the diverse wetlands of the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area. General information includes wildlife identification, behavior patterns and conservation efforts. The experience can be catered to include requested information. Each tour is limited to 15 people. COVID-19 guidelines will be followed, which may include masking and/or physical distancing. Come prepared and be respectful of other visitors. For more information, please call (530) 846-7505 or email Lori.Dieter@wildlife.ca.gov.
Various Days — Discover the Flyway School Program, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, 45211 County Road 32 B, Davis (95618). Discover the Flyway is an outdoor education program for kindergarten through 12th grade students that meets Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core Standards. Its goal is to offer children a meaningful outdoor experience that will give them an appreciation for the wetlands, agriculture and wildlife of the Central Valley and contribute to a lifetime of healthy outdoor activities and development of a land stewardship ethic. This school year, Yolo Basin Foundation is offering teachers three options: the chance to bring students to a field trip to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, the opportunity to have our educators and docents bring the program to their classroom or the option to participate from school or home in a live, virtually led activity. Teachers can learn more and register at www.yolobasin.org/schoolprograms.
Various Days — Public Access at Ballona Reserve, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday through Saturday, 13730 Fiji Way, Marvin Braude Bike Path, Marina del Rey (90292). The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) South Coast Region is pleased to announce the opening of a new public trail in Area A of the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve. Gateways to this trail are located across from Whiskey Red’s in Fisherman’s Village, where you can walk in or park your car, and on the Ballona Bike path near Fiji Way. Effective immediately, this trail is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday through Saturday but is subject to closure without notice, like many trails throughout the state, depending on environmental conditions. This area is also currently used by the Southern California Gas Company to access their monitoring wells, so please be respectful and aware of their presence. This is a pedestrian-only trail, no dog-walking or bikes allowed, but there are bike racks at each entrance. The trail is primarily compacted dirt and road base and can be mildly uneven in portions.
Various Days — Friday Habitat Restoration at Ballona Reserve, 3 to 5 p.m., April 1 and 15, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Roll up your sleeves to help the Friends of Ballona Wetlands restore the last coastal wetland in the City of Los Angeles. Get hands-on experience while learning about urban ecology. The time and effort put into clearing out invasive vegetation give our slow-growing native plants room to thrive. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon’s Market. Registration is required. For more details about the events and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2022/04/01/friday-habitat-restoration or www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2022/04/15/friday-habitat-restoration.
Various Days — Open Wetlands at Ballona Reserve, 9 a.m. to noon, April 2 and 10, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Please join the Los Angeles Audubon Society as they explore the beauty of the Ballona Wetlands – 600 acres of open space right here in Los Angeles. Wildflowers are blooming and migratory birds are returning to begin their summer nesting. A guided bird walk will start at 9 a.m., and the brand new Young Birders tour will start at 10 a.m. The entrance to the reserve is in the northeast corner of the parking lot behind Gordon’s Market. For more information, please contact cindyhardin@laaudubon.org or call Cindy at 310-301-0050.
Various Days — California Bumble Bee Atlas Field Events. Join a community science collaboration between CDFW and The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation to find out more about California’s native bumble bees while collecting data to help conserve declining species. Volunteers will learn to catch and handle bumble bees and practice photographing them and collecting habitat data. To register for the project and sign up for free, voluntary field training events, please visit the CABBA Field Events signup page. These events will be held April 2 at San Elijo Lagoon, San Diego from 10 a.m. to noon; April 23 at Filoli, Woodside from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and April 24 at Mendocino Coast Botanic Gardens from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, please visit www.cabumblebeeatlas.org/events.html or contact Leif Richardson, Xerces conservation biologist, at leif.richardson@xerces.org or Dylan Winkler, CDFW scientific aid, at Dylan.Winkler@wildlife.ca.gov.
Weekends — Ecological Reserve Tours at Elkhorn Slough, 10 and 11 a.m., 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Volunteers lead walks highlighting the natural history of the Elkhorn Slough every Saturday and Sunday. Capacity is limited due to physical distancing requirements and individuals must sign up on a first-come, first-served basis. Groups of six or more should call ahead at (831) 728-2822 to reserve a tour. For more information, please visit www.elkhornslough.org/esnerr/tours.
