Launches new podcast series and self-guided tour app

Imperial Beach CA— California State Parks is commemorating the 50th anniversary of Border Field State Park with events on Monument Mesa and at the park entrance from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. In partnership with park partners, the department will host a series of interpretive booths throughout the park including the launch of a new podcast series and an app with a self-guided tour about the stories from the first people of this area, the Kumeyaay.
Border Field State Park is part of the Tijuana River Estuary, a rich biological area where the river meets the sea, and where two countries come together. California voters approved money for Border Field’s acquisition as a state park in a 1964 Bond Act. In 1971, President Richard Nixon announced that Border Field would be developed for recreational use as part of his Legacy of Parks Program. Three hundred seventy-two acres became part of Border Field State Park. On Aug. 18, 1971, First Lady Patricia Nixon visited to dedicate California’s new state park. The first Border Monument #258 is viewed from Monument Mesa.
“Congratulations to Border Field State Park on its 50^th anniversary,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “Home to the Kumeyaay and our neighbor, Mexico, this region has provided opportunities for families, friends and communities to connect domestically and internationally for hundreds of years. State Parks is proud to be the caretaker of this special place.”
The 50^th anniversary celebration is sponsored by the California State Parks Foundation, Parks California and other valued donors. Other partners include the Friends of San Diego Wildlife Refuges and Gray Bears (retired rangers and lifeguards).
Below is a breakdown of the 50^th anniversary celebratory activities:

• 1 – 4 p.m.
  • Interpretive booths at both the entrance and on Monument Mesa with Tijuana Estuary Research Reserve scientists, Kumeyaay, Gray Bears, park neighbors, and park sponsors.
  • Launch of a new digital exhibit on scientists and geographers working across borders and Kumeyaay land use practices.
• 1:55 p.m.
  • Live stream on Facebook: Tijuana River NERR and California State Parks
• 2 p.m.
  • Kumeyaay Invocation with Stan Rodriguez
• 2:15 p.m.
  • California State Parks Director Armando Quintero message
• 2:25 p.m.
  • Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina

Border Field State Park provides restrooms, picnic areas, barbecues, horse corrals, interpretive displays, and scenic views across the beach and estuary. Visitors enjoy hiking, horseback riding, photography, and bird watching along the 1.5 mile stretch of beach and inland trails. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was concluded on February 2, 1848, officially ending the U.S./Mexico War. In 1850, delegations from both countries began surveying the boundary at this location. Border Monument number 258 can be viewed from Monument Mesa. There is no close access because it is now behind two border fences. Base End Stations (bunkers), which were left from World War II, can be seen from nearby trails.
The Tijuana River Estuary is a rich biological area where the river meets the sea, and where two countries come together. The Tijuana River Estuary is located on the U.S. side of the border and represents only 1/4 of the total watershed, with the remainder located in Mexico, from Tecate in the east to Tijuana in the west.