Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks

Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks is a vital partner to California State Parks, creatively working to ensure parks and beaches throughout Santa Cruz County and San Mateo County are thriving and available to all. Friends innovative and collaborative community partnership invests in our cherished state parks and beaches, providing services and funding to support education, equity and inclusion, conservation, facilities improvements, historic preservation, and cultural events. Friends provides: visitor services in the parks by Visitor Service Aides (VSAs) and Senior Visitor Service Aides (SVSAs); operates stores in five parks and online; provides revenue for parks improvement projects and funding for Park employees to deliver interpretive services to the public, as well as maintenance services. Friends also provides staff to assist with: fundraising, grant-writing and membership; volunteer recruitment; event and project management; historical preservation, technology; equity and outreach; accounting; strategic planning; and communications and public relations. Specific accomplishments during the past year include, but are not limited to:Served 2,711 students attending in-person and virtual field trips through the Kids2Parks equity program. Funded two facilities maintenance staff at Castle Rock State Park.Funded 33 State Park Interpreters who provided educational programs at local state parks and beaches.Employed 92 Field Staff to support Park Operations.Funded volunteer and staff training, supplies and support services.Participated in outreach events in Parks, Museums and in the community.Administered the Beach Wheelchair program, including supporting the annual Shared Adventures Day.Launched the Equity Fellowship Program in collaboration with State Parks, Mountain Parks Foundation and Portola and Castle Rock Foundation to diversify Friends and Parks staff.Coordinated projects at the Castro Adobe State Historic Park, including the completion of the building reconstruction, finalizing interpretation design plans, commemorating the 20th anniversary with an award-winning video, formalized the Edna Kimbro Archives Working Group, accepted the Branciforte collection of artifacts from the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History and managed the adjacent Kimbro and McClune properties for park purposes.Operated an online reservation system at Big Basin State Park to allow for limited public access upon re-opening the park after the CZU fire of 2020; upgraded the visitor kiosk.Launched the Seacliff Recovery Fund after storms in early 2023 severely damaged the park; coordinated the rebuild of the Moosehead Trail by facilitating a Seacliff neighbors donation to engage Santa Cruz Mountain Trail Stewards.Engaged artist Kathleen Crocetti to repair the mural at Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park.Coordinated the fabrication of two interpretive signs commemorating the history of Castle Beach, replaced the deteriorating Seabright Beach gate and engaged the community.Provided signs for storm-related road closures and repairs at Nisene Marks State Park.