WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME
. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US TODAY. I'M CALLING TO ORDER
THE INAUGURAL HEARING ON THE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON STATE PARKS.
THIS WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL
HEARING ON THE STATUS OF STATE
PARKS WHERE WE WILL BE
DISCUSSING CALIFORNIA STATE PARK
SYSTEM. THE POTENTIAL CHALLENGES
STATE PARKS FACE AS WELL AS WHAT
CALIFORNIA IS DOING TO ACHIEVE
OUTDOOR EQUITY. BEFORE WE BEGIN
. WE DO HAVE SOME HOUSEKEEPING
TO GO OVER. THERE WILL NOT BE
PHONE TESTIMONY FOR HEARING
PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE IN PERSON
OR SUBMITTED VIA EMAIL ON THE
COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE. I WILL DO
EVERYTHING I CAN DO MAINTAIN
DECORUM HERE IN OUR HEARING. WE
WILL NOT PERMIT CONDUCT THAT
DISRUPTS OR OTHERWISE IMPEDES
THE HEARING. ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO
IS DISRUPTIVE MAY BE REMOVED
FROM THE ROOM. I'D LIKE TO THANK
THE MEMBERS AND STAFF FOR
ATTENDING THIS HEARING, AND WE
HAVE A GREAT SET OF PANELISTS.
FOR ALL OF YOU. CALIFORNIA HAS A
THE MOST DIVERSE AND THE LARGEST
STATE PARK SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY
WITH 280 PARK PROPERTIES ON 1.6
BILLION ACRES. THIS IS A GREAT
NATURAL AND CULTURAL TREASURE.
THAT CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN
MAINTAINING SINCE THE SELECTION
OF THE FIRST STATE PARK IN 18
62. IT'S AMAZING TO SEE OVER A
CENTURY OF NATURAL RESOURCE IS
BEING MAINTAINED SO THAT FUTURE
GENERATIONS ARE ABLE TO SEE THE
WONDERS OF NATURE JUST AS WE
HAVE WITH ALL OF THE HISTORIC
STORMS AND FLOODS AND HEATWAVES
AND OTHER EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
HAPPENING. NOW MORE THAN EVER.
WE NEED TO PROTECT THE
ENVIRONMENT FROM THE EFFECTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE. MAINTAINING OUR
PARK SYSTEM IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT TO OUR CLIMATE
POLICIES, BUT WE NEED TO ENSURE
THAT THEY ARE ACCESSIBLE. TO ALL
CALIFORNIANS. WHETHER IT'S THE
LOCATION, SAFETY OR MAINTENANCE
OF GREEN SPACES. THESE SPACES
HAVE TRADITIONALLY NOT ALWAYS
BEEN ACCESSIBLE TO THE
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. LOW
INCOME WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR, LARGELY LATINO AND
BLACK COMMUNITIES OFTEN FEEL
THAT GREEN SPACES AREN'T FOR
THEM. THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE
REASON I ASKED THE SPEAKER TO
APPOINT ME AS A CHAIR AND ASKED
FOR THE APPROVAL OF THIS
PARTICULAR SELECT COMMITTEE
BECAUSE I WANTED OUR PARKS TO BE
OPEN AND VISITED BY THE DIVERSE
POPULATIONS WE HAVE HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. ACCESS TO NATURE IS
SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT OF
HUMAN LIFE, AND THERE ARE SO
MANY CO BENEFITS TO CREATING
ACCESSIBLE OUTDOORS. PARKS
PROMOTE HEALTH AND FITNESS. THEY
FOSTER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND
THEY OFFER INCREDIBLE
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR
CHILDREN. IT GOES BEYOND JUST
GOOD POLICY. BEING AROUND.
NATURE IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL.
I'VE HEARD THAT IN A NUMBER OF A
NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, AND THAT IS
SO TRUE, IT'S JUST GOOD FOR THE
SOUL TO BE OUT IN NATURE. WE
HAVE A GREAT SET OF PANELISTS
FOR THIS HEARING TODAY,
INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES FROM
THREE STATE PARK ENTITIES AS
WELL AS STAKEHOLDERS WHO CAN
SPEAK OUTDOOR EQUITY FROM THE
IMPLEMENTATION PERSPECTIVE AND
THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE
COMMUNITY. BEFORE I BEGIN
INTRODUCING OUR PANELISTS. I'D
LIKE TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
OUR MEMBERS. IF YOU LIKE TO
SHARE A FEW OPENING REMARKS.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HEART. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THIS IS JUST
SUCH A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO
TALK ABOUT HOW CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT ARE STATE PARKS ARE TO
EVERY CALIFORNIA AND AS OUR
CHAIR SO WELL STATED THE LEGACY
THAT WE ENJOY AND ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING AND
ENHANCING HAS COME FROM MANY
GENERATIONS OF CALIFORNIA'S WHO
, WHO PROTECTED AND NURTURED AND
EXPANDED OUR STATE PARK SYSTEM.
OUR CHALLENGE IS TO MAKE IT MORE
EQUITABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO
EVERY CALIFORNIA AND AT THE SAME
TIME, SAME TIME, MAINTAIN THE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S VERY
DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE TO
PROTECT AND MAINTAIN, AND THAT'S
A BIG RESPONSIBILITY. I THINK
IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO
MORE INVESTMENTS IN AT THE STATE
LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE
THE RESOURCES TO DO THE WORK
THAT THE STATE PARKS FOLKS AND
THE STATE PARKS FOUNDATION ARE
SUPPORTING TOGETHER, SO THIS IS
JUST A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO
HIGHLIGHT THESE ISSUES REALLY
BRING THEM TO THE ATTENTION OF
THE PUBLIC AND TO CELEBRATE. THE
WONDERFUL STATE PARK SYSTEM THAT
WE ENJOY IN CALIFORNIA. THANK
YOU. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S THANK YOU
, UM STEPHANIE NGUYEN
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S FOR DISTRICT 10
. I WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR FOR
INVITING ME TO SIT ON THIS PIANO
AS A MOM TOO. YOUNG CHILDREN,
TWO LITTLE GIRLS. AS A MATTER OF
FACT, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO
ME THAT THEY NOT ONLY GET TO
ENJOY BUT LEARN AND EXPERIENCE
ARE STATE PARKS AND SO BEING ON
THIS COMMITTEE IS MORE THAN JUST
BEING ABLE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL
THAT ARE HERE AND BEING ABLE TO
SIT HERE BUT ALSO ENSURING THAT
THIS IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE
FOR OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO
COME AND SAY, LOOK THROUGH A LOT
OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE SENT
TO ME, I NOTICED OR A LOT OF
THINGS ON KIDS AND OUR FUTURE
AND GENERATIONS, AND I LOVE THAT
. I LOVE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHY
WE'RE HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE PROTECT THESE SUCH REALLY
IMPORTANT PARTS OF CALIFORNIA,
SO THANK YOU FOR THE PANELISTS
THAT ARE GOING TO BE THAT ARE
HERE TODAY TO SPEAK AND TO
EDUCATE US AND SHARE WITH US AS
WELL, TOO. AND THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR FOR ALLOWING ME TO SIT ON
THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ON
BEHALF OF SOMEONE DISTRICT 72.
I'M DIANE DIXON AND I DIDN'T
KNOW THERE WAS A SPECIAL OR
SELECT COMMITTEE ON STATE PARKS
, AND I'M DELIGHTED AND HONORED
TO SERVE ON IT. JUST I THINK
WE'VE ALL PROBABLY ENJOYED MANY.
PERSONAL HOLIDAYS IN OUR STATE
PARKS AND CERTAINLY WANT TO
ENCOURAGED AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT
ALL. RESIDENTS OF CALIFORNIA AS
WELL AS ALL VISITORS TO
CALIFORNIA CAN ENJOY THE BEAUTY
OF CALIFORNIA. IT IS SO MUCH TO
BEHOLD, AND I'M JUST PROUD TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR STATE PARKS
INSTEAD OF JUST FROM A VISITOR
PERSPECTIVE, AND I APPRECIATE
YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS, SO
THANK YOU FOR LEADING US TO THIS
IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY OF
LEARNING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR
FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE PART OF
THIS COMMITTEE MIKE GIBSON,
REPRESENTING THE 65TH STATE
ASSEMBLY DISTRICT. UM WHAT'S
UNIQUE IN MY ROLE AS I HAVE ONE
STATE PARK. AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY
VERY IMPORTANT AND VERY
SPECIALIST COMMUNITY WHICH I
REPRESENT. I GREW UP HEARING
ABOUT THIS STATE PARK. UM IT'S
CALLED THE WATTS TOWERS.
WATCHTOWERS HAVE SOEM SO MUCH
SIGNIFICANCE AND MEANING TO THE
WATTS COMMUNITY WHERE I WAS BORN
AND RAISED GROWING UP AT ALL THE
PARKS, UM IN THE SURROUNDING
COMMUNITY AND ELEVATING AND I
ALSO WANT TO COMMEND THE CHAIR
ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DAY'S
TITLE STATUS OF THE PART OF
STATE PARKS, SUCCESS AND
BARRIERS TO ACHIEVING ACHIEVING
THE PARKS. IT'S ABSOLUTELY
IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT
WHAT ARE THE BEARERS BUT ALSO
ELEVATING THE SUCCESSES OF OUR
STATE PARK TO SEE HOW WE CAN
ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE
BETTER FOR THE NEXT GENERATION,
MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND BRINGING
US ALL TOGETHER. SPARE A BUST
CONVERSATION. I WILL HAVE TO
LEAVE A LITTLE EARLY, BUT MY
TEAM IS WATCHING AND THEY'RE
TAKING NOTES. AND THESE NOTES
WILL BE SHARED WITH THE ONLY
WITH NOT ONLY ME, BUT ALSO WITH
YOUR TEAM AS WELL. FOR FURTHER
DISCUSSION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MR GIBSON. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR FOR INVITING ME TO ALSO
SIT ON THIS SELECT COMMITTEE.
I'M A CALIFORNIA THAT GREW UP
CAMPING ALONG CALIFORNIA STATE
BEACHES, MOSTLY CLOSE TO HOME,
SAN CLEMENTE AND SANTA NO FREE
OF THAT TIME, BUT IN FACT, I SIT
HERE BECAUSE OF THOSE OUTDOORS
EXPERIENCE. SOME KNOW THAT I WAS
A SWIMMER AND JUNIOR HIGH AND
HIGH SCHOOL, BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF
THOSE EXPERIENCES AT THE BEACH.
UH, COMING FROM A FAMILY OF TWO.
AND WE WERE NOT GOING TO HOTELS
. WE WERE CAMPING IN A VERY
SMALL TRAILER. AND A TENT, SO
I'M VERY EAGER FOR THIS
PRESENTATION. A FEW OF THE
THINGS THAT I HOPING YOU WILL
COVER AS WE KNOW SOME OF THE 280
PARK PROPERTIES ARE MORE POPULAR
THAN OTHERS. AND SOME I THINK
HAVE QUITE A BIT OF ATTENDANCE.
OTHERS HAVE, UH, MAYBE, UH, MORE
SERENE AND HARDER TO GET TO NOT
AS MUCH BUT HOW IS THE PARK
SYSTEM DEALING WITH SOME OF THE
MOST POPULAR PARKS? I WILL JUST
GIVE THE REFERENCE OF CRYSTAL
COVE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY, UH,
AREA THAT WE QUITE ENJOY, BUT WE
KNOW THAT IT'S EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT TO GET A RESERVATION.
HOW IS THAT OPERATING? BUT
THERE'S OTHERS THAT MALIBU,
OTHERS THAT ARE EXTRAORDINARILY
HARD TO GET INTO. UH AND HOW
DOES THAT LOOK? UH WITH THE
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AT
ACCESSING THOSE SYSTEMS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH THAT THAT
IS A SENTIMENT THAT'S BEEN
SHARED BY MANY OF THE OTHER
MEMBERS WHO HEARD ABOUT THE
SELECT COMMITTEE. AND THEY SAID,
BE SURE YOU ASK AND THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S SHARON
QUIRK-SILVA FOR PROVIDING THAT.
WELL, WONDERFUL. LET'S BRING OUR
PANELISTS UP. UM ARMANDO
QUINTERO, DIRECTOR OF THE PARKS
AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. THE
STATE PARKS. RACHEL NORTON,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STATE
PARKS FOUNDATION. KINDLY WASHED
LAWLER, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF
PARKS, CALIFORNIA SONIA DIAS,
POLICY DIRECTOR FOR OUTDOOR
OUTREACH. AND SUREST E. SURROUND
SURANA. STUDENT ADVOCATE.
DIRECTOR QUINTERO. YOU MIGHT
BEGIN WHEN READY. MM. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. IT'S REALLY MY HONOR TO
BE WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY, AND
I'LL JUST VERY QUICKLY SAY THAT
I GREW UP. NOT GOING TO PARKS.
UM BUT AS A CHILD, I DREAMT
ABOUT GOING TO PARKS AND
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. IN THE
ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA WAS MY
WINDOW INTO WHAT I THOUGHT
SOMEDAY I WOULD VISIT YEAH. I
NEVER DREAMED THAT I'D BE IN
THIS POSITION OF EXTRAORDINARY
PRIVILEGE. UM SO, UM, MY NAME IS
ARMANDO QUINTERO, DIRECTOR OF
THE CALIFORNIA STATE PARK SYSTEM
IN THE CALIFORNIA STATE PARK
SYSTEM REPRESENTS EXTRAORDINARY
EXAMPLES AS YOU MENTIONED OF THE
STATE'S DIVERSE HABITATS AND
LANDSCAPES, HISTORICAL SITES.
