2022-2023 California State Parks Foundation Annual Report

2022–2023

CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS FOUNDATION Annual Report

El Matador State Beach 1

OUR MISSION Protecting and preserving the California state park system, for the benefit of all.

OUR VISION Californians have a state park system that is accessible and relevant, adequately and sustainably funded, and stewarded for future generations.

Emerald Bay State Park

OUR VALUES A bigger tent Just like a camping tent that accommodates more people, we strive to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. We believe that by coming together and embracing diversity, we create a stronger and more vibrant community where everyone can thrive.

Future forward Our guiding compass, we embrace the boldness to push boundaries, stand firm in our convictions, and adapt to change. We fearlessly confront challenges, remaining steadfast in our commitment to our vision, and continuously seek innovation.

Connections create results Through collective action, we pool our resources and align our efforts toward a common goal, amplifying our impact and making a real difference. We understand that no significant achievement can be accomplished alone, but can be through the power of connecting with others.

Celebrate California We honor the exceptional beauty of our state, while also protecting and highlighting all that is unique about California’s state parks. We believe that nature is a source of wonder and awe, and the outdoors offer endless inspiration.

CONTENTS 5 Letter from Our Executive Director and Board Chair 6 Climate Resilience 10 Access and Experiences 14 Park Excellence 18 Park Stewardship 22 Map of Impact 24 Financials 26 Our Board, Staff, Volunteer Core Leaders, and Partners 3

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park 4

LETTER FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND BOARD CHAIR For over 50 years, California State Parks Foundation has been the leading statewide voice in advocating for a sustainably funded state park system, access to parks for all, and enduring park protection. In 2022-2023, we did important strategic visioning work to usher that legacy into the future.

We envision a future where Californians have a state park system that is accessible and relevant, adequately and sustainably funded, and stewarded for future generations. To realize this vision, every program, every initiative, and every action we take at California State Parks Foundation follows an intentional through-line that extends and amplifies our in-the-field learnings, model programs, and innovative solutions to influence policy and funding decisions in Sacramento. Our new strategic plan, launched this year, lays out the actions we will take over the next three years.

Our five focus areas — defending parks, developing solutions, building a movement, strengthening operational excellence, and enhanced governance — will deepen the impact and capacity of the organization to protect and preserve the California state park system.

We’ve also committed to creating a bigger tent, ensuring that our work centers the needs and values of California’s most marginalized communities. We’re proud of this commitment and have started off well, serving as a network-builder and funder.

Whenever we visit state parks, we are struck with the dedication of the people who work in parks, and with the park system’s sincere efforts to provide a high-quality and meaningful visitor experience. Still, there are critical issues for us to address, this year and the years beyond, to make the system serve Californians even better. These issues include a changing climate that threatens our beaches, forests, rivers, and world-renowned biodiversity; concerns that not all Californians have equitable access to state parks; and chronic underfunding that has made maintenance and staffing issues more visible and widespread.

At the same time, we see a bright future for state parks. In recent memory, there hasn’t been another moment like this one, with such big challenges and big opportunities on the horizon. Unlike some previous leaders, Governor Newsom has prioritized parks with key investments in climate resilience and access. The State Assembly has created a new Select Committee on State Parks, further elevating the needs and contributions of state parks. With the support of the Governor, the Legislature, and the vision and commitment of the people of the state park system, we believe big things are possible.

Rachel Norton, Executive Director

Birt Johnson, Jr., Board Chair

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CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Building climate-resilient parks and communities

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park 6

CLIMATE RESILIENCE We are using the best available science and research to learn deeply about climate threats and solutions, educate Californians and the Legislature, inspire people to take action, and ultimately influence policy and legislation that prioritizes the communities most impacted by climate change.

We provided $138,472.00 to nine grantees for wildfire education, fuel reduction, removing invasive plants, planting native plants, and hardening structures.

We provided $49,971.53 to two grantees for western monarch butterfly grove management projects that address climate threats.

Due to severe storms in winter 2022–2023, over 100 parks closed across 14 districts, and parks suffered almost $200 million in damages.