1 — Deadline for Invasive Species Youth Art Contest. Students in grades 2-12 are invited to submit an original art piece on the theme “Unite to Fight Invasive Species!” All types of media are welcome: drawings, paintings, mixed media, sculpture, animations, comic strips, videos, audio – send it all! Winners will be announced during Invasive Species Action Week, June 4-12. Please see submission guidelines at wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/invasives/action-week/poster-contest.
1 —Recreational Ocean Salmon Season Opens from Point Arena to U.S./Mexico Border. For more information, please visit the Ocean Salmon webpage at wildlife.ca.gov/oceansalmon or call either the CDFW Ocean Salmon Regulations Hotline at (707) 576-3429 or the National Marine Fisheries Service Ocean Salmon Regulations Hotline at (800) 662-9825.
7 — Flyway Nights Speaker Series, 7 p.m., via Zoom. Claire Ingel, CDFW senior environmental scientist, will discuss Sacramento perch at the April Flyway Nights Speaker Series. Sacramento perch is a California native fish that was once common and abundant throughout the Central Valley, but now struggles to survive in its native habitat. One of the main reasons for its decline has been the introduction of nonnative species to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and Central Valley. While remarkably resilient in various temperature and water quality conditions, this species competes poorly with other fish, especially sunfishes. One of the most unique populations of Sacramento perch was rescued from the drying Jewel Lake in 2014 and now lives in the demonstration wetlands ponds located at the Yolo Basin Wildlife Area Headquarters. This presentation highlights their journey to the ponds and CDFW’s management efforts along the way. For more information, please visit www.yolobasin.org/flywaynights.
9 — Tour of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, 9 a.m. to noon, 45211 County Road 32 B, Davis (95618). Join Yolo Basin Foundation’s docent on a fantastic tour that is appropriate for all levels of outdoor enthusiasts and birders. View seasonal and permanent wetlands, native grasslands and young riparian forests. Look for migrating and resident waterfowl, geese, swans, raptors and wading birds. Registration is required to attend. For more information and to register, please visit www.yolobasin.org/wetlands-tours.
9 — Ballona Creek Cleanup at Ballona Reserve, 9:30 a.m. to noon, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Help the Friends of Ballona Wetlands clean up the last coastal wetland in Los Angeles. Did you know that 130 square miles of storm drain flow into Ballona Creek? Gutter trash from as far away as North Hollywood can end up right in the wetlands. The time and effort put into clearing out debris means less trash in the wetlands, on beaches and in the open ocean. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon’s Market. Registration is required. For more details about the event and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2022/04/09/creek-cleanup.
12 — Focused Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) Technical Workshop: Detecting, Mapping and Recovering Oil at Night and in Fog. Virtual event. Topics will include detecting, mapping and recovery of floating oil at night or in low visibility conditions, autonomous technology for the detection of oil on water, and detecting oiled wildlife at night or in dense vegetation. For registration and additional information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/ospr/science or email oilworkshop2022@wildlife.ca.gov.
15 — 2022-23 Hunting Items Available for Purchase. Hunters can purchase 2022-23 hunting licenses, tags, validations and apply for the annual Big Game Drawing. Items may be purchased at any CDFW license agent, online, or by phone at (800) 565-1458. Sales transactions for the Big Game Drawing applications must be completed before midnight on June 2, 2022. Please contact a local CDFW license sales office for more information.
15 — Garden Days at Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Learn about native plant gardening and help the reserve maintain its new demonstration gardens! Participants will learn about native plant gardening and then spend time working in the gardens. Work changes with the season and may involve weeding, planting or collecting native seeds. All ages and abilities are welcome, but those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For more details and to register, please visit www.elkhornslough.org/calendar.
15 — Deadline to Submit Lobster Trap Loss Affidavits. Commercial lobster fishermen must submit an affidavit reporting trap loss for the 2021-2022 season. Forms can be found at nrm.dfg.ca.gov/filehandler.ashx?documentid=141218 and can be returned either by email to lobster@wildlife.ca.gov or by mail to 3883 Ruffin Road, San Diego, CA 92123.
16 — Salt Marsh and Dunes Tour at Ballona Reserve, 10 a.m. to noon, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Explore the wonder of nature in the middle of urban Los Angeles! Friends of Ballona Wetlands docents will lead participants through the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve while explaining its history and ecology. Enjoy the unique native plants as you journey through different habitats. Participants might even meet some of the local wildlife. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon’s Market. Registration is required. For more details about the event and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2022/04/16/saltmarsh-tour.
