Coping Amidst COVID: Wellness Digest from the Natural Resources Agency — Thursday, March 11, 2021

COVID Updates & Information

INVITATION: Film Screening of Picture a Scientist & The Science Exchange: A Culture of Change event

With huge thanks to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, we have a special film screening opportunity of Picture a Scientist (synopsis below) available to all employees across the entire agency through March14th.

The private screening room can be accessed using this link:

Alongside this screening, on Friday, March 12th from 12:30-1:30pm we’re kicking off “The Science Exchange,” a series that will feature and elevate scientists and the role of science in policy making. This first event will feature some of our women scientists from across the agency on a panel discussing their career highlights and challenges, opportunities for the future, and how we can make science careers more accessible to women. Register for the Zoom event HERE.

SYNOPSIS

PICTURE A SCIENTIST chronicles the groundswell of researchers who are writing a new chapter for women scientists. Biologist Nancy Hopkins, chemist Raychelle Burks, and geologist Jane Willenbring lead viewers on a journey deep into their own experiences in the sciences, ranging from brutal harassment to years of subtle slights. Along the way, from cramped laboratories to spectacular field stations, we encounter scientific luminaries – including social scientists, neuroscientists, and psychologists – who provide new perspectives on how to make science itself more diverse, equitable, and open to all.

UN Women News: International Women’s Day 2021 Theme – “Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World”

UN Women announces the theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March 2021 (IWD 2021) as, “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.”

Learn more here: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2020/11/announcer-international-womens-day-2021

The theme celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is also aligned with the priority theme of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, “Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”, and the flagship Generation Equality campaign, which calls for women’s right to decision-making in all areas of life, equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end all forms of violence against women and girls, and health-care services that respond to their needs.

Women stand at the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, as health care workers, caregivers, innovators, community organizers and as some of the most exemplary and effective national leaders in combating the pandemic. The crisis has highlighted both the centrality of their contributions and the disproportionate burdens that women carry.

Women leaders and women’s organizations have demonstrated their skills, knowledge and networks to effectively lead in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Today there is more acceptance than ever before that women bring different experiences, perspectives and skills to the table, and make irreplaceable contributions to decisions, policies and laws that work better for all.

Majority of the countries that have been more successful in stemming the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic and responding to its health and broader socio-economic impacts, are headed by women. For instance, Heads of Government in Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, New Zealand and Slovakia have been widely recognized for the rapidity, decisiveness and effectiveness of their national response to COVID-19, as well as the compassionate communication of fact-based public health information.

Yet, women are Heads of State and Government in only 20 countries worldwide.[1]

In addition to persistent pre-existing social and systemic barriers to women’s participation and leadership, new barriers have emerged with the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the world women are facing increased domestic violence, unpaid care duties, unemployment and poverty. Despite women making up a majority of front-line workers, there is disproportionate and inadequate representation of women in national and global COVID-19 policy spaces.

To uphold women’s rights and fully leverage the potential of women’s leadership in pandemic preparedness and response, the perspectives of women and girls in all of their diversity must be integrated in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs in all spheres and at all stages of pandemic response and recovery.

Notes

[1] As of 8 November 2020. These data are compiled by UN Women based on information from UN Permanent Missions; only elected Heads of State are taken into consideration

Silver Linings

Wildlife Conservation Board Funds Environmental Improvement and Acquisition Projects

February 25, 2021by amandalmcdermott, posted in California Wildlife Conservation Board, Habitat Conservation

At its Feb. 25, 2021 quarterly meeting, the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) approved approximately $33.97 million in grants to help restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat throughout California. Some of the 39 approved projects will benefit fish and wildlife — including some endangered species — while others will provide public access to important natural resources. Several projects will also demonstrate the importance of protecting working landscapes that integrate economic, social and environmental stewardship practices beneficial to the environment, landowners and the local community.

Funding for these projects comes from a combination of sources including the Habitat Conservation Fund and bond measures approved by voters to help preserve and protect California’s natural resources.

Check out the full list of projects HERE

https://twitter.com/ThatsMyPark/status/1367629135942586370

Throughout this time of COVID, we’ve had to adapt and evolve how we typically do things. In certain instances, this had brought forward creative solutions and improvements. With this new section titled “Silver Linings” we will share some of these new, innovative changes we’re seeing from our departments and partners.

If you’ve seen or developed a silver lining that you’d like to share, please email Elizabeth.Williamson@resources.ca.gov.

Hero Chronicles

If you know of a person or group stepping up in an extraordinary, unexpected way to help us combat the crisis, we want to feature them. Please share uplifting and inspiring things you’ve witnessed during the pandemic – sharing, giving, sacrificing, etc. Please email information to Elizabeth.Williamson@resources.ca.gov.

Featured Photo – Scenic California

Photo submitted by Christopher Huitt, M.S. from the California State Lands Commission. This photo was taken by Christopher’s wife Melita Huitt on a recent Sunday morning where they were snow shoeing overlooking a wonderful wintery view looking west from the Donner Lake State Park.

If you would like to submit a photo you’ve taken to be shared in the Wellness Digest, please email Elizabeth.Williamson@resources.ca.gov with a brief description.

Virtual Water Cooler

Tweet of the Day

Telework Tip

Featured Activities

ICYMI: Governor Newsom’s State of the State Speech

In case you missed it, you can read the full transcript of Governor Newsom’s State of the State address that he delivered at Dodger Stadium, one the nation’s largest community vaccination sites, on Tuesday, March 9, 2021.

CDFW Seeks Artists to Enter Annual California Duck Stamp Art Contest

March 8, 2021by amandalmcdermott, posted in Hunting, waterfowl

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) invites artists to submit their original artwork to the 2021-2022 California Duck Stamp Art Contest. Submissions will be accepted April 26 through June 4.

The artwork must depict the species selected by the California Fish and Game Commission, which for the 2021-2022 hunting season is the gadwall. These common dabbling ducks are similar in size and shape to a mallard, with both males and females donning somewhat muted coloring. Despite lacking the bright colors typical of other male ducks, male gadwalls exhibit intricate feather patterns with subtle yet striking color variations of brown and gray ending in a black patch at the tail.

The winning artwork will be reproduced on the 2021-2022 California Duck Stamp. The top submissions are traditionally showcased at the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association’s art show in July, but this year’s show status is pending due to COVID-19.

The design is to be in full color and in the medium (or combination of mediums) of the artist’s choosing, except that no photographic process, digital art, metallic paints or fluorescent paints may be used in the finished design. Photographs, computer-generated art, art produced from a computer printer or other computer/mechanical output device (air brush method excepted) are not eligible for entry and will be disqualified. The design must be the contestant’s original hand-drawn creation. The entry design may not be copied or duplicated from previously published art, including photographs, or from images in any format published on the Internet.

The contest is open to U.S. residents 18 years of age or older as of March 8, 2021. Entrants need not reside in California. All entries must be accompanied by a completed participation agreement and entry form. These forms and the official rules are available online at wildlife.ca.gov/duck-stamp/contest.

Entries will be judged in June. The judges’ panel, which will consist of experts in the fields of ornithology, conservation, and art and printing, will choose first, second and third-place winners, as well as honorable mention.

Since 1971, CDFW’s annual contest has attracted top wildlife artists from around the country. All proceeds generated from stamp sales go directly to waterfowl conservation projects throughout California. In past years, hunters were required to purchase and affix the stamp to their hunting license. Now California has moved to an automated licensing system and hunters are no longer required to carry the physical stamps in the field (proof of purchase prints directly onto the license). However, CDFW will still produce the stamps, which can be requested by interested individuals at wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/collector-stamps.