Building More Than "Just a Bridge"

In the sixth episode of Season 5, Monica travels to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park to meet with two crew members of the trail crew who work on one of Big Sur’s most beloved trails. She sits down with Riley Dunn and Margarita Munguia of the California State Parks Trail Crew, who worked on the complex repair of the Pfeiffer Falls Bridge after a massive redwood tree damaged it during a storm in 2023. Together they share their experience on this unique repair and what it takes to build trails that feel as natural as the forest itself.With support from Save the Redwoods League and California State Parks, the Pfeiffer Falls Trail reopened in June 2025 and once again guided visitors through the redwoods to the waterfall. Recorded on location, this episode offers an inside look at the invisible work that goes into keeping these trails accessible for visitors. It reminds us that every trail we walk is a testament to connection, resilience, and the enduring spirit of those who care and are influenced by the redwoods.Riley Dunn is a Park Maintenance Worker I for the Monterey District/Statewide Trail Crew who leads complex trail projects in state parks around Monterey and Big Sur. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Studies, but chose a career in trails over the typical office job. Riley has always been an avid hiker who loves maps and adventuring outdoors; she even thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. Nowadays, she gets paid to hike and create positive outdoor experiences for others, but she still loves to go backpacking as a “civilian” whenever she can. Follow her on Instagram: @radunn11Margarita is a trail worker at the Monterey District Trail Crew. She has worked on trails with the California Conservation Corps and Santa Ana Water Association since 2018. However, when she started working with state parks, she discovered a newfound passion for climbing redwoods. Follow her on Instagram: ⁠@margaritatonic

Episode Description:In the fifth episode of Season 5, Monica sits down with Dr. David Rebanal, associate professor of public health at San Francisco State University, and Rizelle Jugarap, a master’s student researcher at San Francisco State. Together, they share insight from the Reclaiming Nature project. The project is a study that brought young people from Black, Latine, and Filipinx communities into the redwoods to explore whether walking among these ancient trees could reduce stress and even improve cellular health.With the support of Save the Redwoods League, participants had the chance to walk in the redwoods at Peter’s Creek and reclaim nature for themselves. Alongside the research, Rizelle and Dr. Rebanal reflect on moments of resistance turned into joy, and the hope that more people can experience the healing influence of the redwoods. This episode reminds us that redwoods are not silent, instead they guide us towards connection, resilience, and reclaiming something within ourselves.Guest Bio:Dr. R. David Rebanal is a co-investigator of the Reclaiming Nature project. He is an Associate Professor of Public Health in the College of Health and Social Sciences at San Francisco State University. His research objective focuses on building evidence for policy and population-level interventions focused on structural and social determinants of health inequities. He conducts epidemiological research and mixed-methods evaluations, with a focus on social and political determinants of racial health inequities. He is also a Co-Investigator with a team of BIPOC SF State researchers funded by NIH to study anti-racist healing in nature program for urban Black, Latinx, Filipinx, and Pacific Islander young adults by measuring biomarkers of stress and other psychosocial factors. He is Affiliate Faculty at the SFSU Health Equity Institute.Rizelle Jugarap is a 2nd year Master's student studying Cell and Molecular Biology at San Francisco State University. She has previously also worked on the Reclaiming Nature, Hood to Woods Project as an undergraduate student and research technician/ Student Insider Researcher (SIIR) Coordinator. In her free time, Rizelle enjoys drawing and going to Pilates. Follow her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rizelle-jugarap/

In the fourth episode of season 5, Monica sits down with Daisy Prado, community organizer and founder of City Gurlz Hike. City Gurlz Hike is a collective that creates spaces for Black, Latina, Indigenous women and non-binary folks to feel at home on the trails across San Francisco.Through the support of a single Mom who made sure Daisy had the chance to explore, volunteer, and ask questions, Daisy grew up with a love of the outdoors. Although her life took many turns that pulled her away from the outdoors, Daisy shares how that foundation helped her build a path back to the wonder of nature. Recently certified as a California Naturalist, Daisy explains how training, community and representation shaped her journey and how she plans to continue bringing along others with her. Daisy’s path reminds us that the seeds of curiosity planted and supported in childhood can grow into movements that connect people to each other, to land, and to lasting stewardships. Daisy PradoDaisy Prado is a storyteller and advocate for outdoor equity, dedicated to championing women of color in San Francisco. With a deep commitment to community change and equity, Daisy has worked with numerous organizations at the intersection of reproductive and environmental justice. In 2022, she founded City Gurlz Hike, an urban hiking and community program designed to create spaces for Black, Indigenous, and women of color to connect, play, and thrive in San Francisco's outdoors and beyond. City Gurlz Hike has brought together hundreds of women from San Francisco and the Bay Area, connecting them to local parks, camping adventures, and visits to State Parks.Socials: Personal Instagram - @thedaisypradoCity Gurlz Hike Instagram - @citygurlzhike

