Parks California

Access & belonging:everyone deserves to experience nature and to feel a connection to place. At Parks California, we believe that a connection to nature is fundamental to our well-being. Physical, mental & emotional health as well as the health of our communities all improve drastically when we can access and interact with natural ecosystems and can feel a sense of belonging within our environment. In 2023 Parks California deepened our commitment to ensuring access to Parks by expanding opportunities in rural and urban Parks and working to facilitate people-to-park connections that would not have otherwise been possible. Program service accomplishments continued on schedule o.to help close nature-equity gaps, we are working to connect people to nature and connect communities to Parks by identifying and addressing barriers that have kept them from experiencing firsthand our treasured natural and cultural resources. Projects include but are not limited to school field trip - passport, adventure pass grant, route to Parks grant, and community engagement - urban Parks programming & low-cost accommodation study, arts in California Parks (new multi-year grants program), and untold stories/inclusive history (sharing the full breadth of past, and connecting park sites to the current world of visitors).climate & stewardship:innately, nature has essential worth. At Parks California, we believe that fundamental to our planetary health are intact and flourishing natural ecosystems. Home to the largest and most diverse state park system in the country, California's Parks have 1.6 million acres, 340 miles of coastline, 970 miles of lake and river frontage, and 4,500 miles of trails. State Parks protect critical ecosystems that provide global significance far beyond the park boundaries, but yet our Parks face challenges from climate impacts and increased visitation. That is why, with California state Parks we are bringing together communities and partners from across the state, to accelerate and scale efforts to take on the conservation and climate challenges facing our valued landscapes. Projects include but are not limited to landscape stewardship, climate fellowship, and innovating tools & training (such as visitor use management toolkit and early detection rapid response). Parks for the future:the health of California's Parks benefit from collaborative stewardship and community connections. Parks California is based on a new and more sustainable model for public-private partnership. Together, we ensure protected lands remain resilient while meeting the evolving needs of all people. Parks for the future take on multiple meanings. It speaks to our need for Parks now and into the future, how we steward these places to ensure their and our survival, and of our need to innovate to ensure Parks remain relevant and accessible for future generations. Projects include but are not limited to reimagining big basin, nonprofit partner study, virtual adventure app, and outerspatial app, and career pathways grant.