Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

Thank you, Jim Pence!

Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

This post was written by Rosanne Catron, 2012 Office Director.

State Park Ranger Jim Pence at Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve. Photo by Clare Cragan.

Friends, family, co-workers, and colleagues gathered on Saturday, May 12 to celebrate State Park Ranger Jim Pence’s retirement from six years serving in the Mono Basin, and over 32 years of State Park Ranger experience in California. Before serving at Bodie State Historic Park and the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, Jim worked at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, Turlock Lake, Folsom Lake, and the North Fork of the American River.

Jim alternated between Bodie State Historic Park and the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, and was invaluable in protecting both areas. Photo by Rosanne Catron.

During his time in the Mono Basin, Jim was known for his dedication to preservation and protection. He also had a knack for connecting with people and providing educational and interpretive moments for visitors at both Mono Lake and Bodie. Finally, public safety was of the utmost importance for Jim, and on many occasions he helped stranded, dehydrated, or hurt travelers. And on one occasion, in Jim’s first year on the job, he literally dove in headfirst to protect a fledgling Osprey in need. You can read Jim’s account of the heroic rescue on page 9 of the Winter 2007 Mono Lake Newsletter.

We’ll miss Jim’s steadfast presence in the Mono Basin, and we wish him a happy retirement! Jim’s role in the Mono Basin has been critical to resource protection and we look forward to welcoming his replacement.