It's Monday. California has a new state park. Plus, Stanford University is joining other elite schools in once again requiring applicants to submit standardized test scores.
California officials will officially open the state's 281st state park on Wednesday, but it's an unusual one: Dos Rios, a riverside oasis in the San Joaquin Valley that offers a glimpse into what the region was like before it transformed into an agricultural powerhouse.
Eight miles west of Modesto, at the confluence of the Tuolumne and San Joaquin rivers, the 1,600-acre site was home to dairy farms and almond orchards for decades. Now it's been restored as a vast natural floodplain, where visitors can hike, watch for birds and other wildlife, and picnic on the river's banks. Officials hope to eventually add biking trails and access to the river for swimming, fishing and boating.
“It's great to have a strong state park system in parts of the state that don't have a lot of parks,” said Rachel Norton, executive director of the California State Parks Foundation. “If you look at a map of California, you see we have a lot of parks along the coast. We have a lot of parks in the Sierra Nevada and in the desert. We have a lot on the edges. But in the center of the state, we don't have many parks.”
Dos Rios is a rare area of ​​riverine forest, an ecosystem that was common in the Central Valley before the mid-19th century but has since been replaced by farmland. The park is home to endangered and threatened species, including riverine brush rabbits, riverine wood mice, Chinook salmon and Swainson's hawks.
The park provides many benefits to people, including respite from the scorching heat in a fast-growing region with little green space, and an opportunity for families who don't have nearby places to picnic, camp, or trail run. The park also serves as a floodplain, allowing rivers room to spread harmlessly over their banks, helping to prevent or mitigate destructive flooding in the San Joaquin Valley.
“I literally think of this as the park of the future,” California Parks and Recreation Director Armando Quintero told Bay Nature, talking about Dos Rios' multifaceted benefits.
Gov. Gavin Newsom made a similar point in April when he announced that California's first new state park in years would open this week.
“The benefits go beyond recreation,” he said in a statement. “The park is a critical asset in fighting the climate crisis and is home to the state's largest floodplain restoration project. We're not just protecting these spaces, we're restoring them for future generations.”
For more:
tell me
We're almost halfway through 2024. Tell us about the best thing that's happened to you so far this year, whether it's a special birthday, a graduation, or just something that's going well in your life.
Email us at CAtoday@nytimes.com. Include your name and the city you live in.
Before you leave, here's some good news
Through self-guided audio tours and other experiences, the California Migration Museum tells the story of how migration has influenced and continues to influence life in the state.
Founded in 2021, the museum introduces “Melting Spots,” an interactive map showcasing 38 immigrant chefs, restaurants, and dishes in San Francisco, along with audio stories to illustrate them. Explore the map and discover new places to eat.
Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow. — Soumya
P.S.: Here Today's Mini Crossword.
Brianna Scalia He wrote for California Today. Contact the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com.
To receive this newsletter in your inbox, sign up here.