California State Parks performed prescribed burns in 42 park units to increase wildfire resilience in 2022.

“With the terrible fire at Big Basin, a park of special importance to my family and me, I needed to make sure I donated to help rebuild that beautiful park and all the other parks in the state that need special help right now. No more leaving it until ‘someday.’”

– California State Parks Foundation Member 7

CREATING GROVE MANAGEMENT PLANS TO PROTECT WESTERN MONARCH BUTTERFLIES For years, California State Parks Foundation has supported western monarch butterfly conservation in California state parks by funding education, outreach, research, and programming. California State Parks is the single largest land manager for overwintering groves — coastal sites where western monarchs migrate every winter — so they play a key role in preserving these sites. One focus has been working with The Xerces Society on the development of overwintering grove management plans, which provide a detailed and adaptable process to assess habitat health, identify and address threats, and enhance current groves.

Priorities outlined in each plan include maintaining or improving windbreaks (since overwintering monarchs require shelter from high winds) while ensuring adequate sunlight reaches clustering monarchs; reducing causes of monarch mortality; and increasing native, fall, winter, and spring blooming nectar resources.

The location and structure of overwintering sites provide a particular microclimate that cannot be replaced if lost. Monarchs are also particularly vulnerable while overwintering. Therefore, having a detailed management plan to preserve and restore these groves is critical for the western monarch butterfly’s population recovery.

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NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE THREATS Resilient coastlines: Preserving native habitat threatened by sea level rise With support from California State Parks Foundation, California State Parks restored three acres of coastal bluff scrub at Leo Carrillo State Beach. Most scrub plants were killed in the 2018 Woolsey Fire, and then non-native species invaded the area. Sea level rise is speeding up coastal cliff erosion, resulting in even greater habitat loss. By removing three acres of invasive plants, California State Parks made room for native scrub plants to regrow and create more of this valuable coastal habitat. The funded work also made the beach more climate-resilient because native scrub plants decrease the chance of another wildfire compared to non-native plants.

Wildfire-Resilient Landscapes: Partnering with California Native Plant Society California State Parks Foundation invested in field surveys at six California state parks impacted by the CZU Wildfire Complex, the SCU Wildfire Complex, the Dolan Fire, or the Colorado Canyon Fire.

The California Native Plant Society found that some habitats experienced more severe wildfires than others but that resilient native plants were able to recover. For example, chaparral and oak woodlands in Henry Coe State Park had the most severe fires, but these native plants resprouted afterward. In fact, the only significant impact was that nonnative plants also grew at several sites, which could increase the risk of another wildfire because non-native plants are more prone to fire than native plants.

Knowing this information, park managers can focus on high-risk areas and remove potentially dangerous non-native plants.

These management plans will increase state parks’ climate resilience as wildfires become more common and more severe.

Leo Carrillo State Park 9

ACCESS AND EXPERIENCES

Opening California’s parklands for everyone to enjoy

Point Dume State Beach 10

ACCESS AND EXPERIENCES While California state parks are public spaces, many people cannot access or experience them.

Barriers to park access include lack of transportation, cost of visiting, lack of awareness of parks or the activities they offer, closures, and more. Though we are working to reduce these barriers, this is just the beginning of the effort to ensure that every Californian feels welcome in and can enjoy state parks.

CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS WEEK In June 2023, we celebrated the second annual California State Parks Week, a weeklong series of activities across California that showcase the enormous range of opportunities for individuals, families, and communities to come together and enjoy the natural beauty of California state parks. This year, participants were encouraged to reflect on a daily theme throughout the week. Themes included explore new experiences, nourish your health and wellbeing, support climate resilience, celebrate community and culture, and care for our shared lands.

To help pull off the event, we offered 29 grants, totaling $50,450, to various California state parks and partner organizations to fund special community events. Investing in these parks is crucial for the well-being of residents and visitors, promoting outdoor recreation, and preserving our state’s rich natural and cultural resources.

“California’s amazing, inspiring, and beautiful state park system is here for all to enjoy.

We are honored to support California State Parks in opening the doors a little wider to welcome in new visitors and foster a new generation of park lovers.”

