Discovering the Enviroment through Education and Recreation

Inexpensive alternatives for nature education outside of the classroom in San Luis Obispo are rare. Seeing an unmet need, San Luis Obispo County is providing this new opportunity! Discovering the Environment through Education and Recreation (DEER) Program will offer a hands-on nature experience where participants can commune with nature and gain respect and knowledge of the natural environment. Groups of 12 youth will be accommodated on each DEER Program weekend to one of four park locations: Lopez Lake Recreation Area, Santa Margarita Lake Recreation Area, El Chorro Regional Park, or Oceano Regional Park.

On a program weekend, the group will learn camping skills and etiquette as well as a foundation in natural and cultural resources. The interpretive program for the weekend will offer a broad perspective on human impact, geology of the area, climate changes, urban encroachment, fire ecology and watershed as well as camping 101, survival and basic first aid. San Luis Obispo County encompasses diverse ecosystems that provide a platform for integrating natural history with resource preservation. The program will also provide the education necessary to encourage program participants to support the preservation of parks and wild lands. Participants will also learn leadership skills, team building, conflict resolution and problem solving. The DEER Program will instill values necessary to correct behaviors that negatively impact parks and public lands such as poor camping etiquette, improper waste management, the inability to recycle, noise pollution, and common safety risks.

The DEER Program will provide an opportunity for youth from our community’s range of diverse cultural and economic populations to enjoy and experience nature in a safe and comfortable setting. A key component of the DEER Program is to provide basic yet quality camping gear for all participants who might otherwise never go camping for want of a sleeping bag or camp stove. A trailer with program supplies will be transported when needed at different sites for program weekends.

Community outreach is extremely important and vital for the continuation of the DEER Program. Funding is limited and continues to become scarce, similar to that of the open space which we all benefit from as a global ecosystem. Financial support as well as in-kind donations are gratefully accepted. Volunteers serve as a major component of the program to provide environmental education and program activities as well as management of the program itself. Partners in the community are continuing to grow too, with shared values such as outdoor recreation, children and family, education, and well-being of our natural world.

D.E.E.R. Program Interns Victoria Carranza and Evan Corrales

Victoria : Hello beautiful world! My name is Victoria Carranza and I am a Central Coast native. I am a real foodie who loves the idea of local, fresh produce and sharing meals and conversation with people. I enjoy hiking, spending time with family and friends (outside preferable), bicycling everywhere pretty much, admiring and making art, and most of all political activism. I have strong environmental values that have stayed with me ever since I decided to stand up in front of my city council as an eleven year old to permit a storm drain management plan. I am currently a Cal Poly student majoring in Environmental Management and Protection pursuing a double minor in Sutainable Environments and City and Regional Planning. I serve as President of the Empower Poly Coalition at my school that unites all humanitarian and environmental clubs and co-found Sierra Student Coalition at Cal Poly. I believe in the power of the youth and encourage children that they have more power than they realize to be the difference in this world. I am making change right now!

Evan: Greetings fellow bretheren. My name is Evan Corrales and I am currently a third-year student at Cal Poly majoring in Forestry and Natural Resources, hence the beard. I am originally from San Diego, but have definately fallen in love with the Central Coast. I like to do most outdoor activities, but rock climbing and surfing are probably my main sports. I also enjoy good books, especially classics like Walden and On the Road. I had the pleasure of working as a wilderness ranger in the Sierra Nevada last summer and I learned a lot about good hiking and camping etiquette and a deeper respect for those that devote their lives to protecting the outdoors for recreation. My love for the outdoors and the drive to encourage others to love and preserve it as well have brought me here, and I am excited to work with a new generation of environmental protectors.

For information on the D.E.E.R. Program please contact Intern, Victoria or Evan at Lopez Lake, Monday - Thursday, 7:00am - 5:30pm at 805.788.2386 or by email at slocountydeer@gmail.com.

A big "Thank You" goes out to the following sponsors for their generous donations!

Last revised: July 25, 2011

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY PARKS
1087 SANTA ROSA STREET
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA 93408
Phone: (805) 781-5930
Fax: (805) 781-1102
SLOParks@co.slo.ca.us

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