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND
RECREATION AREAS, AS YOU SAID
WITH OVER 1.6 MILLION ACRES
THROUGHOUT 21 DISTRICTS AND
THOSE 21 DISTRICTS CONTAIN 280
STATE PARKS, WITH A NEW STATE
PARK ABOUT TO BE ADDED AND OVER
340 MILES OF COASTLINE
DEPARTMENT INCLUDES THE LARGEST
AND MOST DIVERSE, RECREATIONAL,
NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE
HOLDINGS. ANY STATE AGENCY IN
THE NATION. HMM. THE DEPARTMENT
OVERSEES THE DIVISION OF BOATING
AND WATERWAYS, THE DIVISION OF
HIGHWAY MOTOR VEHICLE RECREATION
AND THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC
PRESERVATION. EACH ALONG WITH
PARKS HAS A CORRESPONDING
COMMISSION. AT THE DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO ADVANCING
OUTDOORS FOR ALL AND WE'RE
FOCUSED ON ENABLING SAFE,
EQUITABLE, ENJOYABLE ACCESS TO
PARKS, OPEN SPACES, NATURAL
RESOURCES AND RECREATIONAL
AMENITIES FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS,
AND I'LL BE TOUCHING ON THAT AS
I SPEAK. MANY PROTECTED AREAS
AND OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE
MULTIPLE DESIGNATIONS AND
OVERLAPPING BOUNDARIES, MAKING
IT DIFFICULT TO COMPARE THEM
DIRECTLY WITH THE CALIFORNIA
STATE PARK SYSTEM. HOWEVER
CALIFORNIA'S INCREDIBLE
BIODIVERSITY HAS RESULTED IN A
VARIETY OF PROTECTED AREAS TO
CONSERVE RESOURCES, AS WELL AS
SOME EXPANSIVE AS WELL AS SOME
EXPANSIVE AREAS THAT RIVAL
NATIONAL PARKS. I SPENT 22 YEARS
WORKING FOR NATIONAL PARKS AS A
PARK RANGER, SOME INTIMATELY
FAMILIAR WITH THAT, UM
DEPARTMENT AND ORGANIZATION, THE
NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM IN
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS ARE THE
MOST COMPLEX EXAMPLES OF
NATIONAL AND STATE PARKS SYSTEMS
WITH FAR MORE UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL
SITES THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY OR
STATE, RESPECTIVELY. WITHIN THE
COMING MONTHS, THE DEPARTMENT
WILL BE RELEASING A NEW
STRATEGIC PLAN CALLED PATH
FORWARD, WHICH ALIGNS WITH THE
GOVERNOR'S EQUITY EXECUTIVE
ORDER AND 16-22. IT ALSO ALIGNS
WITH 30 BY 30 THE OUTDOORS FOR
ALL INITIATIVES. IT ALSO BUILDS
UPON EXISTING PRIORITIES
ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE PARK'S
TRANSFORMATION PROCESS AND
INTRODUCES NEW IDEAS, GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES FOR THE NEXT FIVE
YEARS, AND WE ARE HOPING TO SET
THE TRAJECTORY WELL INTO THE
FUTURE. WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A
NUMBER OF PROGRAMS, INCREASE
ACCESS AND REDUCE BARRIERS TO
PARKS, TWO STATE PARKS. THE
GOLDEN BEAR PASS IS A PASS,
WHICH IS AVAILABLE TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
SERVICE RECIPIENTS, AND WE
CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THEM.
AND UM THIS PROGRAM OR THE
GOLDEN BEAR PASS PROVIDES FREE
ANNUAL STATE PARKS. UH THEY USE
PASSES TO INCOME ELIGIBLE
CALIFORNIANS. IN THE PAST THE
AVERAGE UM, NUMBER OF. DSS
RECIPIENTS WHO RECEIVE THESE
GOLDEN BAKED GOLDEN BEAR
PASSAGES ABOUT 2500 THROUGH OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM. THIS YEAR
WE DISTRIBUTED 61,000 PASSES TO
PEOPLE WHO ARE LOWER INCOME AND
SOCIAL SERVICE RECIPIENTS. THE
PARKS LIBRARY PASS AND HAVE TO
SHOW YOU THIS. THIS IS, UM THIS
IS A HANG TAG THAT ANYBODY CAN
CHECK OUT IN ANY OF THE STATE
LIBRARIES AND THIS IS A
REFLECTION OF A OF A PARTNERSHIP
TO YOU. THIS IS A REFLECTION OF
A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN STATE
PARKS AND THE STATE LIBRARY
SYSTEM AND WORKING WITH THE
LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR WE WERE
ABLE TO GET 33,000 PASSES OUT TO
EVERY OUT TO THE LIBRARIES IN
THE STATE, AND, UM IT IS THE
MOST POPULAR ITEM CHECKED OUT IN
THE STATE LIBRARY SYSTEM, AND
THERE'S SOME AMAZING THERE'S AN
AMAZING STORY THERE AND THAT UM
, THERE IS A Q R CODE ON THE
BACK, AND WE ASKED PEOPLE TO
VOLUNTARY FILL UP VOLUNTARILY
FILL OUT A SURVEY AND WE KNOW
FROM THOSE SURVEYS THAT ABOUT
40% OF THE PEOPLE WHO CHECK OUT
THESE PASSES HAVE REPORTED
ANNUAL INCOME OF LESS THAN
$60,000 AND PRIOR TO BEING ABLE
TO GRAB ONE OF THESE PASSES AND
GO INTO A PARK. MOST OF THESE
FAMILIES REPORT NEVER HAVING
GONE TO A PARK. OR JUST HAVING
GONE TO ONE OR TWO AFTER
CHECKING OUT THESE PASSES, THE
AVERAGE NUMBER THAT FAMILIES ARE
SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO IS
SEVEN PARKS. HMM AND ALSO JUST
INCIDENTALLY, WHEN I GO TO A LOT
WHENEVER I GO TO TOWNS AND
THERE'S A LIBRARY, I'LL WALK IN
AND GO TALK TO A LIBRARY IN
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. WHEN I
MENTIONED I WORK FOR STATE PARKS
PULLS OUT THE PAST, AND ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I'VE DONE IS
I'VE ASKED WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT YOU ENCOUNTER AND
THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING
THING. A NUMBER OF THEM HAVE
MENTIONED THAT WHEN PEOPLE COME
BACK, THEY SAY, WE DIDN'T
REALIZE IT WAS SO INEXPENSIVE TO
GET INTO A PARK. WE THOUGHT IT
WAS THE SAME AS A UH, AMUSEMENT
PARK. WHICH IS REALLY
INTERESTING, AND THERE'S A WHOLE
BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE
LEARNING. BY HAVING THESE PASSES
IN PLACE. WE ALSO LAST YEAR
INITIATED THE FOURTH GRADE
ADVENTURE PASS, AND THIS
ADVENTURE PASS ALLOWS EVERY
FOURTH GRADER IN CALIFORNIA TO
GO ONLINE AND REGISTER FOR A
PASS, AND IT ALLOWS THEM TO TAKE
THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY TO
19 STATE PARKS WHERE WE HAVE
DEVELOPED SPECIAL PROGRAMS. THAT
THEY CAN ENJOY AND THAT ARE
DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE
FOURTH GRADE CURRICULUM AND
THEIR FAMILIES AND TO DATE, UM,
OVER 42,000 STUDENTS IN
CALIFORNIA HAVE CHECKED OUT
THOSE PASSES AND WE EXPECT THAT
NUMBER TO GROW SIGNIFICANTLY IN
THE COMING YEAR. ANOTHER, UH,
BARRIER IS TRANSPORTATION. THE
DEPARTMENT IS PARTNERING WITH
SCHOOL DISTRICTS, LOCAL
TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT AND
OTHERS TO HELP PROVIDE
TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS. THE
STATE PARKS. THE DEPARTMENT IS
ALSO WORKING WITH PARKS
CALIFORNIA TO ADMINISTER THE
ROUTE TO PARKS GRANT PROGRAM AND
THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, VARIOUS
ENTITIES CAN APPLY FOR GRANT
FUNDS TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION
TO AND FROM STATE PARKS AND
BEACHES. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
SYSTEM REALLY DEPENDS ON
COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS,
WHICH LEVERAGE THE IMPACT OF THE
DEPARTMENT'S WORK ACROSS
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND VISITORS
SERVICES IN A COUPLE OF OUR KEY
PARTNERS ARE HERE WITH US TODAY
, AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS ROBUST
PARTNERSHIPS WITH CALIFORNIA
STATE PARKS FOUNDATION AND
PARKS, CALIFORNIA WE COULDN'T DO
WHAT WE DO AT STATE PARKS
WITHOUT THESE PARTNERSHIPS. UM I
THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T
REALIZE THAT MANY OF THE THINGS
THAT THEY GET TO ENJOY IN STATE
PARKS ARE ABSOLUTELY RESULT OF
THESE PARTNERSHIPS AND
PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THESE. HMM. UM
. STATE POWER PARKS. CALIFORNIA
WHICH IS OUR STATUTORY NONPROFIT
PARTNER WAS ONLY ESTABLISHED
FOUR YEARS AGO, AND THEY HAVE
DELIVERED TREMENDOUS BENEFIT TO
STATE PARKS BY EXPANDING
EQUITABLE ACCESS, CLIMATE,
RESILIENCY PROGRAMS AND MORE. UH
I'M ALSO WONDERING, I ALSO WOULD
LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE OFFICE OF
GRANTS AND LOCAL SERVICES AND,
WELL, I HEARD, YOU KNOW, I KNOW
THAT SOME MEMBERS WILL SAY I
ONLY HAVE ONE PARK OR NO PARKS
IN MY DISTRICT, THE OFFICE OF
GRANTS AND LOCAL SERVICES. UM
SINCE THE YEAR 2000 HAS
DISTRIBUTED OVER $3 BILLION IN
LOCAL ASSISTANCE IN GRANTS FROM
A VARIETY OF SOURCES,
PROPOSITION ONE PROP 68. AND
THIS FUNDING, UM ESTABLISHES
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR RECREATION
FACILITIES IN EVERY CORNER OF
THE STATE, PROVIDING RECREATION
EXPERIENCES FOR THOUSANDS OF
CHILDREN, YOUTH AND THEIR
FAMILIES MORE THAN 7400
COMMUNITIES HAVE BENEFITED, UM,
BY THESE PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN
CREATED BY THESE INVESTMENTS IN
CALIFORNIA. UM IN OH GALS, WHICH
IS THE OFFICE OF GRANTS AND
LOCAL SERVICES. THERE IS A
PROGRAM CALLED THE CALIFORNIA
STATEWIDE PARK DEVELOPMENT AND
COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PROGRAM
. S P P. FOR SHORT, IT WAS
CREATED TO PROVIDE NEW PARKS AND
TO ENHANCE EXISTING PARKS AND
DISADVANTAGED AND SEVERELY
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES
THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA AND
REALLY, IT'S WITH THANKS TO THE
LEGISLATURE AND THE
ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT THAT THAT
THIS PROGRAM REPRESENTS A STATE
, THE STATE'S LARGEST PARK,
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
TARGETED FOR UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES, AND ONE OF MY HOPES
IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
MESSAGING TO THESE COMMUNITIES
THAT THAT LOCAL COMMUNITY PARK
CONNECTS THEM TO THE WHOLE STATE
PARK SYSTEM, WHICH THEY OWN. I
LOVE TELLING COMMUNITY MEMBERS
THAT THESE ARE YOUR STATE PARKS
AND THIS IS WHERE YOU LIVE. EVEN
IF YOU LIVE IN L A OR MARTINEZ,
WHERE I'M FROM THE NORTH COAST
REDWOODS, THE BEACHES IN THE
SOUTHERN COAST. THOSE ARE YOURS
AND SO WE'RE REALLY WORKING ON
OUR MESSAGING TO CREATE A TRUE
UNDERSTANDING OF OWNERSHIP HERE
. THE DEPARTMENT INITIATED ALSO
A NEW PROGRAM, WHICH IS CALLED
ARTS AND CALIFORNIA PARKS. AND
THIS IS TO SUPPORT ARTISTS.
EXCUSE ME, SUPPORT ARTISTS,
WRITERS, PERFORMERS, COMMUNITIES
AND TRIBAL NATIONS IN CREATING
ARTWORK THAT OFFERS PERSPECTIVES
ON THE PAST THE PRESENT AND
HELPS US IS TO IMAGINE THE
POTENTIAL OF PARKS AS A
REFLECTION OF CULTURE AND
NATURAL SYSTEMS INTO THE FUTURE.
THE PROGRAM WILL ESTABLISH
POWERFUL ARTS PROGRAMMING AND
STATE AND LOCAL PARKS. THOSE
PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED BY
Ó GALS WILL ALSO BE ELIGIBLE
FOR RECIPIENT. UH SUPPORT FROM
THESE FUNDS, AND THESE ARE
INTENDED TO HELP CREATE
COMMUNITY CONNECTION, CULTURAL
EXPRESSION AND BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURAL
SYSTEMS AROUND US. STATE PARKS
IS PARTNERING WITH TRIBAL
ENTITIES AND WE'RE BUILDING UPON
YEARS OF COLLABORATIVE WORK ON
THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE STATE'S
IRREPLACEABLE NATURAL AND
CULTURAL RESOURCES, AS WELL AS
EFFORTS TO BROADEN ACCESS TO
PARKS. RESULTS OF OUR TRIBAL
COLLABORATIONS INCLUDE THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SIGNED MEMORANDA
OF UNDERSTANDING WITH FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES LIKE THE COIN
NATION, WHICH, BY THE WAY, I
WOKE UP AT CLEAR LAKE THIS
MORNING JOINED THE TRIBAL
LEADERSHIP OF THE CONEY COIN
NATION AND SIGNED AN MOU WITH
THEM ON THE SHORE. AS OF CLEAR
LAKE THIS MORNING. THAT
REFRESHES AND OUR FIRST MOU TO
SIGN WITH TRIBES, WHICH WAS IN
2017. WE'VE ALSO SIGNED A
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH
THE KASHIA POMO YUROK, WASH. OH,
AND WITH NON FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES LIKE THE, UM
UM OOPS AND OF THE SANTA CRUZ
AREA, THESE COLLABORATIONS HMM.
HAVE RESULTED IN SUPPORT FOR
TRIBAL TRADITIONAL CEREMONIES.
REINTRODUCE SPECIES, EXPANDED
HABITAT AND BROUGHT TRADITIONAL
ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT
PRESCRIPTION FIRES AND THE
CULTIVATION OF TRADITIONAL PLANT
MATERIALS INTO PRACTICE AT STATE
PARKS, THE STONE LAGOON
VISITOR'S CENTER, WHICH IS UP ON
THE NORTH COAST REDWOODS IS
STAFFED BY MEMBERS OF THE YUROK
TRIBE AND THE INTERPRETIVE
EXHIBITS AND SIGNAGE AT REDWOODS
STATE PARK HAVE BEEN
COOPERATIVELY COOPERATIVELY
DEVELOPED WITH THE YUROK TRIBE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE
SEEING IN MANY PARKS AND MULTI
LINGUAL SIGNAGE AND
INTERPRETATION. UM AND IN FACT,
PART OF THE CEREMONY THIS
MORNING WAS RENAMING TWO SITES
WITH LOCAL, UM OY LANGUAGE
TITLES, AND ONE OF THEM IS THE
MOUNTAIN WHERE MOTHER WHERE THE
MOUNTAINS WERE GRANDMOTHER.
