CALIFORNIA - The Trust for Public Land in Action: 2020

The Trust for Public Land in Action: 2020 C E L E B R AT I N G W HAT YO U M A D E P O S S I B L E IN CALIFORNIA AND BEYOND

Thank you for your partnership in California!

2020 has demonstrated that close-to-home green spaces are vital to creating vibrant, healthy, and equitable communities. The coronavirus pandemic, its uneven economic effects, and the impact of ongoing systemic racism have underscored the social and economic disparities that many members of our communities face on a daily basis.

As a supporter of The Trust for Public Land, you know that great parks and natural spaces can transform communities from the ground up.

Your support of this work improves public health, advances economic opportunities, and creates dynamic learning environments. These efforts build community by connecting people to nature and each other.

Your impact goes beyond creating great parks, public lands, trails, and green schoolyards. You are helping to strengthen the social, civic, and empathetic connections that our communities depend on, while also addressing the most pressing issues that our country faces—climate, health, equity, and access.

Over the next five years, we will accelerate the transformative power of our shared mission—enhancing access to public open space and improving the lives of 1 million people across California.

Together, we are rising to the challenges of this moment in history by bringing parks and green spaces where they are needed most.

In California, we are pioneering nature-based climate solutions to reduce wildfire risk in Kern County; increasing park equity in underserved areas such as South Los Angeles; ensuring healthy communities by building green schoolyards in Oakland; and promoting access to public open space from San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood to the Sierra Nevada range and beyond.

With gratitude,

Guillermo Rodriguez California State Director

STEPHANIE CHITICA

South Victoria Avenue Park

Hyde Park, Los Angeles, CA

S O U T H V I C T O R I A A V E N U E PA R K

Leveling the playing field in South LA In the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, the nearest playground is over a mile away across dangerous streets. “That’s a long walk for a kid around here, so they wouldn’t go there,” said Linda Ricks, or Ms. Ricks, as she’s affectionately known by her neighbors. She’s lived in Hyde Park for over twenty years and has become an enthusiastic community volunteer.

When the blighted lot across from her house was nominated for a new park, she threw herself into the effort. During the design workshops hosted

by The Trust for Public Land, she voted for her favorite amenities and even helped paint tiles for the mosaic ribbon, symbolizing residents’ desire to strengthen local social ties.

A large crowd celebrated the park’s opening last summer. Children piled onto the group swing, shot hoops on the basketball wall, and skipped along the mosaic stream. Ms. Ricks helped cut the ribbon and

spoke at the event, saying, “I’m just happy that we replaced this ugly lot with a beautiful park.” After the opening, she started working out there.

“I’m an elderly person, but just to be able to go over there and get a little exercise on the machines is great for me.”

She shared that the park has fostered new friendships, too, as kids from different apartment buildings play together, making the community safer and more united. “I attribute that to the park, mainly because people are protective of it. It really has brought us together.”

Thanks to the park’s stewards, the space has been safe and clean since it opened.

“I think it means that somebody cares about us,” said Ms. Ricks, reflecting on what the new park means to the community.

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE CHITICA AND TPL STAFF

H A N N I N G F L AT

Supporting climate resilience In 2016, Kern County’s Erskine Fire ripped through rural towns and fragile habitat, fueled by droughtparched grass and hot desert winds. It is part of a devastating trend sparked by climate change and human encroachment. In fact, megafires have become so frequent in California that our natural areas now emit more greenhouse gases than they capture. As the smoke cleared, officials warned against development in fire-prone areas.

“All of a sudden, people realized that we need to be managing these lands differently,” said Alex Size, a land protection manager with The Trust for Public Land.

So, when developers sought to build ranchettes on Hanning Flat, located in a High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, The Trust for Public Land jumped into action.

Spanning thousands of acres of rolling grasslands and steep canyons, Hanning Flat sits at a critical juncture between public lands—including Sequoia National Forest and the Audubon Kern River Preserve—and drains into the South Fork of the

Kern River, a lifeline for migrating birds and large mammals. “If a fire were to start on the road, the winds would take that fire across Hanning Flat, and then there’s nothing to stop it,” Alex explained.

