170+ reasons to get outside for California State Parks Week
onCelebrate California State Parks Week, June 10–14, with 170+ free events—from redwood hikes to coastal rides—across the state’s diverse park system.
Student Perspectives: The Mystery of Mount Tam
onI always wondered what made Mount Tam so special. It always seemed mysterious to me since I had no idea what to expect. Once I got up there, I found out for myself that Mount Tam is more than just a place in Marin, it’s my home in the redwoods.
Student Perspectives: Are You in the Redwoods?
onYour help is wanted and needed to increase the accessibility of parks to people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and economic statuses. National and state parks offer an experience that you simply cannot know from frequenting your local urban park. Serene naturalness, breaths of fresh air and lush trees abounding, and never-ending trails – what more can a person ask for? This begs the question, are you in the redwoods? And if not, why?
Blake Williams: Love for Forest Stems from Father’s Work
onBlake Williams inherited his love of the forest from his father, a research entomologist and forester and the first African American in the United States to earn the trifecta of a BA, Masters, and PhD in that research area. “Growing up in Berkeley with that family background, I’ve always been interested in natural resources and forests,” said Williams.
Parks Forward: Increasing Partnership, Investment for California’s State Parks
onThe Parks Forward Report officially adopted this morning is a great step toward a strong future for the California state park system. Having partnered with State Parks for much of our 97-year history, Save the Redwoods League is deeply invested …
California’s State Parks Still Sublime
onOver the past few years, especially since the “parks closure crisis” of 2012, California State Parks staff have taken a lot of heat. And, to be sure, our parks face real challenges — like a severely depleted workforce, declining appropriations, …
Parks for All: Californians Underserved by State Parks, Commission Finds
onCalifornia State Parks is one small yet important step closer to a more sustainable future, and it’s becoming clear what else must be done to get there. At the Parks Forward Commission meeting in San Diego yesterday, we reviewed the …
The Pursuit of Happiness
on“There is nothing so American as our parks. The scenery and wildlife are native. The fundamental idea behind the parks is native. It is, in brief, that the country belongs to the people…Parks stand as the outward symbol of this …
Celebrating National Trails Day
onI talk a lot about the importance of parks and wild places, the beautiful scenery and interesting wildlife they contain, but this week I’m putting the spotlight on one of my favorite features of our open spaces: trails. My appreciation …
Five Redwoods Picnic Spots for Cinco de Mayo
on¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Are you doing anything to celebrate Mexican culture today? Festivities for this holiday (which is actually more popular in the United States than in Mexico) often include traditional folklórico dancing, mariachi music and, of course, delicious Mexican …
Leap Forward for State Parks
onGovernor Brown recently announced California’s 2014-2015 budget, and I speak for all of us at the League in applauding the governor’s Parks-related proposals: to provide one-time funding of $14 million for operations and $40 million for backlogged maintenance costs, as well as to keep all parks open and …
Celebrating the Past and Future of Our Parks
onIn 2014, California State Parks (CSP) will be 150 years old. The park system has come a long way in that time; from the first park at Yosemite to the 280 parks that currently make our system the largest in …
How Did the League Help Start the State Parks System?
onWith California State Parks’ 150th anniversary just around the corner, it seems like a good time to reflect on the League’s role in shaping State Parks and to look back at our shared history. Since its inception in 1918, the …
It’s About the Children!
onThere are so many reasons to move State Parks forward. For me, the first reason is for our children. Remember how much fun you had in the forest as a child? I recall digging for bugs in the dirt at …
Do You Want to Move State Parks Forward?
onSave the Redwoods League does. In this fast-changing world, we either move forward or we are left behind. California’s state parks house some of the world’s most treasured natural resources, including large portions of our beloved redwood forest. We visit …
Parks Forward Commission – Time to Reform the State Parks System
onThere is a ray of hope for California’s underfunded State Parks system: a new high-level commission is being appointed with a mandate to transform the system – soon. As those of us who work in the system know, the State …
Hope for Our State Park System
onCrisis is turning into opportunity for our state park system. California State Parks has new, effective leadership in Major General Anthony L. Jackson, USMC (retired). And the State’s Little Hoover Commission just issued its thoughtful report, identifying many of the …
4 Ways to See the Redwood Forest Anew
onThis weekend, I visited a corner of paradise in Portola Redwoods State Park. This park is the home of some of the tallest, most majestic redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Now is the perfect time to see a veil …
Drilling for Park Land
onWhat do offshore oil drilling and Zion National Park have in common with the redwoods? On first pass, not much – but as a recent story on CBS news shows, they are linked through a nearly 50-year-old program called the …
Roses and Redwoods
onThe Parks Forward Commission is hard at work developing a long-term plan to ensure that California State Parks remain financially viable. But, did you know that you there’s a way — a romantic one at that — to support your …