HEELS IS WHAT THE MEANING OF THE
NEW NAME MEANS. DIRECTOR. I
GOTTA GO. IF YOU CAN WRAP UP
LOVE TO HEAR FROM, SO, UM. WE'RE
WORKING ON RE EXAMINING OUR
PAST. WE'RE EXPLORING THESE
AREAS. STATE PARKS ALSO MANAGES
A NUMBER OF AREAS WE'VE
DEVELOPED A SEA LEVEL RISE
ADAPTATION STRATEGY, AS YOU
MENTIONED WERE BEING AFFECTED BY
THESE SERIOUS CLIMATE CHANGE.
EVENTS WERE WORKING ON
ACQUISITION AND FUNDING OF NEW
PARKS, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK
ON THAT ARE MOST RECON. RECENT
ACQUISITION IS THOSE REAL ESTATE
PARK, WHICH IS AT EIGHT MILES
WEST. OF MODESTO AND THAT THAT'S
THE PART THAT WE HOPE IN HOPE TO
OPEN THIS FALL AND OR LATE FALL
AND OUR FORMAL GENERAL
MANAGEMENT PROCESS WILL TAKE
PLACE. STARTING THIS FALLEN INTO
THE SPRING AND INTO NEXT YEAR.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE FOR LISTENING
TO ME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE
REALLY NEEDED THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE. THERE IS SO MUCH
INFORMATION. I SINCERELY
APPRECIATE. UM YOUR PRESENTATION
. I'D LIKE TO ASK RACHEL NORTON
, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
STATE PARKS FOUNDATION. ALL
RIGHT. WELL GOOD AFTERNOON, AND
I AM INDEED RACHEL NORTON. I'M
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
FOUNDATION, AND I THINK I CAN
SPEAK FOR ALL OF US THAT WERE SO
PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT STATE PARKS MEAN TO
CALIFORNIANS AND ABOUT THE PARKS
NEEDS AND CHALLENGES AND TO GIVE
YOU INFORMATION ABOUT HOW ALL OF
US IN THE PARTNER COMMUNITY ARE
WORKING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
WITH THE DEDICATED PEOPLE OF THE
STATE PARK SYSTEM. TO MEET THOSE
NEEDS. AND I PARTICULARLY, I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR
COMMITTEE'S QUESTIONS AND
ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP AND
HELPING ALL OF US KEEP THIS
INCREDIBLE SYSTEM MOVING FORWARD
. UH IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL THAT
YOU PULLED TOGETHER THIS PANEL.
IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT, I
THINK FOR ALL OF YOU TO
UNDERSTAND HOW THE THESE THREE
PARTNERSHIPS AND OTHER PARTNERS
WHO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM AS
WELL WORK TOGETHER THE
DEPARTMENT PARKS CALIFORNIA, THE
FOUNDATION SHIN, UM, REALLY
WORKED COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER
TO SUPPORT THE SYSTEM, AND WE
STRIVE ALWAYS FOR ALIGNMENT AND
SHARED PRIORITIES. EACH OF US DO
OUR WORK DIFFERENTLY, BUT WE ALL
HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY. AND SO I'M
GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
FOUNDATION'S ROLE IS NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. FOR OVER 50 YEARS,
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
FOUNDATION HAS BEEN THE LEADING
STATEWIDE VOICE AND ADVOCATING
FOR A SUSTAINABLY FUNDED STATE
PARK SYSTEM ACCESS TO PARKS FOR
ALL AND ENDURING PARK
PROTECTION. OUR MISSION OVER ALL
THAT TIME HAS BEEN TO PROTECT
AND PRESERVE THE CALIFORNIA
STATE PARK SYSTEM FOR THE
BENEFIT OF ALL WE ENVISION A
FUTURE CALIFORNIANS HAVE A STATE
PARK SYSTEM THAT IS ACCESSIBLE
AND RELEVANT. ADEQUATELY AND
SUSTAINABLY FUNDED AND STEWARDED
FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. WILLIAM PENN MOTT
JR WAS THE DIRECTOR OF
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS IN 1969
WHEN HE GATHERED A GROUP OF
PROMINENT CALIFORNIANS TOGETHER
TO FORM A PARTNER ORGANIZATION
FOR THE STATE PARK SYSTEM. THAT
ORGANIZATION THAT BECAME
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
FOUNDATION. MR MAAT NEW THAT'S
WHAT'S THAT STATE PARKS NEEDED
THE LOVE, SUPPORT AND
STEWARDSHIP OF EVERYONE IN OUR
BIG, DIVERSE STATE. OVER TIME.
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
FOUNDATION GREW AND CHANGED TO
MEET THE NEEDS OF THE STATE PARK
SYSTEM, AND THAT IS OUR
COMMITMENT. WE ARE HERE TO FIGHT
FOR PARKS AND THE CALIFORNIANS
AND VISITORS WHO USE THEM. AND
THIS COMMITMENT WILL NEVER
CHANGE. OUR COMMITMENT INVOLVES
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. OUR
COMMITMENT INVOLVES CREATING A
BIGGER TENT, ENSURING THAT OUR
WORK REFLECTS THE NEEDS AND THE
VALUES OF THE MOST MARGINALIZED
CALIFORNIANS AND SERVING AS A
NETWORK BUILDER AND FUNDER FOR
THOSE COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE THAT
THEIR NEEDS ARE CENTERED IN
PARKS. WE ARE WORKING WITH STATE
PARKS, PARTNERS AND CALIFORNIANS
ON SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THE
FOLLOWING CRITICAL ISSUES NEXT
SLIDE. CLIMATE IMPACTS. INTENSE
BOMB CYCLONES, HEAT DUMBS
WILDFIRES AND RARE HURRICANES,
AND THAT MIGHT HAVE ONLY JUST
BEEN THE LAST MONTH OR TWO IN
CALIFORNIA. THEY ARE HERE AND
OUR BELOVED PARKS CAN BE CLIMATE
RESILIENT WITH INVESTMENT AND
PLANNING OR USING THE BEST
AVAILABLE SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
TO LEARN DEEPLY ABOUT CLIMATE
THREATS AND SOLUTIONS TO EDUCATE
CALIFORNIANS AND THE
LEGISLATURE. ACTIVATE PEOPLE TO
TAKE ACTION AND ULTIMATELY
INFLUENCE POLICY AND LEGISLATION
THAT PRIORITIZES COMMUNITIES
MOST AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE.
NEXT SLIDE. CALIFORNIA STATE
PARKS ARE PUBLIC SPACES, BUT
MANY PEOPLE AS WE'VE HEARD
CANNOT ACCESS OR EXPERIENCE
THEM. BARRIERS TO PARK ACCESS
INCLUDE LACK OF TRANSPORTATION.
THE COST OF VISITING LACK OF
AWARENESS OF PARKS AND THE
ACTIVITIES THAT THEY OFFER AND
MORE AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD TO
HAVE WORKED SINCE 2018 WITH THE
FIRST PARTNER AND WITH U C L, A
TO ARTICULATE THE NEED FOR MORE
ACCESS TO PARKS WORK THAT WAS
INTEGRAL TO CREATING THE PAST.
PILOTS AT THE DIRECTOR
MENTIONED. UM AND I DO WANT TO
TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE
LIBRARY PAST. WE WERE SO
FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE VERY
GENEROUS DONATIONS FROM AN
INDIVIDUAL DONOR AND FROM OUR AI
SO THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PLACE
BACKPACKS WITH GEAR. UH IN 505
100 BACKPACKS ACROSS THE STATE
PARK SYSTEM, UM, TO HELP EXTEND
THE EXPERIENCE OF VISITING WHEN
FOLKS CHECK OUT THE PAST, THEY
ALSO CAN CHECK OUT A BACKPACK
AND THAT HELPS THEM. THERE'S
WILDLIFE GUIDES AND OTHER THINGS
IN THE BACKPACK, AND THAT HELPS
THEM. EXTENDING AND ENRICH THE
EXPERIENCE OF BEING THERE. WE
ALSO THE DIRECTOR MENTIONED THE
QR CODE. WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY
WITH THE DEPARTMENT. SO WE'RE
WE'RE TAKING ALL THAT SURVEY
DATA AND WE DONATED AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO WIN AN
ANNUAL PASS TO PARKS IF THEY
FILL OUT THE SURVEY IS AN
ADDITIONAL INDUCEMENT. SO THE
DATA IS THE DIRECTOR ALLUDED TO
IS JUST INCREDIBLE THAT IS
COMING OUT OF THAT PROGRAM.
SORRY I HAD TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
MORE ACCESS. WE UH WE HAVE ALSO
WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE
DEPARTMENT AND WITH PARKS,
CALIFORNIA AND SAVE THE REDWOODS
LEAGUE AS PRESENTING PARTNERS OF
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS WEEK,
WHICH ALSO INVITES MORE
CALIFORNIANS TO EXPERIENCE AND
ENJOY THEIR STATE PARK SYSTEM.
NEXT SLIDE. TO SUPPORT PARK
EXCELLENCE AND A THRIVING STATE
PARK SYSTEM, SUFFICIENT STAFFING
, FUNDING AND EFFECTIVE PARK
POLICIES ARE REALLY CRITICAL. WE
ENSURE PARK EXCELLENCE BY
FIGHTING FOR A FULLY FUNDED
CALIFORNIA STATE PARK SYSTEM AND
BY CREATING THRIVING PARTNERSHIP
PROGRAM SO THAT STATE PARKS CAN
BENEFIT FROM THE WORK OF ALL NON
PROFIT PARTNERS, ESPECIALLY THE
PARK OPERATORS AND CO OPS
REPRESENTED BY THE CALIFORNIA
LEAGUE OF PERK ASSOCIATIONS,
ANOTHER IMPORTANT PARTNER. WE
ALSO INVITE PROVIDE GRANTS TO
IMPROVE AND ENHANCE PARK
AMENITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
NEXT SLIDE. BY EXPANDING PARK
STAFF'S CAPACITY. VOLUNTEERS
HELP OVERCOME RESOURCE
CONSTRAINTS AND CARRY OUT
ESSENTIAL STEWARDSHIP TASKS SUCH
AS TRAIL MAINTENANCE, HABITAT
RESTORATION, PLANTING AND MORE.
THEIR INVOLVEMENT FOSTERS
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND
CONNECTION, SPREADING AWARENESS
AND INSPIRING OTHERS TO
APPRECIATE AND PROTECT THESE
NATURAL AND CULTURAL TREASURES.
BECAUSE OF OUR PROGRAM, 90% OF
VOLUNTEERS FEEL MORE CONNECTED
TO STATE PARKS. 90% FEEL PART
MORE PART OF A COMMUNITY OF PARK
SUPPORTERS AND 80% ARE MORE
LIKELY TO RETURN TO STATE PARKS
AMONG PARK STAFF. 95% FEEL
SUPPORTED IN THE PLANNING AND
EXECUTION OF WORKDAYS AND THAT
OUR WORKDAYS PRODUCE A HIGH
QUALITY IMPACT ON THEIR PARK.
NEXT SLIDE. AS MR MARTIN. NEW
PARKS NEED AND ENGAGED
CONSTITUENCY TO THRIVE. WE
ENGAGE THAT CONSTITUENCY BY
BUILDING COMMUNITIES AROUND
PARKS, WORKING WITH PARTNERS ALL
OVER CALIFORNIA OF ALL SIZES. WE
WORK WITH YOU, THE LEGISLATURE
TO ENSURE THAT STATE PARKS ARE A
PRIORITY IN THE STATE BUDGET AND
IN LEGISLATION AND FINALLY, WE
ENGAGE CALIFORNIANS TO
EXPERIENCE STEWART AND ADVOCATE
FOR THEIR PARKS. WHETHER IT'S
VOLUNTEERING, DONATING, JOINING
US, ONE OF OUR 70,000 MEMBERS OR
ADVOCATING WE EMPOWER CHAMPIONS
FOR PARKS. NEXT SLIDE. ONE OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT WAYS THAT WE
WORK WITH YOU. THE LEGISLATURE
IS BY ENGAGING ADVOCATES AND
PARK SUPPORTERS IN YOUR
DISTRICTS AND CONNECTING THEM
WITH YOUR OFFICES SO THAT VOICES
ARE HEARD. WE ALSO REGULARLY
ENGAGED IN POLICY DISCUSSIONS IN
SACRAMENTO AND PRESENT
EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS SO THAT
PARK ADVOCATES CAN LEARN ABOUT
THE ISSUES AND HOW TO BE
EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES FOR PARKS.
ALRIGHT NEXT SLIDE ALMOST DONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOU NOW
WITH SOME OF OUR KEY LEGISLATIVE
PRIORITIES FOR PARKS. FIRST
PARKS NEED SUSTAINED MULTI YEAR
INVESTMENT IN REDUCING THE
STAGGERING DEFERRED MAINTENANCE
BACKLOG THAT AFFECTS ACCESS AND
VISITOR EXPERIENCE IN PARKS
ACROSS THE SYSTEM. SECOND THE
DEPARTMENT HAS DONE AN
INCREDIBLE JOB IMPLEMENTING
THESE THREE PAST PILOTS THAT
WERE ENACTED IN 2021 AND THE
THEY HAVE EXPANDED ACCESS TO
MANY CALIFORNIANS, WHO
PREVIOUSLY LACKED THE RESOURCES
TO VISIT PARKS. THOSE PILOTS
HAVE BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL AND
SHOULD BE EXTENDED AND EXPANDED.
FINALLY OUR PARKS CAN MEET THE
CHALLENGES POSED BY THE CLIENT
BY CLIMATE CHANGE IF THERE ARE
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO PLAN AND
FOR WORSENING IMPACTS OF SEA
LEVEL RISE WILDFIRES, EXTREME
HEAT AND LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY.