The Trust for Public Land conserved all 3,806 acres of Hanning Flat this summer. The landscape is unique in that Hanning Flat was preserved and will be managed specifically to mitigate fire risk.

Regenerative grazing will allow ranchers to continue their way of life while reducing the risk of fires. Creeks will be restored to quench animals’ thirst and stop runaway flames. Eventually, trails will be built so hikers can get out there and enjoy the mountain views.

“One thing that has been a constant in that valley has been cattle ranching,” Alex said. “And now we’ve coupled that with ecotourism and restoration jobs as well.” Hopefully, by conserving and managing Hanning Flat, we can spark connections to nature instead of wildfires.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT): KERN COUNTY HERITAGE

FOUNDATION, KERN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, TPL STAFF.

O A K L A N D G R E E N S C H O O LYA R D S

Cooling cities, one school at a time Around noon on a mild autumn day, three elementary students fanned out across the yard at International Community School in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood. Emmanuel pointed his surface thermometer at the concrete under his feet and yelled, “109 degrees!” His classmate Angelica studiously recorded the measurement on her clipboard. Meanwhile, David studied a schoolyard map and then sprinted across a vast asphalt stretch to the next spot. There, in the shade of a lone tree just outside the fence, he pointed his device. “72 degrees!”

Even within a city, heat risk varies widely.

Neighborhoods with more mature trees, bigger lawns, and green parks stay noticeably cooler than neighborhoods with more pavement, denser buildings, and less shade.

Devoid of trees, grass, and shade, badly designed schoolyards trap heat from the sun, increasing surface temperatures. This is known as the “heat island effect,” and it’s part of why cities are often much hotter than rural areas.

The data that Angelica, David, and Emmanuel have gathered will inform some important choices: where to plant trees for shade, where to replace concrete with grass to absorb rainwater, where to build garden beds to grow fresh vegetables.

The renovation of their schoolyard is part of a broader effort by The Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District, and other project partners to remake hot blacktops into cool, green spaces for learning and play. Our goal is for green schoolyards to become standard practice across the country.

“That extra heat can be the difference between discomfort and illness, or even death—especially for the elderly, kids, and people with existing health issues,” said The Trust for Public Land’s Climate Director Brendan Shane.

Extreme heat kills more people in America than any other weather disaster, and heat waves are growing in intensity and frequency as the climate changes.

The Trust for Public Land has mapped the heat island effect for over 14,000 municipalities in the U.S. On the map of Oakland, the neighborhood around International Community School is dark red, indicating it is among the city’s hottest spots.

PHOTOS BY ANGELA DECENZO

S E R G E A N T J O H N M A C A U L AY PA R K A N D T U R K - H Y D E M I N I PA R K

Renewing parks in the Tenderloin The Tenderloin has more children but fewer parks than any neighborhood in San Francisco. Many of these children live with extended families in cramped apartments or single-room-occupancy hotel rooms. Margarita Mena shares a small apartment with nine family members, including her four grandchildren.

Two parks, Turk-Hyde Mini Park and Sergeant John Macaulay Park, are a short walk from their home.

However, until recently, they avoided them. “They were very worn down and the children did not feel safe there,” she said, alluding to the decadesold play structures and the presence of people struggling with homelessness and addiction.

Building on The Trust for Public Land’s success renovating Boeddeker Park and Helen Diller Civic Center Playgrounds in the Tenderloin, we teamed up with the city to revitalize the parks near Margarita. Thrilled, Margarita attended the public workshops for the renovations. She would bring the latest designs home to get input from her family, then share those ideas at the next meeting.

While the designs were taking shape, local nonprofit partners hosted activities in the

parks to keep them vibrant and safe. Margarita volunteered for two of these groups, La Voz Latina and Safe Passage.

“It fills my heart to see my community enjoying themselves and celebrating together.”

She didn’t just help organize events; she also joined in. “I love dancing Zumba and watching the kids dress up in costumes for Halloween.”