– Rachel Norton, California State Parks Foundation Executive Director

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EXPANDING ACCESS THROUGH PASS PROGRAMS In California State Parks Foundation’s efforts to open park gates to more people who’d like to enjoy them, we’ve found success in supporting, advocating for, and publicizing three key pass programs that offer free access to key communities: •

California State Park Adventure Pass: Gives fourth graders and their families who live in the state a free pass to access 19 selected state parks for a full year.

•

State Library Parks Pass: Gives library card holders free vehicle day-use entry to over 200 participating state park units operated by California State Parks.

•

Golden Bear Pass: Makes it easier for families who receive CalWORKs, individuals who receive supplemental security income, income-eligible Californians over the age of 62, and participants of California’s Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program to receive a free annual vehicle day-use pass valid at over 200 participating state parks.

HOW WE’RE MOVING THE CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY PARKS PASS FORWARD Since the launch of the California State Library Parks Pass, California State Parks Foundation has continued to partner with California State Parks and State Libraries to support implementation by promoting and evaluating the program.

MARKETING & OUTREACH: California State Parks Foundation has funded the printing of collateral to help promote the program. We funded 240,000 bookmarks (200 per library branch) to promote using library cards for free state park access and printed 50,000 half-page sheets to collect program feedback through surveys.

GEAR & BACKPACKS: To enhance the experience once visitors get to the park, we provide items that add additional value to the passes. We partnered with REI Co-op, who contributed 500 backpacks for a pilot program. These packs come with gear like binoculars, compasses, and wildlife guides to enhance the park experience for those checking out a pass.

SURVEY & EVALUATION: Participants are urged to take a survey for a chance to win an Annual Pass.

The survey helps gather valuable data on pass usage and reducing barriers to state parks. Key insights from the California State Park Library Pass surveys administered by California State Parks, and supported by California State Parks Foundation (3,638 responses through August 1, 2023): •

63% indicated cost of day use fees as their main reason for not having visited state parks previously.

•

90.1% plan to visit state parks again 7+ times a year thanks to the Parks Pass.

•

45.2% of respondents during the reporting period indicated an income level of $60,000, with 24.6% reporting an income level of $30,000 or less.

•

63.5% indicated that they were Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC).

•

81% of respondents are more likely to use other library resources and services after using the California State Library Parks Pass.

California State Parks Passes break down barriers for Californians to enjoy our state park system.

As these are pilot programs, California State Parks Foundation is passionately advocating for securing a permanent place for these pilot programs in the state budget.

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“The park pass is what got me to sign up for a library pass and it got me to visit the local library and check out other resources. [With] the high cost of everything in California, the pass really helps reduce the cost of getting out in the open.”

– Marco F., Kerman, CA California State Library Parks Pass survey respondent

Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park

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PARK EXCELLENCE

Fighting for a fully funded state park system

Park 14 Advocacy Day 2023

PARK EXCELLENCE Sufficient staffing, adequate funding, and effective park policies are critical to ensuring a thriving state park system. We work to achieve park excellence by fighting for a fully funded California state park system and by creating thriving partnership programs so that state parks can benefit from all the work of nonprofit partners.

PARK ADVOCACY DAY At Park Advocacy Day in May 2023, we brought together 70+ park supporters to speak with their legislators on key parks issues for the 2023 legislative session, including our two sponsored bills, both of which were signed into law later in the year! Assembly Bill 1150 (Committee on Parks, Water, and Wildlife) will remove barriers to access by allowing state parks to waive the fees and paperwork for chosen nonprofit partners that run important programs like environmental education and nature-based learning in state parks. Our second sponsored bill, Senate Bill 668 (Dodd), will allow California State Parks to continue to work with the nonprofit partners that operate some state parks in perpetuity. We also advocated for increased funding for state parks both in the state budget and in potential upcoming climate bonds Assembly Bill 1567 (E. Garcia) and Senate Bill 867 (Allen). This funding advocacy was focused on addressing the backlog of deferred maintenance at state parks, which only continues with each year of wear and tear. Stay tuned to see how a climate bond progresses through 2024!