EVERY PARK NEEDS A FUNDED
CLIMATE RESILIENCE PLAN TO
ENSURE THAT WE CAN PROTECT THESE
INCREDIBLE PLACES AND OFFER
RESPITE AND RECREATION FOR
IMPACTED COMMUNITIES. LAST SLIDE
. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
TIME, AND I WILL BE VERY HAPPY
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU
HAVE. THANK YOU. I SURE
APPRECIATE THAT. YOU INCLUDED
OUR COLLEAGUE WHO IS ALSO A
MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. YOU CAUGHT THAT
BEAR BAUER-KAHAN, WHO IS THE
CHAIR OF THE WATER, PARKS AND
WILDLIFE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
UM. KINDLY LOT LOUDER. US TO DO
. AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US
HERE. MY NAME IS KIM LEE WALSH
LAWLER. I'M THE PRESIDENT AND
CEO OF PARKS, CALIFORNIA AND I'M
DELIGHTED TO BE IN THE ROOM AS
THE OFFICIAL STATUTORY PARTNER
TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND
RECREATION. WE HAVE A CLEAR
MISSION. VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT
YOU HEARD FROM OUR FRIENDS TO
THE RIGHT TO HELP STRENGTHEN
PARKS AND INSPIRE ALL TO
EXPERIENCE THIS EXTRAORDINARY
PLACES. WE WORK EVERY DAY TO
POSITIVELY IMPACT THE
COMMUNITIES THAT YOU SERVE. IN
2015, THE PARK'S FORD COMMISSION
ISSUED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW
STATE PARKS COULD MEET THE NEEDS
OF ALL PEOPLE NOW AND INTO THE
FUTURE. THE PARKS BOARD PLAN
SHOWED THAT FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE
IN CALIFORNIA FACE ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL BARRIERS THAT PROHIBIT
THEM FROM EXPERIENCING THE
WONDERS OF CALIFORNIA STATE
PARKS. IT ALSO REVEALED THAT
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WAS NEEDED TO
PROTECT PARKS, NATURAL AND
CULTURAL RESOURCES. THE PARK
FORWARD COMMISSIONS CORE
RECOMMENDATION WAS TO CREATE A
NEW STATEWIDE NEST STATUTORY
NONPROFIT PARTNER TO CALIFORNIA
STATE PARKS AS ARTICULATED IN SB
11 11. AND IN 2018 ARTICLES OF
INCORPORATION WERE FILED TO
ESTABLISH PARKS, CALIFORNIA AS
THE OFFICIAL NONPROFIT PARTNER
TO CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS, AND
WE BEGAN OPERATING IN EARLY
2019. WE WERE CREATED TO BE A
NEW MODEL FOR PUBLIC, PRIVATE
AND NON PROFIT PARTNERSHIP AND
AS A NONPROFIT EXTENSION OF THE
STATE PARKS TEAM PARKS,
CALIFORNIA IS A TRUSTED THOUGHT
PARTNER AND A NIBBLE PROJECT
MANAGER. WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY
TO ADD OUTSIDE EXPERTISE TO
SOLVE THESE BIG CHALLENGES BY
PARTNERING WITH NONPROFITS LIKE
WE HAVE HERE TODAY, TRIBES,
CONSULTANTS AND UNIVERSITIES. WE
LEVERAGE PUBLIC DOLLARS AND
BRING IN ADDITIONAL PRIVATE
FUNDING JUST TO SCALE IMPACT AND
BROADEN SUPPORT FOR STATE PARKS
AND COMMUNITY. IN MANY CASES ARE
PROJECTS START AS PILOTS WITH
THE IDEA THAT THEY'LL TURN TO
SCALES. PROJECTS. EACH YEAR AS
THE STATUTORY PARTNER PARKS.
CALIFORNIA MEETS WITH STATE
PARKS LEADERSHIP TO SET JOINT
PRIORITIES AS PRESCRIBED IN SB
11 11. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH
STATE PARK STAFF ON THE GROUND
TO CATALYZE INNOVATION AND
ADVANCED PROJECTS, WHICH ADDRESS
THE MISSION. CRITICAL NEEDS
IDENTIFIED. IF WE COULD GO
PLEASE TO THE JOINT PRIORITY
SLIDE. NEXT ONE. PERFECT. THANK
YOU. 2023 JOINT PRIORITIES FALL
INTO THREE CATEGORIES. EQUITABLE
ACCESS INTERPRETATION AND
EDUCATION IS THE FIRST THE
SECOND IS CLIMATE, RESILIENT,
LANDSCAPE SCALE STEWARDSHIP. AND
THE THIRD PART OF THE FUTURE.
CALIFORNIA'S ROBUST STATE PARK
SYSTEM REQUIRES FUNDING SCALABLE
SOLUTIONS AND COMMUNITY
INVOLVEMENT. AND AS WE'VE HEARD,
AND NO CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
CAN'T DO THIS ALONE. WE NEED
COLLABORATION AND WE NEED
PARTNERSHIP. WE'RE A PART OF
THAT NETWORK. WE WORK CLOSELY
WITH THE PARKS FOUNDATION STATE
PARKS TO SUPPORT THE DELIVERY OF
THE STATE PARKS ADVENTURE PAST
PROGRAM THAT WE STARTED TO TALK
ABOUT ALREADY, WHILE THE
FOUNDATION TOOK THE LEAD ON
ADVOCATING FOR THE PAST PROGRAM
PARKS, CALIFORNIA PROVIDED
GRANTS TO UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES THAT THEN ENABLED
TRANSPORTATION. SO THOSE FOURTH
GRADER, STUDENTS AND THEIR
FAMILIES COULD GO TO PARKS.
EXPANDING STATE PARK PROGRAMS
AND PRIORITIES AND HELPING TO
CONNECT THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO
NONPROFITS TO COMMUNITY
STATEWIDE IS CENTRAL TO WHAT WE
DO AT PARKS, CALIFORNIA. FOUR
YEARS IN. WE'RE MANAGING 37
PROJECTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS AND HAVE
MADE A TOTAL OF 110 GRANTS
ACROSS THE STATE. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. WE STRIVE TO BE
CONNECTORS TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE
THEY ARE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP
WITH NATURE. WE KNOW EVERYONE
DESERVES ACCESS TO THESE PARKS.
TO CREATE CONNECTION. THE PARK
EXPERIENCES HAVE TO BE RELEVANT
WHEN PEOPLE ARRIVE. AND THAT
MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS TO NATURE
FOSTER THAT FUTURE PARK
STEWARDSHIP THE CAREGIVERS OF
TOMORROW. PARKS CALIFORNIA CO
DESIGNS PROGRAMS WITH COMMUNITY
AND STATE PARKS TO ENSURE WE
MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUR
CONSTITUENTS. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. WE LAUNCHED ROUTE TO
PARKS IN 2020 TO SUPPORT AND
FUND LOCAL, NONPROFIT OR EGGS
THAT ARE BEST ABLE TO ADDRESS
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION AND
OBSTACLES IN THEIR OWN
COMMUNITIES AND HOW TO GET TO
PARKS. WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE
MIDDLE OF OUR THIRD YEAR AND
HAVE INVESTED 1 MILLION AND A
MIX OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDS.
AND COMMUNITIES AND RECENTLY
LAUNCHED THE APPLICATION
PROCESS. FOR OUR FOURTH YEAR WE
HAVE A GRANTEE SITTING TO OUR
LEFT HERE AS WELL. WROTE TO
PARKS GRANTEES SERVE POPULATIONS
WHO HISTORICALLY HAVE HAD LESS
ACCESS TO STATE PARKS AND FACE
TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS. WHEN WE
SURVEYED THESE ORGANIZATIONS,
93% TOLD US TRANSPORTATION WAS
THEIR BIGGEST OBSTACLE, AND
THESE GRANTS ARE FILLING IN
ACUTE NEED. WE ENCOURAGE
GRANTEES TO BE CREATIVE AND
RESOLVING BARRIERS. ONE GREEN
TEA WORKING ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 37
NATURE TRACK NOT ONLY REDUCE
TRANSPORTATION HURDLES FOR
WHEELCHAIR USERS BY BRINGING IN
88 BUSSES, BUT THEY ALSO
PURCHASE FREEDOM TRACKS WITH THE
FUNDING. THEY WERE GIVEN THROUGH
TWO PARKS, WHICH IS A MOTORIZED
OFF ROAD ATTACHMENT FROM ANNUAL
WHEELCHAIRS. AND WE LEARNED
LATER FOR SOME PARTICIPANTS.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY
WERE IN NATURE SINCE THEY WERE
IN A WHEELCHAIR. ULTIMATELY WE
SEE ROUTE TO PARKS AS A STARTING
POINT FOR EACH PERSON TO CREATE
THEIR OWN LIFELONG CONNECTION TO
PARKS AND NATURE. 96% OF THE
PARTICIPANTS IN THESE FIRST
THREE YEARS HAVE SAID THEY
INTEND TO RETURN. SLIDE. 10,
PLEASE. TO CREATE CONNECTION TO
PLACE. THE PREMISE IS SIMPLE
WHEN A NEW VISITOR ENJOYS THEIR
PARK EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY SEE
THEMSELVES AND WHEN THEY FEEL
WELCOME, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO
RETURN AND THAT MEANS PARK
EXPERIENCE HAVE TO BE RELEVANT.
I THOUGHT PARTNER AS A THOUGHT
PARTNER TO STATE PARKS WERE
HELPING TO CONSIDER WHAT PARK
PRAYER BECAUSE PROGRAMS ARE
BEING OFFERED THAT LIFT UP LOCAL
COMMUNITY. HOW CAN PARK STAFFING
BETTER REFLECT THE COMMUNITY?
HOW DOES THE EXPERIENCE FROM
SIGNAGE TO ACTIVITIES ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE TO FEEL CONNECTED AND
WANT TO COME BACK? LIFTING
INDIGENOUS BLACK LATINO ASIAN
VOICES AND OTHER HISTORIES IS AN
IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO TELL
MORE COMPLETE STORY OF THE
PEOPLE WHO INHABITED THESE LANDS
AND ACROSS THE STATE. SO TOO, IS
PROVIDING PARK INTERPRETERS WITH
THE TRAINING AND TOOLS TO
NAVIGATE DIFFICULT OR CONTESTED
HISTORIES TO FOSTER DIALOGUE AND
TO SPARK CIVIC ACTION. WE'RE
COLLABORATING WITH STATE PARKS
AND AN INTERNATIONAL COALITION
TO DELIVER TRAINING AND
RESOURCES FOR PARK STAFF TO HELP
PARKS BECOME DYNAMIC CENTERS OF
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACROSS
CALIFORNIA. ADDITIONALLY STATE
PARKS ARE LOCATED IN URBAN
SETTINGS AS WE STARTED THE DAY
SPEAKING WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY AT
CANDLESTICK POINT STATE
RECREATION AREA WITH STATE
PARKS. AND WITH CALIFORNIA STATE
PARKS FOUNDATION. WHERE WE HAVE
BROUGHT IN $500,000 A PRIVATE
FUNDS TO EXPAND THE REACH TO 20
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP
CANDLESTICK BECOMES A TRUE
COMMUNITY HUB IN ITS IN ITS
NEIGHBORHOOD OF BAYVIEW HUNTERS
POINT HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITY IN SAN FRANCISCO.
AGAIN WE'LL BE BUILDING
CONNECTIONS WITH PARTNERS WITH
STATE PARKS AND WITH COMMUNITY
IN URBAN PARKS AND BEYOND. SLIDE
11, PLEASE. AND LASTLY, WE'RE
IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES TO
CREATE TOMORROW'S PARK STEWARDS
BY SUPPORTING PATHWAYS TO
CAREERS, BRINGING DIVERSE
PERSPECTIVES, LIVED EXPERIENCES
AND INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE INTO
STEWARDSHIP BUILDS RESILIENCE
AND BROADER SUPPORT FOR OUR
PARKS. OUR CAREER PATHWAYS
APPROACH SUPPORTS ORGANIZATIONS
LIKE THE, UM AHMAD AND LAND
TRUST. THEIR NATIVE STEWARDSHIP
CORE IS WORKING ON NUEVO STATE
PARK, LOCATED IN DISTRICT 23.
AND THIS PROGRAM ENGAGES YOUNG
ADULT TRIBAL MEMBERS AND
RESTORATION AND IMPLEMENTATION
OF INDIGENOUS STEWARDSHIP
PRACTICES. THESE PRACTICES WILL
OFFER INSIGHT ON THE USE OF
TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO CREATE
A MORE CLIMATE RESILIENT FUTURE
WHILE ALSO BUILDING LEADERSHIP
PATHWAYS FOR INDIGENOUS YOUTH.
TO DATE, WE'VE INVESTED $500,000
IN PRIVATE FUNDS. WE'VE TRAINED
OVER 80 PARTICIPANTS, ALL OF
WHOM IDENTIFIED 80% OF WHOM
IDENTIFY AS BI PARK AND FROM
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES. STATE PARKS WILL BE
BETTER PREPARED TO ADDRESS
CLIMATE CHANGE WITH THE TALENTED
AND DIVERSE WORKFORCE. PARKS
CALIFORNIA EXISTS SO THAT ALL
PEOPLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BUILD LIFELONG AND MEANINGFUL
CONNECTIONS TO NATURE WITH OUR
UNIQUE STATUTORY AUTHORITIES AND
THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS AND OTHER
WONDERFUL NONPROFIT PARTNERS AND
COMMUNITIES WHERE WORKING AS A
STATEWIDE COLLABORATOR TO SOLVE
COMPLEX AND SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS,
INCLUDING NURTURING A SENSE OF
BELONGING. SO THAT CALIFORNIA
STATE PARKS MEET THE EVOLVING
NEEDS OF EVERYONE AND HER
STEWARDED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
TO COME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. SONIA DÍAS, POLICY
DIRECTOR FOR OUTDOOR OUTREACH.
