CONSERVANCY COMMONS

Conservancy employees are encouraged to nominate an individual or team from the NPS for a Bridge Award! The Bridge Award was established to recognize cooperative, partnership-strengthening achievements between Golden Gate National Recreation Area staff and Conservancy staff to improve visitor experience and preserve natural and cultural resources. To submit a nomination, download the form at the link below, and send it to bridgeaward@parksconservancy.org. Nominations accepted until Sept. 15. The winners will be announced at the Employee Appreciation Party on Oct. 17.

The entire length of the Promenade is open to the public! The new trail surface is complete and new benches have been installed. Other work will continue through September, including seeding the section of area closest to the Warming Hut and irrigation improvements, none of which will impact access to the path. NPS Maintenance Division will take advantage of contractors already mobilized at Crissy to re-deck the Marsh and Channel Bridges. The Channel Bridge along the Promenade will continue to serve as a thoroughfare for visitors during construction. The start date for the repair is still to be determined.

After munching hard for the month of August, the goats left East Black Point last Friday. The entire hillside has been grazed and we're now ready to design and repair the historic garden walkways. Thank you to the 82 goat-watching volunteers who made this possible! Special recognition to the top three goat tenders: Ann Jensen (NPS), Jill Johnson (NPS), and Gwen Sobolewski (Conservancy Events Director). Look out for fun followup events, including a Black Point historic walkways tour, YoGoats at Fort Mason, and an Alcatraz Gardens workday and tour for prospective Black Point garden volunteers.

PrAna has offered Conservancy staff access to their Influencer Program, which allows all non-profit employees 50% off prAna gear - year-round - for personal use. The discount can be used at prAna.com and their 7 flagship retail stores. Apply at the link below. Choose the "Non-Profit Employee" classification and use your Conservancy .org email address when you apply.

6 - 8 pm. Be the first to know what’s happening in the parks with an evening at the Presidio Tunnel Tops Design Lab! Check out the latest designs and videos of the Presidio Tunnel Tops project, take a guided tour of the Design Lab, and enjoy complimentary brews and tasty snacks from Fort Point Beer Co. and Whole Foods. This 21-and-older event is ticketed and space is limited, so follow the link to purchase tickets below and bring your ID!

The Magic Theater, Fort Mason Center. A stage adaptation of the Robin Williams film "The Fisher King" is coming to Fort Mason, and will feature Alcatraz Cell House employee Peter Finch in the Ensemble. The production is a tribute to Williams, and all proceeds will go to charity. Find out more and buy tickets at the link below.

Noon - 1 pm, 201 Fort Mason, 3rd Fl Conference Rm. Stressed? Ease your eyes and mind by getting away from work and screens. Take advantage of the calming effects of adult coloring books and the often overlooked joy of eating with friends and colleagues. Coloring books and pencils will be provided, but feel free to BYO! Email questions to egonzalez@parksconservancy.org.

9 am - Noon. Let's make trash extinct! Pitch in for California Coastal Cleanup Day, and lend a hand throughout the Golden Gate National Parks and beyond! Cleanup and restoration activities will be happening in San Francisco, Marin, and Pacifica. Together we can keep our parks, neighborhoods, and shorelines clean, safe, and healthy for everyone.

Noon - 1 pm. Enjoy Rodeo Beach at the height of Bay Area Summer with a staff picnic! Bring your lunch, picnic blanket, camp chair, kite, Frisbee, musical instrument, and outdoor games and take a break away from your desk. Please RSVP below and let us know if you are interested in carpooling or joining a tour of Hawk Hill at 1 pm. Hosted by the Wellness Committee.

1 - 4:30 pm. Fort Mason General's Residence. This workshop on ocean acidification is an opportunity for formal and informal educators to receive the most up-to-date climate science information directly from researchers and for scientists to practice communication skills that can aid future educational collaborations. It is the first workshop of the BayCLIC Local Climate Science & Education Series, which is meant to bring the Bay Area’s science and education communities together to explore local climate research, program-specific applications, and place-based solutions. The event is open to anyone providing education programming, from park rangers to program leaders to interns. Register below.

8:30 pm - midnight, Presidio. We’re hosting the first-ever NightHowl, a dance party happening after the Trails Forever Dinner! Join us for a howlin’ night out with spins by DJ D Sharp (official DJ of the Golden State Warriors), savory & sweet eats, complimentary drinks, entertainment, games, and more! Tickets are $100/person. But wait! We have a STAFF ONLY DEAL: Bring 4 friends and you get in for free! (Or if you'd like to split with 5 people, it would be $80/person.) The staff deal promo code is TFDNH2017. You must purchase the tickets in a bundle. Questions? Email amecruz@parksconservancy.org. Hope to see you there!

2 - 4 pm, 201 Fort Mason, 3rd Fl Conference Rm. HR is bringing back free flu shots for all employees! Shots are given on a drop-in basis; no need to RSVP. If we have remaining shots, vouchers will be available afterwards.

9 am - 7 pm. 1199 East Beach. The Adult First Aid/CPR/AED course teaches students to care for a variety of first aid emergencies such as burns, cuts, scrapes, sudden illnesses, head, neck, back injuries, heat and cold emergencies and how to respond to breathing and cardiac emergencies for victims 12 years and older. Students will receive a certificate valid for two years. The Bloodborne Pathogens course is designed for those who are at risk for on the job exposure to blood and other bodily fluids in the workplace. The course teaches staff how bloodborne pathogens are spread, how to avoid exposure and what to do if exposed to infectious material. Those who complete the training receive a Bloodborne Pathogens Training certification valid for one year.

9 am - 12:30 pm, both dates. Bldg 1050, Marin Headlands. The GGNRA NPS invites Conservancy staff to participate in their upcoming Allies for Inclusion Dialogue Series, which will include 4 facilitated conversations around issues of relevancy, diversity, and inclusion and how they relate to the park system locally and nationally. Each dialogue builds on the one before it, so we ask that you attend all four. If interested, register at the link below by September 5. Questions and technical issues can be directed to nancy_caplan@nps.gov.

1 - 4 pm. Fort Mason B35N Conference Rm. Highly recommended for all managers who supervise staff. Do you ever find yourselves getting tangled up in the confusing administrative details of being a manager? Through our workshop, you can: gain insights into the administrative functions required by your job and get the tools to command them; align your efforts w/ HR in Recruitment, Employee Relations, and Benefits administration; learn to address disciplinary actions and grievances in a manner that is legally compliant and consistent with agency policies; demystify our Compensation system, Leaves of Absence and more. RSVP below.

This week we welcome six new employees, who will be working at Fort Mason, Alcatraz, and the Round House Cafe.