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FOLLOWING THROUGH ON PARK EXCELLENCE IN THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION Each year, our team reads thousands of bills proposed for the legislative session, keeping an eye out for the ones that could make a real difference for state parks. The bills that most closely align with our goals and values become our legislative priorities for the year, and we work to champion them throughout their long journey to becoming law by meeting with legislators, submitting letters of support, gaining public support through petitions, and testifying and providing insight and knowledge at committee meetings. We are committed to advocating for park excellence in the Legislature and to seeing each bill through the legislative process.

It's not uncommon for policy ideas to be introduced multiple times before becoming law. We carry ideas over to the next year, learning from every legislative session what to do next time. In the 2022 session, we followed many bills — prioritizing 10 of them in our legislative agenda — and we’ve highlighted a few below.

1ST CHAMBER

AB 2346 (GABRIEL) OUTDOOR RECREATION: EQUITABLE ACCESS GRANT PROGRAM This legislation creates the Equitable Access Grant Program to enhance park access for all ages and develop career pathways outdoors.

In committee: Held under submission

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Check out the bills that were reintroduced and passed in the 2023 legislative session!

AB 2975 (COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS, AND WILDLIFE) Would establish a community access pilot program for nonprofits that provide programs and services for communities with barriers to accessing state parks and beaches.

Passed Assembly, Senate in committee: Held under submission + Reintroduced as AB 1150,

signed into law in 2023

AB 2146 (BAUER-KAHAN) NEONICOTINOID PESTICIDES: PROHIBITED NONAGRICULTURAL USE This legislation protects pollinators, like western monarch butterflies, by banning the sales, use, or possession of neonicotinoid pesticides in California for nonagricultural uses.

Vetoed + Reintroduced as AB 363,

2ND CHAMBER

AB 2128 (COOLEY) STATE PARKS: CALIFORNIA ADMISSION DAY: DISCOUNTED ADMISSION This legislation creates a 50% discount upon entry to California state parks for California Admission Day. In committee: Held under submission

AB 1789 (BENNETT) OUTDOOR RECREATION: CALIFORNIA TRAILS COMMISSION: TRAILS CORPS PROGRAM: GRANT PROGRAM Requires California State Parks to update their statewide California Recreation Trails System Plan by January 2024 and report to the Legislature on progress in implementing the plan to enhance and expand trail networks across the state.

Signed into law in 2022

signed into law in 2023

SB 867 (LAIRD) SEA LEVEL RISE PLANNING: DATABASE Continues the important work of the sea level planning database by extending the database’s use to 2028.

AB 30 (KALRA) PARKS: ACCESS TO NATURE BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER ASH KALRA OF SAN JOSE This bill makes it the policy of the state of California that all Californians have safe and affordable access to nature and access to the benefits of nature when making budget and infrastructure decisions.

Signed into law in 2022

Vetoed + Reintroduced as SB 272,

signed into law in 2023 17

PARK STEWARDSHIP

Doing the work to make state parks work

Garrapata State Beach 18

PARK STEWARDSHIP By expanding park staff’s capacity, volunteers help overcome resource constraints and carry out essential 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.

VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHTS

Pride in Our Parks

Building a Volunteer Community in Urban Parks: Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook

New this year, we organized two Pride in Our Parks volunteer days to provide affinity space for LGBTQ+ people and allies in June. Our workdays took place at Fort Ord Dunes State Park and Candlestick Point State Recreation Area.

Intentionally creating space for LGBTQ+ park lovers is important to us as we continue to ensure parks are welcoming spaces for everyone, bringing together our Justice, Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity (JEID) work and our access and experiences program, too.

In partnership with Nature Nexus Institute, we relaunched workdays at the park after a three-year pause. These workdays primarily involve ongoing habitat restoration. A major focus has been removing the invasive black mustard and thistle and managing the site’s test plot garden. Our workdays not only benefit the flora and fauna of the park but also educate the public about habitat restoration and allow residents of the surrounding urban landscape of Los Angeles to experience these natural areas.