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE MEMBERS
CHAIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
HAVING ME TODAY. UM OUTDOOR
OUTREACH IS A NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION THAT WAS
ESTABLISHED IN 1999 PROVIDING
DIRECT SERVICES, UM, IN THE
GREATER SAN DIEGO REGION. UM WE
ARE ALSO A GRANTEE OF PARKS,
CALIFORNIA AND COMING BACK TO
THIS. UM RECURRING THEME OF
BELONGING AND ACCESS. THIS IS
EXACTLY WHAT OUR ORGANIZATION'S
MISSION IS ALL ABOUT. UM WE
CONNECT YOUTH. UM THEY'RE REALLY
UNDERREPRESENTED IN OUR PARK
SYSTEM, UM, TO THE
TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THE
OUTDOORS. UM I WISH WHEN I WAS
IN HIGH SCHOOL, THERE WAS AN
ORGANIZATION LIKE OUTDOOR
OUTREACH. UM BECAUSE I GREW UP
IN A COMMUNITY THAT DIDN'T HAVE
ANY ACCESS TO PARKS OR GREEN
SPACES. AND SO, UM, IT IS A
PLEASURE. I TAKE PERSONAL
PLEASURE IN THIS WORK, AND IT'S
BEEN A PASSION OF MINE TO WORK
FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT
CONNECTS PEOPLE TO THIS, UM TO
NATURE IN ALL OF ITS BENEFITS
THAT IT PROVIDES NOT ONLY HEALTH
BUT MENTAL WELL BEING AND WE
ALSO HAVE A EIGHT WEEK
LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. THAT CREATES
A CAREER PATHWAY FOR YOUTH, UM
IN OUTDOOR CAREERS, BUT ALSO
TEACHES THEM, UH, LIFE SKILLS
LIKE LEADERSHIP. UM RESUME
BUILDING FINANCIAL LITERACY AND
SKILLS THAT AREN'T NORMALLY
TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS THAT I ALSO
WISH I HAD AS WELL. AH, UM. AND
NOT ONLY FOCUSING ON YOUTH
THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO PROVIDING
INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMS. UM
ALEC, THE VARMUS UP OSCAR GRANT
PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN
BENEFICIARIES EVERY TAKE
FAMILIES AND THEIR YOUTH OUT TO
FISHING TRIPS. UM AND WE NOT
ONLY YOU DO WE DO A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES,
AND I CALL IT FROM MOUNT
MOUNTAINS TO OCEAN. SO
EVERYTHING FROM HIKING, ROCK
CLIMBING SNOWBOARDING TO
SURFING. AH, STAND UP,
PADDLEBOARDING. UH UM. ANYTHING
YOU NAME IT, AND WE ACTUALLY
OFFER. UH THESE PROGRAMS TO OVER
2000 INDIVIDUAL YOUTH PER YEAR,
UM, ABOUT 600 OUTINGS PER YEAR
THAT WE DO, AND WE PROVIDE
EVERYTHING FREE OF COST THE
EQUIPMENT INSTRUCTION. UM YOU
KNOW, I HAD FREE OR SUBSIDIZED
COST AND WE DO THIS WITH
PARTNERSHIPS. UM FROM OVER 50
SCHOOLS, PREDOMINANTLY TITLE,
ONE SCHOOLS AND NON PROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS, UM, THAT SERVE
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. AND,
UH, WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN
STATEWIDE ADVOCACY WORK SINCE
2013 ACTUALLY AS A WAY TO
FURTHER OUR MISSION BY
ADDRESSING A LOT OF THESE
SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES THAT WERE
RAISED TODAY. CHALLENGES TO
OUTDOOR ACCESS, UM, THAT OUR
COMMUNITIES CONTINUALLY FACE.
AND, UM. ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS,
YOU KNOW, WE'VE COME UP MANY
TIMES FOR PARKS ADVOCACY DAY IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH CALIFORNIA
STATE PARKS FOUNDATION, UM,
WHERE WE HAVE ENGAGED OUR YOUTH
AND COMING UP TO SACRAMENTO TO,
UM, TELL THEIR STORIES AND
EXPERIENCES TO HELP SHAPE
POLICY. AT THE STATE LEVEL. UM
AND WE ALSO WERE ENGAGED IN A B,
THE CREATION OF, UM SORRY. IT
WAS KEY STAKEHOLDER GROUP
ENGAGED IN THE CREATION OF A B 2
50 THAT ESTABLISHED GUIDELINES
FOR INCREASING LOW COST VISITOR
ACCOMMODATIONS AND PARTNERING,
UM WITH PARKS, CALIFORNIA UM IN,
UM SILVER STRAND STATE BEACH IN
SAN DIEGO. UM AND THEN ALSO A
KEY STAKEHOLDER IN ADVANCING. UM
THE CREATION OF A B 209, WHICH
ESTABLISHED THE OUTDOOR EQUITY
GRANTS PROGRAM. UM, WHICH IS. A
REALLY KEY, WONDERFUL PROGRAM
THAT HAS CONNECTED OUR YOUTH TO
A LOT OF THESE OUTDOOR
EXPERIENCES THAT I JUST
MENTIONED. AND ONE OF THE THINGS
ABOUT UM AND
BELONGING. UM AND SO A LOT OF
OUR STAFF ARE ALSO HAVE BEEN
THROUGH OUR PROGRAM YOU USE THAT
HAVE ALSO BEEN THROUGH OUR
PROGRAM. SO WE HAVE THAT FULL
CIRCLE LOOP OF, UM, CONTINUING,
LIKE SELF SUSTAINING MODEL THAT
WE HAVE. UM. AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT AS IF WE'VE RUN OUR
PROGRAMS AT MULTIPLE STATE PARKS
, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
BRINGS ME HERE TODAY IS TO
THAT'S RELEVANT TO OUR
CONVERSATION. IS THAT, UM. OH
WE'VE HAD AN AMAZING PARTNERSHIP
WITH CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS. YET
WE STILL FACE MANY BARRIERS TO
ACCESSING OUR OWN PARKS. UM
WE'VE KEPT COMING UP AGAINST
THESE BARRIERS BECAUSE THERE ARE
THINGS LIKE PERMITTING, FOR
EXAMPLE, UM, WHICH I'LL TALK IN
A BIT ABOUT THAT ACTUALLY CREATE
AN ADDITIONAL LAYER, UM, FOR
NONPROFITS TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE
. SO WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, YOU
KNOW WE RUN AGAINST 600
PROGRAMS. ANNUALLY UM, AND THERE
ARE MULTIPLE PARKS AND SOMETIMES
WEEKLY MONTHLY, UM REGULAR TIMES
OF YEAR AND THESE ARE YOU KNOW,
THE CURRENT SYSTEM HAS BEEN
DESIGNED FOR ONE TIME SPECIAL
EVENTS THAT ARE LARGE. RIGHT AND
IT DOESN'T REALLY ACCOMMODATE
THE TYPE OF MULTIPLE TOUCH
POINTS THAT OUR ORGANIZATION
DOES ON A REGULAR BASIS. UM AND
SPECIFICALLY FOR NONPROFITS THAT
ARE BRINGING NEW VISITORS TO
PARKS THAT FOR THE FIRST, THIS
IS THERE. YEAH FIRST VISIT. UM
AND SO WHEN WE GET TURNED AWAY,
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE
SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT THAT WE
HAVE TO KEEP TAKING OUT EVERY
SINGLE TIME WE COME TO THE STATE
PARK. UM THAT REALLY DETERS
PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE EXPERIENCE.
AND SO LITTLE STRUCTURAL
BARRIERS LIKE THAT, UM REALLY
MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN
ACCESSING OUR PARK SYSTEM. SO WE
TRY TO WORK WITH OUR LOCAL, UM,
SOUP SUPERINTENDENT, UM AT
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS BACK IN
2016. UM TO COME UP WITH A
PARTNERSHIP THAT WE CALLED THE
COMMUNITY ACCESS, PARTNERSHIP OR
CAP. UM BECAUSE WE REALIZED WE
NEEDED A STATEWIDE SOLUTION TO
SUPPORT UM, THIS TYPE OF MODEL,
RIGHT? UM WE OPERATE IN MANY
DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS LIKE
JUST CITY, COUNTY AND STATE, BUT
FOR US STATE PARKS, UM WAS A
GOOD ENTRY POINT FOR US TO BEGIN
THIS TYPE OF PARTNERSHIP. UM AND
SO. WHAT WE DISCOVERED WAS, UM,
EVEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IT
WAS AH. VERY HARD. WE STILL HAD
TO JUMP THROUGH A LOT OF HOOPS
AND, UM WE WERE ABLE TO FINALLY
REACH A SERVICE AGREEMENT THAT
WAS APPROVED IN 2021, WHERE WE
WERE ALLOWED TO OPERATE AT THREE
DIFFERENT PARK UNITS. UM
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR PARTNERSHIP
HAS BEEN DEEPLY IMPACTED BY THE
POLLUTION AND BEACH CLOSURES AT
BORDER FIELD STATE. PARK AND
SILVER STRAND STATE BEACH. UM
AND THESE WERE SOME OF THE PARK
UNITS THAT WE'VE OPERATED THE
MOST, UM, IN THE PAST, AND SO
AH! WHAT WE REALIZED IS THAT
THERE ARE NONPROFITS ACROSS THE
STATE THAT WE'RE HAVING
CHALLENGES ACCESSING THEIR OWN
STATE PARKS. AND RATHER THAN
HAVE THEM GO THROUGH A SERIOUS
SERVICE AGREEMENT PROCESS LIKE
WE DID, WHICH TOOK TIME AND
ENERGY UM, WE BELIEVE THAT
PATCHWORK SOLUTION WOULDN'T
SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND THAT THIS
WAS ACTUALLY CREATING UM AND
INEQUITABLE SITUATION. UM
ESPECIALLY FOR THE NUMBER OF
ORGANIZATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS
LACK, YOU KNOW, THEY LACK THE
OVERHEAD CAPACITY, THE LEGAL
EXPERTISE. TO BE ABLE TO KEEP
DOING THESE AGREEMENTS. RIGHT
SO, UM. SO WE THIS WAS KIND OF
THE CREATION OF WHY WE DECIDED
TO INTRODUCE ASSEMBLY BILL 11 50
, WHICH I DID PROVIDE A FACT
SHEET AND WE BASICALLY TO CREATE
A STATEWIDE SOLUTION TO A VERY
SIMPLE BERRY TO REMOVE HIS VERY
SIMPLE BARRIER THAT WOULD
ALLOWED, BASICALLY AUTHORIZED AH
, UM CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS TO
ENTER WHAT WE CALL COMMUNITY
ACCESS AGREEMENTS WITH
NONPROFITS AND ALLOW THE
FLEXIBILITY. UM FOR THAT TO BE
RENEWED FOR GO UP TO FIVE YEARS
BUT ALSO WENT IN THE YEARS WHERE
YOU KNOW? THERE MIGHT NOT BE AS
MANY RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN THE
BUDGET, UM THAT IT'S VERY
FLEXIBLE IN THAT SENSE AND GIVES
PARKS THAT AUTHORITY TO
PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE RIGHT NOW
THERE'S NO UM, LEGAL AUTHORITY
THAT THEY HAVE TO DO THIS KIND
OF THING. SO WE HOPE THAT UM.
THAT YOU LOOK INTO THIS AND IT'S
RIGHT. IT'S NOW IN THE SENATE.
AH APPROACH COMMITTEE SO. WE'VE
WORKED VERY HARD OVER THE YEARS
ON THIS ISSUE, AND THIS IS JUST
ONE LITTLE BARRIER THAT WE'RE
WORKING ON. IF IT DIDN'T SEND IT
APPROACHES. WE KNOW IT'S ALREADY
PAST OUR HOUSE. WE DID THE RIGHT
THING. WE VOTED FOR IT. YES
THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU, FOR
YOUR SUPPORT SERVED OVER 2 2000
YOUTH THROUGH THE PROGRAM. AS OF
2022. THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH,
CHRISTY SURANA. ARE YOU, STUDENT
ADVOCATE? GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN OF THE CALIFORNIA
STATE ASSEMBLY SELECT COMMITTEE
FOR STATE PARKS. MY NAME IS
TRACY SURANA. AND I AM HONORED
TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY I'M
A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR FROM LOS
OSOS HIGH SCHOOL AND RANCHO
CUCAMONGA AND THE DISTRICT OF
MAJORITY LEADER EMERITA, SAID
LUIS GOMEZ REYES, AND I'M HERE
AS A PARTICIPANT IN HER YOUNG
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM. PROGRAM.
TODAY I'LL BE DESCRIBING MY
EXPERIENCE WITH THE STATE PARK
SYSTEM AND OFFERING SOME IDEAS
THAT I HAVE FOR IMPROVEMENT. YOU
COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. GO AND CLICK THREE
TIMES. SORRY THANK YOU A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT ME. SO I'M INTERESTED
IN GOING INTO LAW AND GOVERNMENT
PASSIONATE ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE
ISSUES ON ALL LEVELS RANGING
FROM REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS TO
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND I'M A
FIRM BELIEVER IN THE POWER OF A
GOOD CARAMEL LATTE. I'VE HAD A
FASCINATION WITH POLITICS SINCE
FIFTH GRADE WHEN I WAS RUNNING
TO BE PART OF BENNION ELEMENTARY
STUDENTS SENATE WITH THE SLOGAN
SLIDE CHANGE, PLEASE. DON'T BE
TWISTY VOTE FOR CHRISTIE. OKAY
SO I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT
ONE MEANS. BUT THAT EXPERIENCE
SPARKED MY INTEREST IN PUBLIC
POLICY THROUGHOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL
, HIGH SCHOOL AND HERE NOW, NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. WHEN I FIRST
HEARD OF THE YOUNG LEGISLATIVE
PROGRAM I KNEW I HAD TO APPLY.
IT SOUNDED LIKE A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE
INNER WORKINGS OF POLITICS, THE
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND MORE,
AND I WAS RIGHT. IT'S A
WONDERFUL PROGRAM THAT HAS GIVEN
ME HANDS ON UNIQUE AND
INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE TO THE
INTRICACIES OF POLITICS IN
CALIFORNIA. CONNECTED WITH
STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE
DISTRICT BEEN OFFERED
OPPORTUNITIES JUST LIKE THIS ONE
AND LEARNED ALL ABOUT DIFFERENT
ASPECTS OF GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING
HIGHER EDUCATION, LAW, CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT. AND, OF COURSE, OUR
CHAIRS. STATE PARKS. SLIDE
CHANGE, PLEASE. RELAXING AT
SANTA SCENE TO AS A TWO YEAR
OLD, TOO FOND MEMORIES OF
SPENDING A DAY OUT AT THE LAKE
WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I LOVED
THE STATE'S PARK SYSTEM. MY
PARENTS ALWAYS MADE SURE THAT MY
BROTHER AND I SPENT TIME IN
NATURE LEARNING TO TRULY
APPRECIATE ALL IT HAS TO OFFER
AND THE STATE PARK SYSTEM WAS A
BEAUTIFUL AND CONVENIENT PLACE
TO DO JUST THAT. I ALWAYS
THOUGHT THAT ARE STATE PARKS
WERE AN AMAZING PLACE TO LET US
UNWIND AND RECONNECT WITH NATURE
. IT WAS GREAT FOR RECREATION
AND LAKESIDE RETREATS. HOWEVER,
I HADN'T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT
HOW MUCH OF A TREMENDOUS AND
UNDERUTILIZED RESOURCE IT WAS
UNTIL WE TOOK A TRIP TO
SILVERWOOD STATE PARK AS PART OF
THE YOUNG LEGISLATOR PROGRAM.
