Meet third term Wild Keeper, Cesar! He is based in Los Angeles and shared that he has "always loved being in nature. But, with the pandemic it pushed me more into nature because of the tranquility that it brings me." He expanded on this by saying, "I needed to find something that would help me stay mentally focused, so I started going on hikes. I work as a social worker so I preach self-care on the daily to my clients and families. Hiking has given me this tranquility and mental clarity that I needed so I realized it has become my calling and passion to spread this message and get other outdoors."
Cesar has formed a hiking community and also facilitates group cleanups in the L.A. area with his community called On Trail With. Cesar shared that he started doing clean ups events in March 2021. "I would take my family to our local trail and we’d have a picnic after. We noticed that not everyone was cleaning up after themselves and decided -- let’s come back and clean the area. After that I felt so accomplished and good about what we had done that I decided to host these events for others in our community."
His most memorable outdoor experience so far has been with his youngest daughter. "She was 1yr 10mo and she was able to complete her first mile on her own. I kept holding her back but she kept pushing to do it on her own. I finally let her and she was able to conquer that mile on her own. She taught me so much that day and I can set I’ll see her little feet climbing that mountain."
Learn more about Cesar, his thoughts on Wild Keeping and more below!
Keep Nature Wild: Which would you pick between mountains, forest or desert?
Cesar: Mountains
KNW: What is a trail snack you can't do without?
C: my favorite trail snacks are fig bars and jolly ranchers
KNW: What is your favorite thing about being a Wild Keeper?
C: My favorite part of being a Wild Keeper is the awareness that it bring to others. It allows for us to show others the importance of keeping nature wild.
KNW: What has picking up trash outdoors done for you?
C: It shifted my perspective on ways to keep Mother Earth clean and being able to spread the message.
KNW: Roughly how many pounds do you think you've picked up since you became a Wild Keeper?
C: 2,310 lbs
KNW: What goals do you have for this year? (or beyond?)
C: To continue to push the message to keep nature wild and spread awareness not just to adults but our next generation.
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