CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
News Release


For Immediate Release

Date: March 8, 2008

Contact: Supervising Ranger Kirk Shea
Phone No.: 760-767-1329
Email Address: kshea@parks.ca.gov



Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area has launched its Volunteer Program with great success. Since its inception of February 23, 2008, thirty six volunteers have donated 175 hours in the Park.

“With the help of these volunteers, we were able to contact over three hundred groups in the Freeman Property and educate them about the area,” said Supervising Ranger Kirk Shea.

For decades the Freeman Property was a collection of private and government properties. Recently, California State Parks purchased several thousand acres. Additionally, they are working with the State Lands Commission to acquire several thousand more acres. These lands haven’t been actively managed in decades. Now that State Parks has acquired these lands, they will be managing them.

“We want people to know about what’s been happening, what’s going to happen, and the Department’s mission of balancing recreation and preservation. The key is communication,” Kirk Shea said.

California State Parks has 278 Parks throughout the State. Each year volunteers donate over one million hours of their time. That time is invaluable as the volunteers often enhance current programs and facilities. Ocotillo Wells SVRA has been around since the 1980’s but has never had a Volunteer Program.

Many of the volunteers that gave their time and energy belong to local Off-Highway Recreation Groups like Tierra del Sol, The Early Broncos, and the San Diego Off-Road Coalition. Some of the volunteers are also local residents though. What they all had in common though was the desire to educate, communicate, preserve and give back to the community.

For additional information on Volunteer opportunities with Ocotillo Wells SVRA, or any California State Park, please contact Supervising Ranger Kirk Shea at 760-767-1329 or kshea@parks.ca.gov.

I will call them today.Me and my family would be more than happy to volunteer some time at Ocotillo.

nice!! thanks for posting...

Thats cool, good post and great info....

Just sent my email asking where and when I can help hope to hear something as I thought I signed up at the sand and off road show to help but never received anything.