THIS EXPERIENCE TRANSFORMED MY
UNDERSTANDING WITH THE HELP OF
RYAN, AN INTERPRETER AND
EDUCATOR. I LEARNED ABOUT PARTS
OF THE PARK THAT I HAD NEVER
REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE.
THEY GUIDED US THROUGH THE STATE
WATER PROJECT AND EXPOSED US TO
DIVERSE CAREER AVENUES SUCH AS
BECOMING AN ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENTIST OR A PARK RANGER. HE
LED US ON A CAPTIVATING HIKE ALL
WHILE EDUCATING US ON THE
SERRANO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WHO
WANTS THRIVED ON THE LANDS OF
SILVERWOOD AND TAUGHT US ABOUT
ALL THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN
PLACE. I MARVELED THAT THE
ACTIVITIES THAT WERE AVAILABLE
SUCH AS WATER SKIING OR CAMPING
OR BOATING AND PLUS, I LEFT WITH
THE PRETTY COOL BACKPACK. THE
VISIT TO THE PARK IGNITED A DEEP
APPRECIATION FOR THE STATE PARK
AND ALL THAT IT DOES THEY HAVE
THE POTENTIAL TO PRESERVE OUR
NATURAL HERITAGE AND CREATE
INVALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
LEARNING THEIR TOOLS TO UPLIFT
TOOLS THAT SHOULD BE USED MORE
WIDELY. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT
MORE STUDENTS AND GROUPS SHOULD
TAKE A TRIP THERE. THERE'S SO
MUCH TO LEARN AND ENJOY. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. AND GOD AND CLICK
THREE TIMES. SORRY. WITH ALL
THIS IN MIND, I HAVE SEVERAL
IDEAS TO ENHANCE THE STATE PARK.
FIRST INCREASED ACCESSIBILITY
AND AFFORDABILITY, SECOND,
INCREASING THE HISTORICAL AND
CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AVAILABLE
AROUND THE PARK AND FINALLY
ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY. UM GO
AND CLICK, PLEASE. JUST ONCE.
THANK YOU. TO MY FIRST POINT
LEARNING ABOUT THE PARK, AND
IT'S DIFFERENT ASPECTS WAS SUCH
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND
EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND I WANT TO
GO AHEAD AND EXPAND THAT TO
OTHER GROUPS AND CHILDREN
PROPOSE OFFERING DISCOUNTS OR
FREE DAY PASSES, SUCH AS ALL OF
THE PROGRAMS THAT ALL OF YOU
GUYS SAID. ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
AND ORGANIZATIONS. THERE AREN'T
THAT MANY PROGRAMS AVAILABLE
RIGHT NOW, AND IF THERE ARE A
LOT OF THE YOUTH AREN'T
CURRENTLY OF IT, UM, AWARE OF
THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS LIBRARY
PAST UM WOULD BE A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY TO RENT A TRIP TO A
STATE PARK. BUT NOT MANY PEOPLE
ARE REALLY AWARE OF IT SPREADING
AWARENESS TO NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS, EDUCATIONAL
GROUPS AND SCHOOLS ABOUT FIELD
TRIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO GO
LEARN ABOUT STATE PARKS WOULD
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF GROUPS
THAT GO 10 CHALET, INSPIRING
FUTURE CONSERVATIONISTS AND
FOSTERING THE LOVE FOR THE
NATURAL WORLD. IT WOULD BE A FUN
WAY FOR KIDS TO GET INVOLVED AND
FURTHER THEIR STUDIES OF BIOLOGY
AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE WHILE
HAVING A TON OF FUN NEXT,
PLEASE. THANK YOU. NEXT I WANT
TO TALK ABOUT THE KNOWLEDGE
AVAILABLE AROUND THE PARK SINCE
I WAS YOUNG. MY DAD AND I HAVE
ALWAYS READ THOSE INFORMATIONAL
SIGNS ON SIGNS TOGETHER. THE YOU
KNOW THE ONES THAT ARE ON HIKES
OR VIEWPOINTS THAT TELL US ABOUT
THE LIFESPAN OF A WESTERN SCRUB
JAY. HOWEVER DURING OUR TRIP TO
THE STATE PARK, I DIDN'T SEE
MANY OF THESE SIGNS. I BELIEVE
THAT A NEW PROJECT TO IMPLEMENT
MORE OF THEM THROUGHOUT THE PARK
ON HIKING TRAILS NEAR LAKES,
ETCETERA ETCETERA CAN ENHANCE
PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND
UNDERSTANDING OF DIFFERENT
ASPECTS OF THE PARK. FOR EXAMPLE
, DURING OUR TRIP, OUR
INTERPRETER, RYAN SHOWED US
DIFFERENT ANIMAL PELTS AND TOLD
US ALL ABOUT THEM. HE TOLD US
ABOUT HOW THERE WAS A SINGULAR
ORDER THAT LIVED IN SILVERWOOD
STATE PARK AND HOW TO DEAL WITH
BEARS. BUT BY PROVIDING THESE
SIGNS IT WOULD PROVIDE VISITORS
WITH INSIGHT INTO ALL OF THIS.
IT WOULD PROVIDE VISITORS WITH
INSIGHT INTO THE INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY INTO DIFFERENT PLANTS
AND ANIMALS THAT ARE AROUND THE
PARK. AND IT WILL GIVE A YOUNG
GIRL A NICE BONDING EXPERIENCE
WITH HER DAD. AND FINALLY
OPENED. SORRY NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE
. THANK YOU. AND FINALLY
INCREASING PUBLIC SAFETY. AS WE
WENT AROUND THE PARK. WE WERE
INFORMED THAT THREE RANGERS WERE
CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AT SILVERWOOD
STATE PARK. I BELIEVE THAT A
LARGER RANGE OF PRESENCE
PARTICULARLY CLOSER TO POPULATED
AREAS COULD ENHANCE VISITOR
SAFETY. RECOGNIZING THE
UNPREDICTABILITY OF NATURE, MORE
RANGERS WOULD ENSURE VISITORS
FEELS MORE SECURE DURING THEIR
OUTINGS. NOW I WAS FOCUSED. I
WAS SORRY I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT
THE PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECT OF THE
PARK AND HOW IT WAS USUALLY
DEALT WITH, SO I DECIDED TO GO
AHEAD AND INQUIRE ABOUT IT AFTER
A TRIP. HOW THE MEDICAL
FACILITIES AND RESPONSES TO
EMERGENCIES WHEN I WAS TOLD WAS
PRETTY BASIC THINGS YOU WOULD
EXPECT. PARK RANGERS AND AIDES
HAD A RADIO CHANNEL THEY
COMMUNICATED WITH RANGERS WENT
THROUGH YEARS OF TRAINING,
ETCETERA. BUT WHAT SHOCKED ME
WAS THAT THERE WERE NO MEDICAL
FACILITIES INSIDE OF THE PARK.
ONLY A FIREFIGHTING TRAINING
NEARBY. IF SOMETHING WERE TO
HAPPEN, AND THE NEAREST HOSPITAL
BEING A 30 MINUTE DRIVE AWAY. I
BELIEVE THAT AN EMERGENCY
SITUATION THIS COULD BE HARMFUL
AND DETRIMENTAL TO THE PATIENT.
BY DEVELOPING COMPREHENSIVE
EMERGENCY PLANS, PROVIDING
TRAINING FOR PARK STAFF AND,
MOST IMPORTANTLY, DESIGNATING AT
LEAST A BASIC MEDICAL FACILITY
IN THE PARK. WE COULD ENSURE
VISITORS SAFETY AND HELP MORE
PEOPLE. ALL IN ALL, I TRULY
BELIEVE THAT STATE PARKS ARE A
FANTASTIC WAY TO PROTECT OPEN
SPACE. HELP FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE
, CREATE HEALTH, RECREATIONAL
AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
OUR TRIP TO SILVERWOOD STATE
PARK WAS ABSOLUTELY EYE OPENING
. THANK YOU TO MAJORITY LEADER
EMERITA GÓMEZ REYES EMERY RUNNER
FOR SETTING THIS TRIP UP FOR US.
STATE PARKS ARE HUBS OF
EDUCATION, RECREATION AND
CONSERVATION. AND I APPRECIATE
ALL OF YOUR OUTFIT AND HELPING
TO PRESERVE THAT. THANK YOU.
WHERE IS THAT? AND IN FACT, I
THINK YOU HAVE A BOOKLET THAT
YOU WANT TO, UM. DON'T THROW IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE
STUDENTS DID WHILE THEY WERE
THERE IS THEY TOOK TURNS BEING
THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND THEY PUT
TOGETHER A BOOKLET AND WE'LL
MAKE SURE THAT WE I THINK THERE
ARE THEY OVER THERE. OKAY MAKE
SURE THAT YOU ALL RECEIVED THOSE
. UM I LOVE THE PHOTOS AND I
LOVED EACH ONE OF THEM PROVIDED
A QUOTE. UM ABOUT THEIR
EXPERIENCE. AND I THINK THAT WAS
VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
CHRISTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
UM THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU. I
THIS IS THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO
BE ABLE TO HEAR EVERY ASPECT. UM
AND IT ISN'T JUST THE PARK. IT'S
THE FOUNDATION AND TO HEAR ALSO
FROM THE PARK'S CALIFORNIA AND
THE OUTDOOR OUTREACH FOR
SPECIFIC EXAMPLES AND THE NUMBER
OF STUDENTS THAT YOU WORK WITH.
CHRISTIE, OF COURSE, TO HEAR A
FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE THAT
HAPPENED JUST WEEK TWO WEEKS AGO
A WEEK AGO WHEN WEEK AGO MARIA
BRUNER IF CAME FROM THE DISTRICT
OFFICE, SHE IS IN CHARGE OF THE
PROGRAM FOR YOUNG LEGISLATORS.
UM AND HE IS THE ONE THAT SAID,
WE NEED TO VISIT A STATE PARK
WITH OUR STUDENTS ARE YOUNG
LEGISLATORS. UM STAFFING? MY UH,
THE SELECT COMMITTEE FROM MY
OFFICE. IS BRANDON GARCIA, WHO
IS A SENIOR, UM, LEGISLATIVE
AIDE IN THE OFFICE. SO WITH THAT
, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
YES MISS DIXON. FIRST OF ALL,
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE LEARNING
MORE ABOUT STATE PARKS THAT I'VE
EVER KNOWN, AND I'VE VISITED
MANY OF THEM AND I HAVE THREE
STATE PARKS IN MY DISTRICT, THE
HUNTINGTON'S BEACH STATE PARK,
CRYSTAL COVE. AND THERE'S
ANOTHER ONE. I GUESS IT'S IN
SUNSET BEACH, IS IT? I KNOW THAT
THERE ARE THREE, BUT IT'S
WONDERFUL TO KNOW. I MEAN, I
THINK MANY PEOPLE, UH, FROM AN
EDUCATIONAL STANDPOINT, ARE
FAMILIAR WITH NATIONAL PARKS.
THEY PROBABLY AREN'T AWARE THAT
THERE ARE STATE PARKS AND
THEY'RE EQUALLY COMPELLING AS IN
IMPORTANT TO HER. AH STAY IN THE
QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR STATE. I
DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. I'M
ONLY QUICK BECAUSE I HAVE TO GO
TO ANOTHER MEETING. I JUST
WANTED TO ASK THIS. I'M VERY
PLEASED THE FOUNDATION. WELL,
FIRST OF ALL, MR QUINTERO, YOUR
EXCELLENT PRESENTATION. YOU YOU
HAVE MANY THINGS GOING FORWARD,
AND IT'S VERY SATISFYING TO HEAR
ON THE FOUNDATION. JUST A QUICK
QUESTION. ARE YOU RAISING FUNDS
FROM PRIVATE SOURCES? YES. AND
COULD YOU TELL US HOW MUCH SHE
RAISED ANNUALLY? WELL WE ARE
OPERATING BUDGET IS ABOUT $8
MILLION A YEAR OF THAT GOES TO
OUR OWN OPERATIONS AND THE WORK
RUNNING OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE
DOING IN PARTS, BUT THEN A CHUNK
ACTUALLY HAVE OUR PARTNERSHIPS
MANAGER HALEY GONZALEZ WITH
THAT. MINISTERS ARE GRANTS
PROGRAM, BUT WE DO GRANT ROUNDS
EVERY YEAR FOR PARKS DO ACTIVELY
FUNDRAISER THROUGH HOW DO YOU DO
IT? AH PRIMARILY OUR PRIMARY
FORM OF FUNDRAISING IS THROUGH
DIRECT MAIL PROGRAM, BUT WE ALSO
HAVE A REALLY THRIVING
INSTITUTIONAL GIVING PROGRAM AND
MAJOR INDIVIDUAL. I THINK THAT'S
FABULOUS BECAUSE THAT
SUPPLEMENTS WITH THE STATE
PROVIDES AS WELL CORRECT. I MEAN
, WE PROVIDE A LOT OF IT'S MORE
I WOULD SAY IN KIND LIKE THE
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM THAT WE DO.