In the third episode of Season 5, host Monica Carcamo-Binetti settles into the Save the Redwoods League office on a chilly San Francisco morning with guest Rahsaan McFarland II. Rahsaan is a Stanford undergraduate, artist, photographer, and emerging science communicator whose early encounters with coast redwoods opened a path toward environmental justice.Rahsaan co-founded Nurtured by Nature to help Black students feel welcome in the outdoors and build community in wild spaces. He’s weathered a whirlwind from the start of his federal service. Hired by the Environmental Protection Agency’s water division supporting tribal water infrastructure, to then be let go by an administrative shift, then rehired, only to be placed on administrative leave. Yet, Rahsaan continues to show up for people and places. Rahsaan continues partnering with tribal communities in the Sierras this summer and is shaping a future in water and environmental protection while finishing his degree. This episode is a message of hope filled with reflections of belonging. You’ll hear how community, access, and days spent beneath giants can spark a lifetime of awe and stewardship.About our guestRahsaan McFarland Ⅱ (he/him) is an artist-photographer, science communicator, and civil servant for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As an undergraduate, he studies the oceanic and atmospheric circulation of the Earth system, with a particular fascination for coastal fog. He enjoys transcribing his maritime adventures (and curiosities) into creative nonfiction — most affectionately, an anthropomorphic portrait of San Francisco’s ever-changing, ever-erratic, ever-enigmatic marine layer, Karl the Fog. In his leisure time, Rahsaan delights in walking old-growth redwood trails, skateboarding around Stanford campus, and meandering the squiggly spine roads of his favorite scenic byway, Skyline Boulevard (CA-35). Find him on social media: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn

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In the second episode of Season 5, host Monica Carcamo-Binetti heads out into the field to kick-off California State Parks Week beneath the soaring redwoods of Samuel P. Taylor State Park. This is the 4th year of celebration and the first time in a redwood park! Guided by this year’s tagline “This Is Where You Live”, Monica captures stories from District Superintendent Maria Mowrey, Interpreter Kourtney Boone, community champion Kirstie Dutton, and a band of wide-eyed kids fresh off a hike. Plus we also had a surprise visit from a key player that helps shape California State Parks in a big way! Each guest revealed how a single park visit can have a long lasting impact and even reshape a life. By the episode’s end, you’ll feel the quiet of ancient trunks, the laughter echoing through the redwoods, and know that these giants are really in our own backyards. Your own neighborhood trailhead is just a pair of sneakers away, no fancy gear required. Read more about our guests here.

In the first episode of season 5, we celebrate transitions, transformations, and the quiet power of standing among ancient trees. Former host Emily Harwitz returns to pass the mic to new host Monica Carcamo-Binetti, a longtime advocate for nature connection and co-Founder of Bay Area GalVentures. Together they explore how the redwoods shape us, and how being outdoors can clear our minds, rest our intentions, and remind us of what truly matters. Emily and Monica find beauty, resilience, and a shared commitment to protecting the places that change us. This season, Monica will explore how redwoods act as the ultimate “nature influencer” — and how these ancient giants guide us towards a deeper connection with ourselves, each other, and the natural world. ------------Monica Carcamo-BinettiMonica is a storyteller, hiker, and Save the Redwoods League council member. She is also the co-founder of Bay Area GalVentures, an Instagram community she started with her lifelong friend to share their hiking adventures, especially among the redwoods. Monica discovered her love for the outdoors later in life and now champions access to nature for women. She extends this passion into her role as our new podcast host, where she shares stories that connect people to redwoods, nature, and each other—with heart, curiosity, and a deep love for the forest.Emily HarwitzEmily Harwitz is an award-winning science writer and nature photographer working at the intersection of science, environment, and culture. Through written, visual, and audio forms, she tells stories that deepen our capacity for wonder and bring us closer to the natural world—including each other. She was the IGIYG host for seasons 2-4 and is now excited to listen along as she starts a new role as Communications Manager at Sonoma Land Trust. You can find more of her work at emilyharwitz.com and connect with her on Instagram @em_witz.