This spring, her family joined San Francisco Mayor London Breed and others at the Turk-Hyde Mini Park opening celebration. It was incredible to see their vision come to life as kids frolicked over the gleaming new playground and flowerbeds.

After school, now her grandchildren start chirping, “I want to go to the park, I want to go to the park!” So she takes them there instead of bringing them back home to be “stuck indoors.” It also gives her a chance to socialize with neighbors. “While the kids are out playing, [adults] are able to sit around the park, chat, and get to know each other, while still knowing our kids are safe.”

PHOTOS BY: TENDERLOIN COMMUNITY BENEFIT DISTRICT, SAN

FRANCISCO RECREATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENT

CARPENTER RIDGE

Connecting people to the backcountry From the top of Nevada County’s Red Mountain, Markley Bavinger, Sierra Program Manager for The Trust for Public Land, takes in the valley below.

To the east, serried ranks of pines march up to Carpenter Ridge, while to the west, steep granite cliffs overhang the crystal waters of Frog Lake. “This place has magic. It’s a place that touches your soul.

And it’s a place that needs to be protected.”

These magical places are now protected as part of a 2,914-acre acquisition by The Trust for Public Land and its partners. It’s the latest win in a centuryold game of checkers. In the 19th century, the government granted railroad companies ownership of every other square mile of land along a corridor through the Sierra, creating a checkerboard pattern of ownership that still remains.

In 2001, we helped establish the Northern Sierra Partnership to consolidate fragmented lands into manageable blocks. “By working in this landscape for decades, not only have we protected the most important places, but we’ve made them even more important because of their connectivity.”

So far, the partnership has conserved almost 100,000 acres, enhancing public access across the Sierra backcountry.

With this latest acquisition, The Trust for Public Land and our partners can now construct a fifteenmile trail from Donner Summit all the way to Webber Lake, traversing several awe-inspiring forests, lakes, and meadows that we conserved in years past. Moreover, we plan to build a series of mountain huts—centered around a historic cabin at Frog Lake—so visitors can enjoy this stunning backcountry in all seasons.

Its conservation will also allow wide-ranging mammals like mountain lions, black bears, and grey wolves to migrate in search of food and shelter, which are more scarce due to climate change.

“This newly connected landscape will inspire people to explore the outdoors while providing other species increased resilience to a changing climate,” says Markley. “It’s one of the last pieces of important conservation on the east side of the Sierra Crest. But we’re not done yet. There are a few more pieces on the board we want to save.”

PHOTOS BY AND COURTESY OF (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT):

TPL MAP, DAVID GALSON, ROBB HIRSCH.

LOOKING AHEAD IN CALIFORNIA

The Trust for Public Land in 2021 ROBB HIRSCH

Over the next five years, we will focus our work under two programs: Climate Conservation to further our land protection strategy and Park Equity and Access to increase park and open space access for underserved communities.

Looking ahead, we will: • Improve close-to-home park access for 1 million more Californians living in underserved neighborhoods by creating a quality park within a 10-minute walk of home.

• Develop and implement a ten-year land protection plan that not only protects important landscapes and connects trails but also supports California’s climate strategy.

• Increase public funding for parks and open space by an additional $5 billion.

We are already taking action on our five-year plan. In 2021, we will break ground on five new parks—including three new green schoolyards!

We will translate the community’s dreams, hopes and wishes into reality by completing community-centered designs for two more parks in underserved neighborhoods. We also expect to protect nearly 30,000 acres of land across California, adding new public land to state and national parks and local land trusts.

(FROM LEFT): STEPHANIE CHITICA, DARCY KIEFEL,

TPL STAFF.

south victoria avenue Park South Los Angeles, CA

Gaviota Coast Goleta, CA

BIG NEWS FOR PUBLIC LANDS The Great American Outdoors Act is now law! That means full, permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). LWCF is one of the biggest sources of federal funding for parks and open space. This new law provides $900 million for LWCF every year. With stable, dedicated funding, we can create more parks and open spaces where they’re needed most.