OKAY I THINK 26 PARKS THIS YEAR
, BUT YES, ABOUT IT VARIES THIS
LAST YEAR, WE I THINK WE GAVE
100,000 IN GRANTS, SOMETIMES
DIRECTLY TO PARKS BUT OFTEN TO
PARTNERS IN ATTACHED TO SPECIFIC
. ONE EXAMPLE OF GIVING DIRECTLY
TO PARKS. WE PROVIDED $50,000 IN
GRANTS FOR CALIFORNIA STATE
PARKS WEEK EVENTS, SO THOSE WENT
DIRECTLY TO PARKS FOR THEM TO BE
ABLE TO BUY MATERIALS AND
SUPPLIES AND PUT ON EVENTS TO
WELCOME PEOPLE INTO A VERY
IMPORTANT PART OF HOW WE DELIVER
QUALITY SERVICES. AND ONE OTHER
FINAL QUESTION. I KNOW THE
NATIONAL PARKS. AH HAVE RANGER
BADGES THAT CHILDREN OR ANYONE
ANY AGE GROUP CAN COLLECT. DO
YOU HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF THING
FOR JUNIOR RANGER? YES THE
DEPARTMENT AND ACTUALLY THE NEW
JUNIOR RANGER. UH BADGE PROGRAMS
. YOU GET A LITTLE WOODEN BADGE
THAT HAS THE NAME OF THE PARK
WHERE YOU GOT THE BADGE. KIDS
ARE ACTUALLY COLLECTING BAD DO
INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. I'VE
FRIENDS WHO HAVE COLLECTED THEM
AND EVERY NOW AND THERE'S 60
SOME NATIONAL PARKS IN THE
COUNTRY AND IT'S A WONDERFUL
PROGRAM. IF YOU'RE DOING IT AT
THE STATE LEVEL. WELL, THANK YOU
CHAIR FOR BRINGING THIS
EDUCATION TO ALL OF US. I VALUE
THE INFORMATION TODAY AND LOOK
FORWARD TO KNOWING MORE ABOUT
OUR STATE PARKS AS WE GO
FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. YES. YEAH I WANTED TO GET
BACK TO KIND OF MY ORIGINAL
QUESTION ON SOME OF THE
EXTREMELY POPULAR PARKS. UH, A
LOT OF THEM ON THE COAST, BUT
OTHER PLACES ALSO AND HOW ONE
GETS INTO THESE PARKS. UH
SECONDLY, I HEAR AND I DO HAVE
CAMPING FRIENDS, AND SOME OF
THEM ARE RETIRED NOW, BUT BUT
I'VE ALSO HEARD THAT SOMETIMES
RESERVATIONS ARE MADE, UM. AS
EVERYBODY MAKES SOME, BUT THEN
THEY'RE NOT UTILIZE. SO WHEN
SOMEBODY ENTERS A CAMPGROUND,
THERE CAN BE SOME VERY PRIORITY
SPACES THAT AREN'T EVEN BEING
USED. AND UM, I'M UNDERSTANDING
THAT IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T MAKE A
CANCELATION, THERE ISN'T ALWAYS
, UH, CONSEQUENCE. I GUESS SO
THAT THESE JUST GO. I KNOW THAT.
AH AND AGAIN WE'VE HAD A LOT OF
EXPERIENCE WITH THIS IS MY
FAMILY IS, UM, CAMPED THAT THEY
WILL BE RELEASED AT SOME POINT,
MAYBE 24 HOURS INTO IT, BUT
THAT'S ONLY IF SOMEBODY IS KIND
OF ROLLING IN THERE LOOKING FOR
A SPACE SO THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS
PUT BACK ON THE IF YOU WANT TO
SAY, UM, PORTAL TO TAKE THOSE
RESERVATIONS AND THAT BECAUSE
MANY OF THESE RESERVATIONS ARE
MADE SIX MONTHS EARLY, IT
DOESN'T APPEAR THAT SOME PEOPLE
FEEL LIKE OH, I REALLY NEED TO
CANCEL THAT FIVE DAY OR 10 DAY.
UH AND BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
PAYING ANY TYPE OF UM, PENALTY
PENALTY. SOMETIMES THEY GO ON.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST ADDRESS
THOSE TWO ISSUES THE POLICY THAT
WE HAVE IS IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T
SHOW UP, WE GENERALLY WILL HOLD
THAT SPACE FOR THEM FOR 24
HOURS, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES PEOPLE
ARE TRAVELING AND THERE'S
DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN
CAUSED DELAYS. AND THERE'S
ALWAYS PRESSURE ON PARKS,
PARTICULARLY THE VERY POPULAR
ONES WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO
SHOW UP AT THE GATE, WHO, FOR
WHATEVER REASON, WERE NOT ABLE
TO MAKE A RESERVATION AND THOSE
LATE CANCELATIONS END UP BEING
THE PERFECT PLACE WHERE WE DO
WHAT'S CALLED FIRST COME FIRST
SERVE. UM WE DO KNOW WE ARE WELL
AWARE THAT THERE IS A GAP
SOMETIMES OF, UM CAMPGROUNDS,
PEOPLE NOT PICKING UP THEIR
CAMPING RESERVATION, AND THAT'S
BEING UNABLE TO FILL THAT SLOT.
UM AND AS I THINK YOU'RE AWARE
WE HAVE RELEASED A NEW REQUEST
FOR PROPOSAL FOR A WHOLE NEW
CAMPING RESERVATION SYSTEM. UM
AND WE ARE ON A FAST TRACK. TO
GET, UM, ROBUST NEW SYSTEM IN
PLACE THAT WILL HELP US ADDRESS
THAT PROGRAM AND BE ABLE TO TURN
AROUND THOSE RESERVATIONS
EFFICIENTLY BECAUSE RIGHT NOW
IT'S NOT. AND I'M AWARE OF THAT.
SO JUST GOING BACK TO IT'S KIND
OF A REPEATED THOUGHT. SO FOR
EXAMPLE, I'M ONLY USING CRYSTAL
COVE ONLY BECAUSE IT'S CLOSE TO
ME AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF
EXPERIENCE. THOSE RESERVATIONS
SOMETIMES OPEN JANUARY, 1ST AND
, UH, JUST SAY IT'S EIGHT
O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
SOMETIMES THAT CAMPGROUND OR
NOT, CAMPGROUND CABINS ARE
FILLED WITHIN THREE MINUTES,
RIGHT? KNOWING MANY PEOPLE
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I LIVE. I
DON'T LIVE IN CRYSTAL COVE I
LIVE IN NORTH. THEY'RE TELLING
ME THE WAY THEY DO THAT IS THEY
ACTUALLY GO ON WITH FIVE OR SIX
COMPUTERS AND HAVE ALL THIS KIND
OF HITTING THE KEYS UNTIL THEY
GET SOMETHING WHICH YOU KNOW
THAT'S THE WAY TO GET IN. BUT
WHAT IT CONCERNS ME IS THAT
MANY, MANY WORKING FAMILIES
DON'T HAVE THAT ACCESS OR
OPPORTUNITY TO BE SITTING THERE
TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THESE
CAMPGROUNDS THAT HUESO IS THERE.
A WAY TO KIND OF ADDRESS THAT I
THINK THAT THE NEW RFP, WHICH WE
HAVE RELEASED, UM, IS INTENDED
TO ADDRESS THAT VERY PROBLEM. UM
THERE ARE ACTUALLY OVER 1000
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS AND THE
NEW RFP, AND WE'RE EXPECTING
THAT IN LATE SEPTEMBER, UM WE'RE
GOING TO BE GETTING LIVE
DEMONSTRATIONS FROM THE SELECTED
BIDDERS SO JUST IN ANOTHER MONTH
WE'LL BE LOOKING AT WHO CAN DO
THIS, AND WE ARE ACTUALLY
LOOKING AT THE BEST RESERVATIONS
IN THE UNITED STATES AT BEING
THE TEAM, THE GROUPS THAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT TO COME IN AND TAKE
CARE OF STATE PARK RESERVATIONS.
UM AND WE EXPECT THAT BY LATE
OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR, WE WILL BE
AWARDING A NEW CONTRACT AND WE
HOPE TO HAVE ANNOUNCED STANDING
RESERVATION SYSTEM THAT
ADDRESSES MANY OF THE SHORTFALLS
OF OUR CURRENT SYSTEM. BY NEXT
AND IT'LL, IT SHOULD BE GOING
LIVE NEXT FALL, AND WE HAVE ALL
THE DATES LAID OUT IN THE BID
PACKAGE RIGHT NOW, AND WE'D BE
HAPPY TO TALK WITH YOU. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. THAT MEANT THAT
MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY. AND I'LL
JUST END WITH REALLY IMPRESSED
WITH ALL THE OUTREACH. YOU'RE
DOING TWO COMMUNITIES. I LOVE
THE FOURTH GRADE PASS AS I WAS
1/4 GRADE TEACHER. UM AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE
YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. LIKE THAT
, UNLESS SOMEBODY HAS THE
TRANSPORTATION OR EVEN THE
FUNDING, AND WE KNOW IT'S MUCH
MORE LOW COST THAN AMUSEMENT
PARK, BUT THEY JUST DON'T KNOW
THAT SO I REALLY APPRECIATE AND
I THINK BECAUSE WE MET MAYBE A
234 YEARS AGO. I DON'T KNOW HOW
LONG IT'S BEEN, BUT IT'S BEEN A
WHILE SO I APPRECIATE THOSE NEW
ACCESS FOR FAMILIES AND UM AND
YOUNG INDIVIDUALS. UH SO THANK
YOU. I THINK FOURTH GRADERS ARE
ALSO THE SWEET SPOT OF THE KIDS
WHO WANT TO TAKE THEIR FAMILIES
ON THESE VACATIONS. IT'S A GREAT
AGE AND IT IS, YOU KNOW, THEY
LOVE THEIR PARENTS. WELL AND AS
A TEACHER A LOT OF TIMES,
THERE'S ALWAYS THIS ANNUAL
MISSION. PROJECT THAT I THINK
THAT'S CHANGING A LITTLE BIT,
TOO. BUT THAT WAS A WAY THAT YOU
KNOW, LET'S GO TO THIS MISSION
AND FAMILIES WOULD DO THAT, BUT
TO MOVE THAT NOW INTO THE PARK
SYSTEM, I THINK, AND THAT'S THE
AGE WHERE KIDS WILL REMEMBER AND
THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO
THOSE, AND THAT'S HOW IT WAS
INSTILLED WITH ME, WHICH WAS
CAMPING AT THE BEACH. SO THEN,
WHEN I HAD MY OWN CHILDREN, IT'S
LIKE WE'RE GOING TO GO DO THESE
THINGS NOT AS MUCH AS I WANT TO.
BUT WELL AND I MENTIONED THE RE
EXAMINING OUR PAST INITIATIVE
WAS STATE PARKS AND WHAT WE'RE
FOCUSING ON THERE IS EXACTLY
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, IN
TERMS OF TELLING THEM MORE
COMPREHENSIVE STORIES AND WHAT
WE KNOW NOW, INCLUDING THE
STORIES ABOUT THE MISSIONS AND
IT'S A BIG JOB, BUT WE'RE NOT
AFRAID OF THE CHALLENGE. IT'S
REALLY EXCITING. THANK YOU.
GREAT JOB, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU.
WELL WONDERFUL. I HAVE A FEW
QUESTIONS. UM HONESTLY, THANK
YOU ALL SO MUCH. JUST SO MUCH
INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED, AND I
AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES. AS YOU
KNOW, WE'RE AT THE END OF
SESSION. SO MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
SAID I'M GOING TO STOP BY. I
WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT IT, BUT
THEY HAVE SOME. WE HAVE SO MANY
COMMITTEES SPEAK THAT ARE BEING
HEARD NOW. THE MAP OF THE PARK'S
VERY IMPORTANT I THANK YOU FOR
PROVIDING THAT TO US, AND WE
PROVIDED A COPY. ALSO IN THE
LITERATURE THAT WE PROVIDED TO
EACH OF OUR MEMBERS, AND THEY
WILL EACH RECEIVE THESE IN THEIR
OFFICES AS WELL. IN THE SLIDES
THAT YOU ARE THE PROGRAM
PROVIDED TO US THE QUOTE THAT I
THAT I SAW THERE IS THE LARGEST
AND MOST DIVERSE, RECREATIONAL,
NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE
HOLDINGS OF ANY STATE AGENCY IN
THE NATION TALKING ABOUT THE
STATE PARK SYSTEM. UM, I THINK
IT SPEAKS TO THE TO THE CULTURAL
VALUE OR PARKS HAVE I WANTED TO
KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ON HOW
STATE PARKS ARE SELECTED. I
NOTICED THAT THE MAP TAKES US
THROUGH JULY. 1 OF 2022. ARE
THERE ANY PLANS FOR MORE PARKS?
I THINK YOU MENTIONED THERE'S
ONE IN THE WORKS WHAT CULTURAL
AND EQUITY FACTORS ARE
CONSIDERED. WHEN SELECTING THE
STATE PARKS. THANK YOU CHAIR.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. WE KEEP
A LIST OF PRIORITIZED PARKS
RIGHT NOW. THERE'S ABOUT 200 ON
THERE, AND WE DON'T PUBLISH THE
LIST BECAUSE SOMETHING CAN
HAPPEN THAT SHIFTS THE
PRIORITIZATION OF WHAT BECOMES
AVAILABLE OR OTHER FACTORS LIKE
THE FUNDING FOR A PARTICULAR
PROJECT, BUT WE ACTUALLY ARE
REALLY FOCUSED ON LOOKING AT
PARK POOR COMMUNITIES. UM AND I
THINK THE NEWEST STATE PARK,
WHICH IS THE RIOS, WHICH IS
EIGHT MILES WEST OF MODESTO, IS
A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE. IT'S IN
THE CENTRAL VALLEY. THERE ARE
TWO RIVERS AT THIS PARK. IT'S A
1600 ACRE ABOUT 1600 ACRES ARE
PROBABLY MORE THAN THAT ONCE
IT'S COMPLETED, BUT IT OFFERS
WATER RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES.
UM THERE ARE SECTIONS OF OLD OAK
TREE FOREST THERE, SO YOU
LITERALLY HAVE HEAT REFUGEE A
FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN THE
VALLEY. UM AND IT HAS RIGHT
ACROSS THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER SAN
JOAQUIN AND THE PTOLEMY RIVERS
THAT ARE THERE ACROSS THE SAN
JOAQUIN RIVER IS THE SAN JOAQUIN
WILDLIFE REFUGE. AND HONESTLY,
I'VE BEEN THERE SEVERAL TIMES
AND AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR
THIS IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION. YOU
FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ON THE AFRICAN
SAVANNA. AND IT'S 20 MINUTES
FROM MODESTO. ASTONISHING. AND
THE WHOLE THING HAS ALREADY
FIGURING OUT HOW SHE'S GOING TO
GET A BUS TO TAKE US ALL OUT.