When Crisis Struck, We Stepped Up: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park We hosted monthly volunteer workdays at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, focusing on general park maintenance to keep the popular day-use area visitor-ready and prepare the campground to open in fall 2023. Volunteers repaired fencing, raked leaves, cleaned out BBQ pits, and restored picnic tables. In response to the unprecedented winter storm damage to the area — the San Lorenzo River flooded the picnic areas and windstorms brought down many California bay laurel trees — we added a second workday in March to support staff cleanup efforts. Our volunteers helped remove debris and fallen branches, allowing six picnic areas to open for safe gathering.

Salinas Valley Pride Celebrations Fort Ord Dunes State Park

What would you like to tell future volunteers to help encourage them to join in on volunteer workday projects?

“You will not regret it. I guarantee you will feel greatly rewarded by spending time in our beautiful state parks, and you will feel good about your role in protecting and preserving them for future generations to enjoy.”

– Helen Ogden, Volunteer Core Leader19

EARTH DAY CLIMATE ACTION 2023 Since 1998, California State Parks Foundation has hosted Earth Day events. Statewide, thousands of volunteers each year plant native trees and community gardens, restore trails and wildlife habitats, remove trash and debris from parklands, and make repairs to fences and boardwalks. In April 2023, California State Parks Foundation was proud to activate thousands of people across California to participate in this global movement by taking action on climate change throughout the month.

California state parks are increasingly threatened by climate change, and building resilience to withstand and manage climate impacts is essential. Our 25th Annual Earth Day Climate Action took direct action to protect our parks from wildfires, flooding, increased coastal erosion, and loss of biodiversity. We hosted 11 in-person volunteer workdays, organized a statewide do-it-yourself (DIY) trash cleanup, and provided educational content about climate change and how to make state parks more climate-resilient.

86% of survey respondents felt an increased sense of connection with state parks after participation in the workday.

ELECTED OFFICIALS Bold climate action will require significant support and funding to be successfully implemented statewide. California State Parks Foundation advocates for climate resilience at a policy level and engaged legislators at the following sites during Earth Day Climate Action events: Assemblymember Mark Berman welcomed volunteers at Half Moon Bay State Beach.

Andrea Chmelik, District Director for Assemblymember Dawn Addis (pictured right), welcomed volunteers at Montaña de Oro State Park.

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94% of survey respondents felt that the event connected them with a broader community of park supporters.

“All the activities were fun and informative. The staff and volunteers were incredibly welcoming and helpful.”

– Earth Day Participant

DIY CLEANUP For the third year, as part of Earth Day Climate Action, we offered free DIY kits to give participants the materials they need to pick up trash in their local outdoor spaces.

7,750 participants collected more than 620 bags of trash.

“Just love the kits … it helps my kids feel connected and excited about helping our community.“ – DIY Earth Day Participant

Over 95% of volunteers said the experience inspired them to clean up their local state park on a future visit.

Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook

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OUR IMPACT ON CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS IN 2022–2023 Our impact on California state parks is felt from Tolowa Dunes State Park in the north to Border Field State Park in the south, and everywhere in between. We help California’s parklands thrive by funding key projects through grants, helping the ecosystem hands on through volunteer workdays, holding endowments that provide long-term financial support for parks, and more.

Check out some of the projects we completed in California state parks this year!

TOLOWA DUNES STATE PARK

Crescent City

Yreka

HUMBOLDT LAGOONS STATE PARK Mount Shasta

SUE-MEG STATE PARK

A

TRINIDAD STATE BEACH AZALEA STATE NATURAL RESERVE

Eureka

FORT HUMBOLDT STATE HISTORIC PARK

Redding

S

STATE INDIAN MUSEUM STATE HISTORIC PARK Red Bluff

SUTTER'S FORT STATE HISTORIC PARK NAVARRO RIVER REDWOODS STATE PARK

Chico

SUGARLOAF RIDGE STATE PARK Gridley

TRIONE-ANNADEL STATE PARK

Ukiah Williams

Yuba City

JACK LONDON STATE HISTORIC PARK PIGEON POINT LIGHT STATION STATE HISTORIC PARK

Auburn

CHINA CAMP STATE PARK

HIGHLIGHT: Volunteer Workday On February 11, 2023, 51 volunteers came out to restore habitat at Pigeon Point Light Station! Volunteers first planted 400 native plants in previously sheet-mulched areas, not only contributing to biodiversity but also making the Pigeon Point Light Station grounds even more photogenic! After finishing up the plantings, volunteers cleared invasive ice plant in a 2,800-square-foot coastal bluff scrub area. Finally, they were treated to an hour-long guided tour of the lighthouse grounds, including a rare look inside the bottom floor of the lighthouse.

