MARINA – About a week before the official nationally celebrated date, Earth Day in Marina this weekend will be marked by a mix of volunteerism and festivities at the city’s “Central Park.”
Locke-Paddon Wetland Community Park at 190 Seaside Circle in Marina, next to the Marina Library, will be the site of the 18th annual Marina Earth Day festival this Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Volunteers should arrive between 8:30-8:45 a.m., choose a service project and begin work at 9 a.m.
The event to foster engagement and encourage volunteering for the coastal wetland habitat is co-sponsored by Citizens for a Sustainable Marina, the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, and the city of Marina.
“It’s a unique combination of volunteer service to help the park and the planet followed by a fun festival … and everything is free,” said Marina Mayor Bruce Delgado.
The nationally-recognized annual Earth Day date of April 22 lands on a Monday this year and is preceded on that weekend with the Sea Otter Classic, so scheduling conflicts were a determining factor for Marina and its partners to host the Earth Day festival this Saturday.
This fun, free, family-centric event will have something for everyone including the volunteer projects, live music dancing, art activities, educational booths, live native animal encounters, face painting and enviro-friendly toys for the kids, according to organizers. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about endangered species, food, local native plant gardening, recycling practices, electric vehicles and more.
Having it in Marina’s “Central Park” or its own “Golden Gate Park,” as Delgado dubbed Locke-Paddon Park, was a no-brainer as it presents itself as a place of learning and respect for the environment, but it needs a lot of work year round to make it healthier.
Volunteer service options include planting a new native pollinator garden, removing ice plant or the larger French broom, picking up litter, transplanting seedlings, and sowing native seeds. No prior experience is necessary and all ages are welcome to participate, though anyone under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a supervising adult. Each participant will be required to sign a liability release form for Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District at registration.
Volunteers who register by 9 a.m. will enjoy a free “thank you” vegan lunch courtesy of Marina’s Ho Wah Chinese restaurant.
Marina’s Earth Day celebration will bring regional leaders and the public together to support efforts to connect with nature. The family-friendly event will help to continue the restoration and beautification of unique wetland community park, while bringing the community together.
“We have a very positive relationship with the city of Marina and like Laguna Grande where we partner with cities of Seaside and Monterey, we have partnered with the city of Marina, expanded environmental and cultural education programs to Locke-Paddon Park, and lastly in doing so, the Park District and its partners are looking at creating a network of education throughout the district so that we’re benefiting all communities,” said Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District General Manager Rafael Payan.
MPRPD owns Locke-Paddon Wetland Community Park and the plan for the park is continuing to work in close partnership with the city of Marina in making improvements in the park, and Mayor Delgado has been instrumental in advancing the restoration of the property, said Payan.
Delgado said there is a management plan that exists and is going to be updated by the partners with $40,000 already earmarked for the plan’s revamp.
In the meantime, an oak woodland area that drains into the Locke-Paddon wetland has been enhanced along with the protection of some critical habitat for endangered plants such as the sand gilia or Monterey gilia.
Providing key support for the festival will be the three co-sponsors, as well as Sierra Club Ventana Chapter, Monterey Peninsula Engineering, Marina Springhill Suites Marriott, Joby Aviation, Marina Casino, and Chuck Haugen Conservation Fund.
Also happening on Saturday is the unveiling of the Born Learning Trail at Locke-Paddon Wetland Community Park at 10:30 a.m. The trail is the result of collaboration with the city of Marina, Blue Zones Project Monterey County and United Way Monterey County. The event will include an interactive event with reading, activities and prizes.
The Born Learning Trail is a series of 10 interactive stations with English and Spanish signage that offers fun, active learning activities for young children and their families, according to United Way Monterey County. It helps parents, caregivers, and communities create quality engagement. It is an exceptional resource designed to support inter-generational learning, increase the utilization of parks and open spaces, and promote community wellness. This installation is part of a web of Born Learning Trails that span from the southern tip of Texas through Canada and as far north as Anchorage, Alaska.
Funding from the Blue Zones Project was provided for the signage of the Born Learning Trail. Marina city staff also played a crucial role in directing the placement and installation of the trail, ensuring that it seamlessly integrates into the park’s landscape.
For more information about the Born Learning Trail unveiling event or the City of Marina’s efforts to become a Blue Zones Project certified community, please contact Andrea Willer at 831-884-1253.