16 — Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Pop-up Information Booth, 10 a.m. to noon, Parking Lot A, 45211 County Road 32 B, Davis (95618). Every third Saturday of the month, Yolo Basin Foundation will have a pop-up information booth in Parking Lot A of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. If you’ve never visited the area or have questions, it is a great time to visit since volunteers will be present to hand out maps of the auto tour route and hiking trails, provide information about what to keep an eye out for and answer questions as visitors set out to explore local wildlife. Come visit the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area during this time of magical migrations. Waterfowl, geese, swans and more are making their way south along the Pacific Flyway. For more information about the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, please visit www.yolobasin.org/yolobypasswildlifearea.
19 — California Fish and Game Commission Tribal Committee Meeting, time to be determined, Monterey County Fair and Event Center, Seaside Room, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey (93940). Webinar/teleconference participation options will be available. For more information, please visit fgc.ca.gov.
20-21 — California Fish and Game Commission Meeting, time to be determined, Monterey County Fair and Event Center, Seaside Room, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey, (93940). Webinar/teleconference participation options will be available. For more information, please visit fgc.ca.gov.
23 — Earth Day Habitat Restoration, 9:30 a.m. to noon, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Roll up your sleeves to help the Friends of Ballona Wetlands restore the last coastal wetland in Los Angeles. Get hands-on experience while learning about urban ecology. The time and effort put in to clearing out invasive vegetation give our slow-growing native plants room to thrive. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon's Market. Registration is required. For more details about the event and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2022/04/23/community-habitat-restoration.
23 — Earth Day Bioblitz, 10 a.m. to noon, 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Explore the Elkhorn Slough Reserve and upload biodiversity data to the community monitoring site “iNaturalist” to be shared with scientists all over the world! Reserve naturalists will be on hand to help identify species and share tips and tricks for using iNaturalist. No prior experience is necessary but registration is required. For more details and to register, please visit www.elkhornslough.org/calendar.
28 — Technical Assistance Workshop for Cannabis Cultivators, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 26 Ponderosa Lane, Weaverville (96093). This technical assistance workshop is ideal for cannabis cultivators and consultants. CDFW’s cannabis permitting, engineering and grant staff will be available to discuss project specific technical questions, notification package assistance, compliance questions and cannabis grant program opportunities. One-on-one meetings can be scheduled at askcannabis@wildlife.ca.gov on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be sure to include “Technical Pop-Up” in the subject line and the preferred time in the message. No walk-ins will be allowed due to COVID-19 restrictions. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/cannabis/events.
30 — Bishop Fish Camp, 8 a.m. to noon, Bishop City Park, 688 N. Main Street, Bishop (93514). Learn the basics of fly fishing in a one-day fish camp hosted by the City of Bishop and supported by local fly fishing guides and CDFW. Participants will learn about casting, fly tying, aquatic insects and fishing/boating safety. After a snack break, participants will be able to test their skills by fly fishing the Bishop City Park Pond with the help of local fly fishing guides and volunteers. This program is open to children ages 6-12 and has 20 available slots per day April 30 and May 1. Reservations are required and will open two weeks prior to the event. To make a reservation, please visit bishopparksandrec.sportsites.com/player.
30 — California Duck Days, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Headquarters, 45211 County Road 32 B, Davis (95618). California Duck Days Festival is back! Join Yolo Basin Foundation at this popular family-oriented, community-based, outdoor wetlands festival with activities for people of all ages. Onsite activities include interactive exhibits, wetland themed arts and crafts, demonstrations and workshops. See live ducklings, bats, snakes and raptors up close and personal, dissect owl pellets, wade into the water to explore, enjoy nature-themed music, and more! Food trucks will be onsite. For more information, please visit www.yolobasin.org/californiaduckdays.
30 — Deadline to Report Spiny Lobster Report Cards. Lobster divers and hoop netters must report their lobster report card data by April 30. Report card holders who fail to return their Spiny Lobster Report Card by mail or report their data online by the deadline will be assessed a $21.60 non-return fee when they purchase a spiny lobster report card for the following season. Divers and hoop netters may report online or mail their report card to the address printed on the report card. To report online, please visit www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/internetsales/customersearch/begin.
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Media Contacts:
Amanda McDermott, CDFW Communications, (916) 738-9641