Año Nuevo State Park is a jewel on the California coast and home to the incredible California elephant seal. As a docent you have a special relationship to the park, the animals, and the visitors.
I joined the Año Nuevo training program in the summer of 2024. After completing the online application, I participated in a face-to-face interview in August and was assigned a mentor in September. Until the breeding season began in December, I was involved in unofficial training and mentoring sessions. I enjoyed learning about the park, birds and other wildlife of Año Nuevo as well as the history of the Native American population that lived on the land. It was a special treat exploring the reserve with my mentor while it was closed to the public in early December.
During the official breeding season between December 15 and March 31, shadow training began with new docents spending at least seven mentoring sessions in the reserve. Although I chose the dates, mother nature chose the weather. Many days were chilly, blustery, and wet, but Año is beautiful in all conditions. I learned from a variety of docents. Some in their first year of giving tours and some who have been docents for more than 20 years. Each have unique ways of engaging park visitors. One of the most unique experiences I had during training is visiting the seals under a full moon with other docents. Exploring Año Nuevo at night was incredibly beautiful.
Over the winter season, my knowledge about Año Nuevo State Park and the elephant seals grew considerably. Classroom training began in April and will continue every other Sunday through June. These trainings cover a broad range of related park topics such as geology, archaeology, and the history of the landscape. During the outdoor training in the reserve, every walk revealed what makes Ano Nuevo such a special place. On one visit I saw a majestic bald eagle, on another, the San Francisco endangered garter snake. We saw mallards and deer on the beach and, of course, the most famous residents, the enormous elephant seals.
It is wonderful getting to know my fellow docents-in-training, meeting well-seasoned docents and park staff, and learning from esteemed scientists. The elephant seals are fascinating and the more I learn, the more I am enamored with them.
Overall, new docents are very well prepared to provide an outstanding experience to the thousands of visitors that come to Año Nuevo from around the country and the world. Our goal is not to instruct but to interpret what they see and enrich their connection with nature and Año Nuevo. There is a unique camaraderie and respect within the docent community, and I am proud to be a part of it. I will graduate as a fully trained docent in July 2025 and look forward to wearing the iconic red docent jacket for many years to come.
Check out this video to learn more about becoming a docent at Año Nuevo!
Año Nuevo State Park - Docent Program
The next docent training program at Año Nuevo will start in the fall, with interviews in August. If you want to apply, you can fill out the application here:
MyImpactPage - Application Form - Año Nuevo SP & Butano SP (betterimpact.com) and/or feel free to email Susan Blake directly at Susan.Blake@parks.ca.gov with any questions.
— Ellen Moore, CSPA Vice President