Placerville

ANGEL ISLAND STATE PARK Napa

CANDLESTICK POINT STATE RECREATION AREA

Fairfield

San Rafael Stockton

HALF MOON BAY STATE BEACH Modesto

BURLEIGH H. MURRAY RANCH PARK PROPERTY

Merce

BIG BASIN REDWOODS STATE PARK NATURAL BRIDGES STATE BEACH

HENRY COWELL REDWOODS STATE PARK

HIGHLIGHT: State Parks Improvement Grant A growing body of research establishes a strong link between contact with nature and enhanced human wellness. Given the enormous potential benefits of natural experiences, Mountain Parks Foundation has partnered with California State Parks to create a nature-based wellness program offering opportunities for participants to experience the healing benefits of redwood state parks. California State Parks Foundation is providing funding to the Mountain Parks Foundation Redwood Rx program to cover costs like staffing expenses, instructors’ fees, outreach, and scholarship programs.

LIGHTHOUSE FIELD STATE BEACH FORT ORD DUNES STATE PARK GARRAPATA STATE PARK MONTAÑA DE ORO STATE PARK MORRO BAY STATE PARK

California State Park Unit Other Protected Land

MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK

Incorporated Places

LEO CARRILLO STATE PARK

Major Highway

TOPANGA STATE PARK

County Boundary

BALDWIN HILLS SCENIC OVERLOOK

Volunteer Workdays Earth Day Climate Action Workday and Grant

CRYSTAL COVE STATE PARK

Fund Endowment Monarch Butterfly Conservation Grant Wildfire Resiliency and Prevention Grant Trails for All Grant State Parks Improvement Grant California State Parks Week Grant

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N 0

25

Miles 50

HIGHLIGHT: Wildfire Resiliency and Prevention Grant Crystal Cove Conservancy’s Fire Ecology Internship Program teaches high school students about wildfire in California and how to increase wildfire resilience. With the support of California State Parks Foundation, Crystal Cove Conservancy continued this program with a fourth cohort of students who learned about the history of fire in California, its relationship to climate change and human activity, and its effects on the landscape and ecological systems.

SOUTH YUBA RIVER STATE PARK

HIGHLIGHT: State Parks Improvement Grant Since 2012, the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) has been running the River Ambassador program as an educational outreach first line of defense, acting as stewards of the South Yuba River. Our grantmaking has provided integral funding to this program since its start. River Captains manage volunteers who talk to visitors at crossings, on beaches, and on trails to promote safe and responsible use of the river. With the help of our donors, SYRCL has employed a bilingual River Captain who conducts outreach into nearby Spanish-speaking communities and engages with the South Yuba State Park Spanish-only speaking visitors.

Alturas

WILLIAM B. IDE ADOBE STATE HISTORIC PARK BIDWELL MANSION STATE HISTORIC PARK LAKE OROVILLE STATE RECREATION AREA

Susanville

Scan to view interactive map

PLUMAS-EUREKA STATE PARK

MARSHALL GOLD DISCOVERY STATE HISTORIC PARK

HIGHLIGHT: Wildfire Resiliency and Prevention Grant Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park has been threatened by multiple wildfires, and reducing excess fuels is critical to building wildfire resilience and protecting historic structures within the park. With the support of California State Parks Foundation, the Gold Discovery Park Association completed multiple fuel reduction projects and created defensible spaces around these buildings. A certified arborist was hired to ensure that fuel treatments increased wildfire resilience while preserving the historic nature of the park, including over 100-year-old nut trees and other native vegetation.

