I’m long overdue for revisiting work I never shared, especially essays which highlight the important work of fellow nature nerds at a state park that got me through COVID and the early years of single motherhood. My mom introduced me to the magic of weekly restoration work when I was a kid, at which point I realized how much I love volunteering with retired science teachers. I don’t rank natural beauty according to how dramatic the views are, but Asilomar State Park is one of the more incredible parks I’ve had the pleasure to live near and I hope to continue adding to this gallery as a tribute to it. For now, this shows a glimpse into a morning we spent clearing invasives and prepping endangered seedlings to transplant. I’ll add more as I shift though what I’ve documented.