Thanks to everyone who spoke up for LWCF. This is your victory!

day on the hill 2019 Washington, DC

Meet The Trust for Public Land’s California team A NOTE FROM OUR CALIFORNIA CO-CHAIRS Thank you for your continued support of The Trust for Public Land. As Co-Chairs of the California Advisory Board, we believe in maximizing opportunities for all people to experience nature’s health benefits. Your contributions help improve climate resilience through land protection and park creation and ensure that every community—regardless of zip code—can be stronger, healthier, and more connected.

We look forward to continuing our work together, creating equitable access to nature and open space for all Californians.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Parish Desirée Portillo-Rabinov Co-Chair, California Advisory Board Co-Chair, California Advisory Board Member, National Board of Directors

P.S. Interested in our park equity work? Reach out to us at ca.philanthropy@tpl.org.

MIKE KAMM

Our California leadership and Kashia tribe members Kashia Coastal Reserve, CA

California Advisory Board Val Cole Larry Gelb Shepard Harris Kathryn Welch Howe Alex M. Johnson Cindy Polite Kamm Daniel Martin Richard Morrison Julie Parish

INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS

Michael Parish* Desirée Portillo Rabinov Daniel Rosenfeld Karl Robillard Laura Shell Aaron Vermut Keith Weaver* Michelynn Woodard *Also on The Trust for Public Land’s National Board

Karl Robillard Karl serves as head of Philanthropy and Community Outreach for Twitter and leads the company’s efforts to invest in meaningful, positive, and lasting change in the world. These investments focus on equality in workforce development, internet safety and education, freedom of expression and civil liberties, emergency response and disaster recovery, and combating the effects of global climate change.

Kathryn Welch Howe Kathryn is the President of KWH Associates, Inc., a preservation and adaptive reuse-planning firm. KWH has been responsible for pioneering work transforming historic buildings and resources to affect positive community change and development. Her work with the Getty Conservation Institute on SurveyLA fully linked historic preservation with sound local planning. Her adaptive reuse projects, such as New York’s Grand Central Terminal and Los Angeles’ Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, economically restored these city icons with cultural and civic purposes.

When he’s not at work, you can find Karl trailrunning, cycling, skiing, or snow-camping somewhere in the city or the Sierra mountains.

With Karl’s background in nonprofit management and technology, we look forward to working together to amplifying our mission.

She is a graduate of Vassar College and has taught or lectured at USC, Columbia University, Yale University, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and other institutions and conferences.

We look forward to learning from Kathryn and her expertise in the field and in Southern California!

THE CALIFORNIA LEADERSHIP TEAM Guillermo Rodriguez California State Director Dave Sutton California Director of Land Protection David Zhang California Senior Director of Philanthropy

Alejandra Chiesa, MLA Bay Area Parks for People Program Director Robin Mark, PLA, ASLA Los Angeles Parks for People Program Director Rico Mastrodonato Interim Government Relations Director, California Luis Severiano Northern California Director of Philanthropy

A special thank you to the following foundation and corporate partners whose generous support was critical to our efforts creating parks and protecting land across California this year.

Beagle Charitable Foundation Bella Vista Foundation Boeing The California Endowment Cushman & Wakefield The Helen Diller Family Foundation The Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Foundation Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Hellman Foundation John S. Kiewit Memorial Foundation The Joseph & Vera Long Foundation Kaiser Permanente

Martin Family Foundation Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation National Fish & Wildlife Foundation John Pritzker Family Fund The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation Resources Legacy Fund The Rose Hills Foundation Sony Pictures Entertainment Southern California Edison Union Bank Foundation VF Foundation Wells Fargo

RICH REID

Thank you

for joining us as we reimagine and realize the power of land for people to create stronger communities.

We couldn’t do it without you.

Join us.

The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.

tpl.org

Guillermo Rodriguez California State Director guillermo.rodriguez@tpl.org David Zhang California Senior Director of Philanthropy david.zhang@tpl.org 101 Montgomery St., Suite 1000 San Francisco, CA 94104

COVER (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): TPL STAFF, JORGE RIVAS, TPL STAFF, ROBB HIRSCH, ROBB HIRSCH.