EMPIRE MINE STATE HISTORIC PARK DONNER MEMORIAL STATE PARK

Truckee

ED Z'BERG SUGAR PINE POINT STATE PARK AUBURN STATE RECREATION AREA

FOLSOM POWERHOUSE STATE HISTORIC PARK

Sonora

FOLSOM LAKE STATE RECREATION AREA

PRAIRIE CITY STATE VEHICLE RECREATION AREA

HIGHLIGHT: Volunteer Workdays At six workdays throughout the year, volunteers collected bags of trash and recyclables from around Granite Bay Beach. After busy holiday weekends, trash is commonly found around the picnic areas, along the beach, and in the parking lot. Our efforts help keep the park safe and clean for future visitors to enjoy the park’s beauty. Occasionally we help with invasive weed removal and other projects. One unique event this past year was activating volunteers to remove unsanctioned trails and bike jumps from a preserved century-old olive orchard in the recreation area. The creation of these trails and bike jumps harms the natural and cultural resources around the area. These efforts will help ensure the orchard continues to thrive by reducing unwanted foot and bicycle traffic.

Bishop

ed

MILLERTON LAKE STATE RECREATION AREA Fresno San Joaquin

Parlier

Visalia Huron

COLONEL ALLENSWORTH STATE HISTORIC PARK

Bakersfield

Mojave Needles Barstow

RIO DE LOS ANGELES STATE PARK

Palmdale Santa Barbara

Lancaster

LOS ANGELES STATE HISTORIC PARK PÍO PICO STATE HISTORIC PARK

San Bernardino Santa Cruz Island

Palm Springs

Riverside

Santa Rosa Island

Bellflower

CHINO HILLS STATE PARK

Westminster

Blythe

PALOMAR MOUNTAIN STATE PARK Santa Catalina Island

CARDIFF STATE BEACH TORREY PINES STATE NATURAL RESERVE

Oceanside

San Clemente Island

OLD TOWN SAN DIEGO STATE HISTORIC PARK SILVER STRAND STATE BEACH

Calipatria

San Diego

El Centro

CUYAMACA RANCHO STATE PARK

HIGHLIGHT: Fund In 2007, California State Parks initiated a forest restoration project to reestablish native conifer trees at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. The project consists of planting 2,530 acres of former forest lands in a mosaic of patches that will become centers for seed dispersal and are expected to restore the larger conifer forest. Initial seedling densities and ongoing forest management practices are expected to reduce the chance of catastrophic wildfires.

BORDER FIELD STATE PARK

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FINANCIALS CONTRIBUTED REVENUE

BY CATEGORY 2022-2023 California State Parks Foundation’s revenue for the fiscal year was $9.5 million. Of that total, California State Parks Foundation received significant support through gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations for our work.*

n Individuals 62% n Legacy Gifts 10% n Foundation 8% n Corporate Gifts 15% n Donated Goods and Services 5%

*Contribution data is unaudited. California State Parks Foundation’s 2022-2023 audited financial statements will be posted online when available at calparks.org/financials, where you can also find financial and annual reports from previous years.

EXPENSES BY CATEGORY 2022-2023 California State Parks Foundation’s expenses for the fiscal year were $9.4 million. Expenses reflect the work of California State Parks Foundation throughout the year to protect and preserve parks broken down by programming, fundraising, and administration.

n Program 71% n Fundraising 23% n Administration 6%

STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR YEAR ENDED ON JUNE 30, 2023

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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION FOR YEAR ENDED ON JUNE 30, 2023

REVENUE Individual Contributions $ Member Dues Contributions Corporate Contributions Legacy Gifts Donated Goods and Services Foundation Grants Investment, Net Earned Revenue Total Revenues $

1,437,150 3,976,556 1,344,079 831,043 423,388 705,563 678,396 179,278 9,575,453

EXPENSES Program $ Fundraising Administration Total Expenses $ Change in Net Assets $

