We’re just here to educate, engage … and survive!” says Karma Graham, District Interpretive Specialist with California State Parks.

Paramount Ranch is abuzz with rangers sporting their classic uniforms, complete with hats and sequoia cone belts. Some serve as interpreters and educators, others manage logistics, security, and crowd control. Everyone is busy ensuring that all goes well in a two-day event that represents the culmination of one full year of hard planning.

And what do they most want to accomplish during the BioBlitz? NPS Chief Ranger Evan Jones says it’s about “reaching kids. To keep the concept of the National Park alive, the younger generation needs to inherit the vision.”

In California, the youth population is on the rise, not declining as in some parts of the country. “So reaching out to kids is the most important thing,” agrees Ranger Amy Lee. “We’re interpreting the language of nature. Once you start learning about something, then you can really begin to appreciate it. What was once just a sparkly rock is now a microcosm of geological history.”