In this twelfth episode, host Emily Harwitz takes a closer look at the fuel that drives conservation. Funding, of course, is essential, and two of the main sources of conservation funding are government agencies and philanthropy. Today’s guests—Ben Friedman and Geenah Leslie—are experts in those areas, from the state and federal levels to the local level. They’re also experts at cultivating relationships, because that’s the real foundation of this work: building relationships based on shared values and a commitment to making the world a better place, for all of us. From what’s in the upcoming Proposition 4 Climate Bond to the many benefits our urban trees provide, we hope this final episode of Season 4 gives you lots to be hopeful for. Ben Friedman is the government affairs and public grants officer of Save the Redwoods League. Prior to the League, Ben led grantmaking in California for Western Conservation Foundation.  He also has worked at the Wilderness Society and on Capitol Hill on the House Committee for Natural Resources. Ben’s education background is in geology and environmental management. In his spare time, Ben likes going to the beach with his wife Lauren and his dog Lobo, and baking seasonal pies. Geenah-Marie Leslie (she/her) was born and raised in the ancestral lands of the Tongva People, presently known as Los Angeles. As the proud child of Jamaican immigrants, she was brought up to believe that she should never allow her gender or the color of her skin deter her from pursuing her wildest dreams. Her passion for the healing benefits of nature and connecting People of Color to the outdoors led to her working in the environmental justice field. In her professional tenure, she has played a crucial role in donor relations, fund development, and piloting successful community engagement initiatives. Her free time is typically spent by large bodies of water, listening to an Afrofuturistic audiobook, or psp-psp-psping a cat on the street. Find her on Instagram @geenah_leslie or on ⁠LinkedIn

In this eleventh episode, host Emily Harwitz takes a closer look at career development programs specifically designed to give young people work experience in park and public land jobs. Many guests this season found their jobs in conservation by following wending paths toward their love for nature—and through a little bit of serendipity. That’s true for Alfonso Orozco who, guided by his own experiences navigating a career in parks and the outdoors, now leads the Career Pathways Grants Program at Parks California where he helps make job training programs possible and accessible. One of the organizations that received a Career Pathways grant this year is the Santa Monica Mountains (SAMO) Fund, an official partner of the National Park Service. They help manage the award-winning SAMO Youth mentorship program for youth interested in exploring environmental careers. To share how this career development program works and how it changed their lives, today’s second featured guests are Adriana Barrera, Cecilia Lopez, and Javier Sandoval-Garcia, all former participants, and current staff of SAMO Youth.

In this tenth episode, host Emily Harwitz talks outreach and engagement—for nature and adventure—in a double-feature with Xiomara Batin, Outreach and Marketing Manager at GirlVentures, and Erika Granadino, Community Engagement Coordinator for the North Coast Redwoods District. How do you get people to come outside if they’ve never done it before? Hint: it starts with meeting people where they’re at. If you like talking to people, making connections, and telling stories, then today’s episode is for you!  Xiomara Batin: Xiomara Batin is the Outreach and Marketing Manager at GirlVentures, an outdoor educational non profit based in Oakland, California. Xiomara has worked in a variety of educational institutions and non profit organizations with authentic engagement and genuine allyship at the center. Supporting communities that have had limited access to outdoor spaces due to historical barriers, is an integral area of importance to Xiomara and she feels passionate about being involved in advocacy in a variety of capacities. Find GirlVentures on Instagram @girlventures Erika Granadino: Erika was born in El Salvador and raised in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area with her mother and sister. She graduated from Humboldt State University with a degree in Environmental Management and Protection, with a focus on Natural Resource Planning. For the past 4 years she has worked as an interpreter for California State Parks and the last year as the Community Engagement Coordinator for the North Coast Redwoods District, which has allowed her to exercise her passion and commitment to conservation and community engagement. Her favorite part about the work is getting to facilitate interpretive programs that connect people to parks, providing access, information, and inclusivity to their public lands. Promoting these places through interpretive programs gives hope that visitors will want to become stewards of these natural places, too. She feels lucky to be able to provide opportunities for people to connect with nature, helping them find meaning in what they are experiencing. In her downtime she enjoys cooking, going out to eat at a good restaurant, or getting some exercise. However, nothing compares to a good scenic hike on a sunny day. Find her on Instagram @erkbea