6,704,876 2,182,616 545,296 9,432,788 142,665

ASSETS Current Assets Cash and Equivalents $ 4,579,030.40 Restricted Money Market Accounts 3,143,049.58 Receivables 40,517.42 Inventory 65,168.75 Prepaids and Other Current Assets 444,354.36 Current Assets $ 8,272,120.51 Long-Term Assets Investments $ 7,933,433.82 Property Plant & Equipment, Net 2,610.98 Due to/from Other Funds 0.07 Other Long-Term Assets 73,556.52 Long-Term Assets $ 8,009,601.39 Total Assets $ 16,281,721.90 LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Liabilities Current Liabilities Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses $ 374,912.65 Deferred Revenues 32,141.10 Current Liabilities $ 407,053.75 Long-Term Liabilities 1,085,962.17 Total Liabilities $ 1,493,015.92 Net Assets $ 14,788,705.98 Total Liabilities and Net Assets $ 16,281,721.90

DONORS BY DECADE Over the past five decades, you’ve helped us grow into the flourishing organization we are today. Your continuous support allows us to fund vital programs for parks and people, and we are so grateful to have you in our circle of support.

5+ Decades 4 Donors 4 Decades 76 Donors 3 Decades 4,112 Donors 2 Decades 12,395 Donors 1 Decade 15,157 Donors Started Giving This Year 14,767 Donors

Want to join us? Donate to California State Parks Foundation 25 at calparks.org/donate.

CONNECTIONS CREATE RESULTS Each accomplishment we make is the success of a team. Beyond the hard work of our staff and board, we are supported by a vast network of peers in our parks community who are aligned with our mission. Our community shows up at advocacy days at the Capitol, helps us at volunteer workdays, and gives us insight into the on-the-ground happenings in California’s 280 state parks. We value the reciprocity of these relationships and know that our parks are better when we work together. California State Parks Foundation is deeply grateful to the partners we’ve had the chance to work with over the past fiscal year.

FOUNDER William Penn Mott, Jr. (1909-1992) OFFICERS Birt Johnson, Jr., Chair Bob Walter, Vice Chair Diane Ross Leech, Secretary Bill Doolittle, Treasurer Rachel Norton, Executive Director BOARD OF TRUSTEES Rachel Alvarez Angel Barajas Doug Beebe Virginia Chang Kiraly Ben Cipollini Michon Coleman Jason Glickman Carol Hart James Lau Leslie Leonard Christiane (Christi) Light Gina Orozco Keith Pettus Rao Repeta Dan Skopec Darry Sragow Mukund Srirangapatnam Ryan T’Kindt Joshua Wood Cindy Yang Emily Young EMERITUS TRUSTEE Don Cooley ADVISORY TRUSTEES Gail E. Kautz Asim Khan Patrick T. Lee Paul Luning Connie Lurie

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STAFF Luis Alcala Patricia Alger Vlcek Amber Baldwin Sarah Dayley Emily Doyle, PhD Adele Escoto Haley Gonzales Travis Hattori Samantha Joseph Shakaylah Leonard Sydney Little Cassandra Liu Elise Matera Kathleen McCurdy Alex McCutcheon Rachel Norton David Pierce Melissa Potts Jessica Ro Ashley Tittle Randy Widera

VOLUNTEER CORE LEADERS Joyce Abrams Jim Andersen Charlotte Bergheimer Milton Castro Justina Cerra Lucas Thomas Chung Brendan Clifford Daniel Doran Kay Foster Adam Godzik Kevin Greco Aanya Gupta Rashmi Gupta Tanisha Gupta Vijay Gupta Pete Heller Brian Hembacher Raymond Henry Saundra Holloway Pj Jeffery Andrew Kives Cade Klem Stephanie Klem Michael Knue Lisa LaFlame Andrea Lee David Littlejohn Sarai Lomeli Robert Lydecker Rick McGarrity Kristina Me John Mlakar Helen Ogden Eduardo Peraza Andrew Poon John Salcido Randy Shannahan Suzanne Siegel Stephen Van Lydegraf Kaitlin Ward Michelle White

Firestarters

Note: We collaborate in various capacities with numerous organizations across California, in both significant and small ways, not all of which can be represented here. We hold sincere appreciation for each partner with whom we cross paths.

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