What the Docents Know

Mark Hylkema, Archeologist

Mark’s titles include Cultural Resources Program Manager, Tribal Liaison and Archeologist, all for the State Parks Santa Cruz District.  He is also an adjunct professor of archeology at Foothill College. Mark talks about playing guitar in a rock band, about the lifestyle and cultural practices of native Californians, and about what we can learn from them with regard to current land management strategies.  He shares some gruesome and horrific details about the treatment of native Californians, in some cases sanctioned by the government, in the wake of the gold rush.  And he offers a story of hope, about a State Parks project to invite native groups to reconnect with their land, their history and their culture.

Miranda Canestro, Lecturer, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Miranda has lived on the Rancho Marino Reserve in Cambria, California for 18 years.  She talks about her powerful connection to the land and water of the reserve, about the many science projects that are conducted there, and about the day she and her husband dragged a dead California Gray whale from the beach into their front yard.

Portia Halbert, Environmental Scientist

Portia Halbert is an environmental scientist for the Santa Cruz District of the California State Park system, overseeing an area of over 70,000 acres.  She talks about the joy of wielding a drip torch for prescribed burns, about battling invasive species, about how the crumbs from your picnic lunch in the mountains can affect the survival of an endangered seabird, about her elaborate scheme to make Steller's jays sick to their stomach, and about her secret plan for using drones to blow up treetops.

Susan Blake: Park Interpreter

Susan talks about the challenges and rewards of being a Park Interpreter, and about the role of volunteers at Big Basin Redwoods State Park

What the docents know: trailer

This podcast features interviews with a variety people involved with the history, management and operations of Big Basin State Park.