WE'LL LET YOU KNOW. WE'LL LET
YOU KNOW WHEN WE HAVE THE
OPENING EVENT. WE HOPE TO DO
THAT EARLY THIS WINTER. THAT'S
RIGHT. I SURE KNOW IT WOULD BE A
PRETTY LEGISLATORS ALSO WANT TO
COME WITH US RIGHT HERE. HERE'S
ALSO SOMETHING IMPORTANT AND
THAT IS THAT WE LOOK AT PARKS
THAT ARE MOST SHOVEL READY
THINGS THAT COULD BE EASILY
OPENED UP WITHOUT A LOT OF A LOT
OF INVESTMENT AND WORK. BUT
THERE'S ANOTHER BENEFIT ABOUT
THIS PART THAT I THINK IS REALLY
CRITICAL AT A TIME IN HISTORY,
BUT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT
MULTIPLE BENEFITS. THIS PARK
ACTUALLY RECONNECTS 1600 ACRE
FLOODPLAIN TO AN AQUIFER. HMM
THIS IS A GROUNDWATER RECHARGE
PARK AND THIS WINTER WITH THE
ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS. THERE WAS
WATER GOING NOT JUST PAST THE
PARK BUT INTO THE AQUIFER. WE
NEED MORE OF THOSE CERTAINLY
WITH THE WATER ISSUES THAT WE
FACE AND SO AND ALSO WITH PARKS
, WE ARE LOOKING AT CREATING
PARTNERSHIPS WITH ADJACENT LAND
MANAGERS, AND I'LL GIVE ONE
EXAMPLE ONE TAM TO MOUNT TEMPLE
PIOUS IN MARIN COUNTY. THERE IS
A NONPROFIT, UM, GROUP CALLED
WELL, IT'S CALLED ONE TAM, BUT
THERE ARE FOUR AGENCIES THAT
MANAGE THAT MOUNTAIN, THE MARIN
MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT, STATE
PARKS, MARINE COUNTY PARKS AND
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. BUT SINCE
2014 THEY WORKED TOGETHER AND
SETTING PRIORITIES ON HOW TO
MANAGE THE WATERSHED AND THE
LANDSCAPE, AND SO THEY ARE ABLE
TO ATTRACT FUNDING. UNLIKE
ANYTHING YOU'VE EVER SEEN, AND
IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE WE'RE
WORKING CROSS BOUNDARIES,
THINKING ABOUT THE RESOURCES
THINKING ABOUT THE WATERSHED, SO
THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE WE'RE
DOING. AN EXISTING PARKS IS
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE
CONNECT WITH OUR PARTNERS AND
REALLY ENHANCE OUR PARTNERSHIP,
AND I ALSO MIGHT MENTION UM
THROUGH ALL THE EMERGENCIES THAT
WE'VE EMERGENCIES THAT WE'VE
BEEN IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
THE LEVEL OF COOPERATION BETWEEN
STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES IN
OUR PUBLIC LANDS IS REALLY
SOMETHING TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND
. UM ALL OF THE, UH, WE ACTUALLY
MEET AND WORK TOGETHER. LET ME
GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. CALIBERS
BIG TREES, WHICH IS IN CALIBERS
COUNTY. UM WE'VE DONE THE
PREPARATION THERE TO DO A BIG
PRESCRIPTION FIRE THERE. WE'VE
BEEN WORKING WITH CAL FIRE STATE
AND OBVIOUSLY STATE PARKS. AND
ALL OF THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT
WORK AND FIRE MANAGEMENT, UM AND
INCLUDING THE NATIONAL PARK
SERVICE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN
THOSE AREAS AS WE'RE BRINGING
THE BEST SCIENCE AND RESOURCES
TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN DOING
EFFECTIVE, UM, RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT AND ALSO JUST RIGHT
NOW WE HAVE 1000 OR 100 STATE
PARKS WHERE WE ARE PREPARED TO
DO. UM PRESCRIPTION FIRE
APPLICATION TO REDUCE FIRE RISK
. WELL THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR RACHEL. UM YEAH. YOU
ALL ARE. BASICALLY THE MAIN
ADVOCATES FOR OUR STATE PARKS
HERE WITH THE LEGISLATURE. WHAT
DO YOU CONSIDER IS THE BIGGEST
BARRIER FOR YOU AND YOUR
ADVOCACY, SOME ESTATES, A LACK
OF UNDERSTANDING ON OUR PART AS
THE LEGISLATORS OR IS THERE
SOMETHING ELSE? I THINK, UM, FOR
US. THE CHALLENGE IS
ARTICULATING. UM THE VALUE OF
THIS SYSTEM RIGHT WITH ALL OF
THE OTHER COMPETING PRIORITIES
THAT YOU AS LEGISLATORS ARE ARE
DEALING WITH. AND UM SO WE HAVE
WE LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, PARKS
ARE FIRST IN OUR HEARTS BUT LAST
IN OUR WALLETS AND THAT, UM THAT
IS MY EXPERIENCE. UNFORTUNATELY
YOU KNOW, WITH THE WITH THE
LEGISLATURE, I THINK ALSO,
SONIA'S EXAMPLE WAS REALLY QUITE
GOOD ABOUT SOME. SOMETIMES
THERE'S JUST THERE'S A LACK OF
AUTHORITY. ONE MISSING SENTENCE
IN THE PARKS CODE THAT YOU KNOW
IF IT WERE THERE THAN STATE
PARKS WOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY
TO DO SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T
CURRENTLY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO
DO SO. THERE'S A LOT OF SORT OF
ARTICULATING HOW WHAT ARE THESE
VERY TECHNICAL, SOMETIMES VERY
SUBTLE CHANGES THAT CAN HAVE A
HUGE IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES
ACCESSING THEIR PARKS. WONDERFUL
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM
UH, KINDLY I THE DIVERSE
POPULATION THAT THAT YOU'RE
SERVING, UH PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVE
BENEFITED SPECIFICALLY ON THE
ROUTE TO PARKS. WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT, UM, ON THE
GRANTS, AND I KNOW YOU TALKED A
LITTLE ABOUT THIS, UM IS THERE
SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT YOUR
GRANTEES TO SHARE WITH YOU? THAT
IS, YOU WOULD CONSIDER THE MOST
IMPORTANT POINT. WE'RE ALWAYS
LOOKING FOR THE TRANSFORMATIONAL
STORIES AND THAT WILLINGNESS AND
THE HOOK THAT THEY WANT TO GO
BACK THAT THIS IS THE
OPPORTUNITY THAT'S CREATING
THEIR FUTURE CONNECTION TO THESE
PLACES. AND IT'S WHY WE'VE
CORRECT STARTED TO CONNECT THAT
ROUTE TO PARKS APPROACH WITH THE
CAREER PATHWAYS PIECE BECAUSE
IT'S NOT JUST THAT WE WANT
PEOPLE TO VISIT. WE WANT THEM TO
SEE THEMSELVES IN THESE PLACES
AS POTENTIAL STEWARDS IN A VERY
OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS WELL, UM SO
WE'RE OFTEN LOOKING FOR WHAT'S
THE NEXT STEP AFTER YOU HAD THIS
EXPERIENCE, RIGHT? WHAT WILL
BRING YOU BACK? WAS IT A STORY
THAT YOU HEARD FROM A STATE PARK
INTERPRETER? WAS IT THE HIKE
THAT YOU TOOK, RIGHT? WE HEARD
SOME OF THAT TODAY, RIGHT? EVEN
FROM OUR YOUNG LEGISLATOR, AND,
UH AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS WE'RE
LOOKING FOR THE HARD DATA. BUT
WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE STORIES
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE CAN
UNPACK. WE BELIEVE TO UNDERSTAND
HOW THAT NEXT LEVEL OF
ENGAGEMENT HAPPENS. THANK YOU,
SONIA. I FIRST WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR TAKING THE TRIP UP HERE TO
SACRAMENTO AS WELL. YOU'VE HAD
QUITE A QUITE A TREK. ALSO
GETTING UP HERE AND PROMOTING
THE OUTDOOR EQUITY. SO IMPORTANT
. OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE IMPORTANT
UH ISSUES THAT WE WANT TO
DISCUSS, AND YOU DID OFFER SOME
SUGGESTIONS. WHAT WOULD YOU
CONSIDER IS OF ALL THAT YOU'VE
TALKED ABOUT. YOU TALKED ABOUT
SOME OF THE BARRIERS AND YOU'VE
ALREADY BEEN WORKING TOWARDS
THEM. WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER
THE ONE THAT IF YOU HAD ONLY ONE
ISSUE THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO
PUSH FORWARD LEGISLATION? WHAT
WOULD THAT ONE BE? HMM DIFFICULT
, SHE SAYS, DO NOT LIMIT ME.
YEAH THE TOP ONE JUST THE TOP
ONE. UM I WOULD SAY MORE FUNDING
FOR THESE OUTDOOR EDUCATION
PROGRAMS AND ACCESS. UM, I THINK
THAT IS EVERY YEAR WE COME BACK
AT THE LEGISLATURE AND HAVE TO
FIGHT FOR CRUMBS EVERY TIME FOR
PROGRAM UNIQUE. UNFORTUNATELY,
IT CAN'T BE FUNDED THROUGH A
BOND. UM AND I KNOW THERE HAS
BEEN SOME SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT
THAT. BUT THESE ARE CRITICAL
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND
EXPERIENCES THAT YOU KNOW, I
REMEMBER. YOU KNOW, JUST JUST
LISTENING UNTIL YOU SPEAKER AT
EVEN IF AT AN EARLY AGE IF IT'S
JUST ONE EXPERIENCE THAT ONE
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION CAN DO
WITH JUST A BIT OF FUNDING. YOU
KNOW, AND ASSISTANCE THAT MAKES
A HUGE IMPACT. UM I THINK THE
LEGISLATURE SHOULD BE ABLE TO
COME UP WITH SOME CREATIVE
SOLUTIONS TO HELP FUND THESE
PROGRAMS. UM SO I HOPE TO WORK
TOGETHER WITH YOU TO COME UP
WITH SOME OF THOSE SOLUTIONS.
WONDERFUL. AYE. I SIT ON SUB
FOUR, SO A LOT OF THOSE REQUESTS
COME THROUGH ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
QUIRK-SILVA HAS ALREADY THINKING
HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET MORE
MONEY IN HERE? AND I KNOW THAT
WHEN SHE CHRISTIE, WHO WAS
SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO
MAKE IT BETTER CHARGING TEACHING
, WHERE EVERYTHING THAT SHE
SUGGESTING, BUT THIS IS SO
IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF OUR
STUDENTS ARE SAYING THIS IS WHAT
WE NEED. WE REALLY HAVE TO
REVALUATE. CHRISTIE UM, I'M SO
GLAD THAT YOU WERE HERE. IT'S A
PRIVILEGE TO HAVE YOU AS A
CONSTITUENT AS ONE OF OUR YOUNG
LEGISLATORS. UH, ONE THING THAT
YOU THINK SHOULD BE YOU. YOU HAD
A WHOLE LIST CASTING TOO MUCH.
ONE THING THAT YOU THINK WOULD
BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR
THE YOUTH TO HAVE THEM, UM,
BECOME MORE INTERESTED IN OUR
STATE PARKS. SO I THINK THE
THING THAT WOULD BE REALLY,
REALLY HELPFUL IS I WAS DOING
SOME RESEARCH ACTUALLY ON STATE
PARKS AND NATIONAL PARKS EVEN
GLOBALLY, AND I FOUND THIS THING
IN CANADA AND THE UK WHERE
THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING CALLED A
PARK PRESCRIPTION PAST. SO THIS
IS REALLY INTERESTING IN THAT IF
A PATIENT WERE TO GO TO THE
DOCTOR, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND
SAY, HEY, I'M DEALING WITH A LOT
OF STRESS. I'M DEALING WITH A
LOT OF ANXIETY, AND WE KNOW
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SUCH A HUGE
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, ESPECIALLY
WITH YOUNG POPULATIONS WITH, YOU
KNOW, EVEN MY PEERS, UM I SEE A
LOT OF MY FRIENDS AND STUFF
DEALING WITH A LOT. AND IF MY
FRIENDS AND A LOT OF THE YOUTH
POPULATION WHERE TO GO TO THE
DOCTOR AND SAY I'M DEALING WITH
THIS, THIS AND THIS, THE DOCTOR
WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM A
LITTLE PRESCRIPTION. THAT'S A
ONE YEAR PART TO THEIR PARKS TO
THE STATE PARKS. ALRIGHT. MS
QUIRK-SILVA, UH, AND I THINK
THESE SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU ALL
HAVE GIVEN UM THAT'S THAT'S A
THESE ARE THINGS THAT I THINK
THAT WE NEED TO WORK TOWARDS YOU
ALL ARE THE EXPERTS. WE AND SOME
OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES WHO ARE
ALSO MEMBERS OF THE THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE, UM, WANT TO KNOW MORE
WANT TO DO MORE? AND I THINK
THAT IT INFORMATION TO THE REST
OF THE PUBLIC AND THEN RESOURCES
BACK TO OUR STATE PARKS. AND TO
THOSE WHO SUPPORT OUR STATE
PARKS, I THINK IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT. I WANT TO THANK YOU
AGAIN SO MUCH FOR TAKING YOUR
TIME TO BE HERE WITH US AND
PROVIDING US INFORMATION.
THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO SHARE WITH US, AND I
GUARANTEE YOU WILL BE CALLING
YOU BECAUSE AS WE LOOK AT OUR
THAT LEGISLATION FOR THE FUTURE
OR AS WE LOOK AT BUDGET REQUESTS
AND GETTING THOSE IN AND FINDING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRANTS. WE'VE
GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET
THOSE PRESCRIPTIONS FROM THE
DOCTOR'S, AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO
FUND THEM AGAIN. THANK YOU ALL
SO VERY MUCH. WE DO WANT TO
PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR UM
ONE MINUTE. UM WE'LL HAVE TO
PROVIDE JUST ONE MINUTE ONE
MINUTE IF ANYBODY WANTS TO GIVE
A PUBLIC COMMENT, TÌM. ALRIGHT
SEEING NO ONE I'D LIKE TO THANK
YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND UNTIL
OUR NEXT SELECT COMMITTEE ON
STATE PARKS HEARING AYE. STAND
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU.