A few weeks ago, the River Parkway Trust's staff received a message from a 5th grade teacher at Carmel River Elementary School in Carmel, CA. He informed us that a group of students from his class had selected the San Joaquin River for a special river clean up project.

The student group searched California waterways and focused on selection criteria that included the amount of pollution, their hometown, and family and friends near the waterway. The students held a fundraiser, selling metal straws and reusable grocery bags and raised $137 for the River Parkway Trust to support preserving the San Joaquin River.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank Sarah, Sidney, Allie, Delilah, and Zachary of Mr. Colborn's 5th grade class for their support and dedication to improving the health of the San Joaquin River.

For the first time ever, the River Parkway Trust is offering River Camp during Spring Break. This program will take place the week of April 15th-19th for campers currently in 1st-8th grades.

While much of Spring Break River Camp will run similarly to our summer program, there are a few key differences:

Registration for Spring Break River Camp will close on March 31st. Click on the button to register now.

Link to the Spring Break River Camp Camper Guide

Wildlife habitat enhancement is underway at Jenco Farms a 20-acre riparian property located north of Jensen River Ranch. The River Parkway Trust's restoration technicians have been working to install the irrigation system, mark the planting layout with flags, and install 2,613 native plants, trees, and shrubs. In the months ahead Trust staff and volunteers will steward these new plants to support their survival. This work includes:

The Jenco Farms Property was acquired by the San Joaquin River Conservancy in 2015. The Trust's habitat restoration project is made possible by a grant from the San Joaquin River Conservancy utilizing funding from Proposition 1.

Visit our River Stewards web page for more info about getting involved in the Trust's conservation work.

The San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust and Region 4 of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife will host the 6 ^th Annual Sycamore Island Fishing Derby on Saturday, March 23, from 7:00 am to 11:00 am .

 

This event includes freshly stocked trout in the Trout Pond. Additional fishing opportunities include largemouth and smallmouth bass. Prizes will be awarded in both Youth (15 & under) and Adult categories for the longest bass and longest trout. All derby participants will be entered into a drawing to win a California Lifetime Fishing License donated by the Central Sierra Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

 

There is no fee to enter the fishing derby. Regular day use fees, $9 per vehicle and $5 per trailered boat, will remain in effect. Advance registration is available at www.riverparkway.org . Participants may also register on the day of the derby beginning at 6:00 am. The awards ceremony will begin at 12:00 pm. All participants ages 16 and up must have a current CA Fishing License.

 

The 6 ^th Annual Sycamore Island Fishing Derby is made possible thanks to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the San Joaquin River Conservancy, and Trout Unlimited. 

Let’s christen the beautiful new River Center barn with a family friendly hoedown! No experience is needed to enjoy folk and line dancing taught by Larry Cusick– a patient, experienced dance caller. Beer and food trucks will be on hand to satisfy appetites worked up by dancing. Bring the kids or grandkids and let’s dance ‘til the cows come home! Y’all come and dance now!

Members : $15

Non-Members: $20

Kids: FREE

Take a break from the rush of everyday life and join the River Parkway Trust for the first Respite by the River. Bring your picnic dinner, blanket, lawn chair, and relax on the Ranch House front lawn while you enjoy live dinner music provided by talented local musicians. Macca's Wine Bar will be open during the dinner hour with wines for sale by the glass. Enjoy a reading by this great Central Valley author. Dessert will be available for sale.

Lee Herrick is the author of three books of poems: Scar and Flower, Gardening Secrets of the Dead, and This Many Miles from Desire. He was born in Daejeon, South Korea, adopted at ten months old, and raised in California. He lives with his daughter and wife in Fresno, CA. He teaches at Fresno City College and in the MFA program at Sierra Nevada College.

Curtis Messer is a songwriter, recording artist, and sound engineer. His recent projects include the audio production portion for US poet Laureate, Juan Felipe Herrera’s book Borderbus, as well as various ongoing musical productions with fellow creators and performers. He currently lives in rural Sanger California, where he focuses his time on developing and learning to maintain a permaculture system. His desire is to adopt a fully sustainable lifestyle and to inspire others to do the same.

Visit the Respite by the River web page for more information about the 2019 Season.

Thank you to all the Parties hosts, contributing artists, volunteers, sponsors, food and beverage vendors, and guests that made the 2019 Parties for the Parkway Kickoff a fantastic success. It was a great evening with wonderful food and wine, music, and fun. The reservation room was busy all evening, with 14 parties selling out that night.

Don't worry if you weren't able to be at the Kickoff. There are still many wonderful Parties with space available this season.

Visit the Parties for the Parkway reservation page to read about the upcoming parties and to reserve your spot today.