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Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods Encouraged by Announcement of California State Park Access Program

Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods expresses their strong support for the California State Park Access program announced by Assemblymember John Laird (D-Santa Cruz). The new program will bring over $200 million annually in new funding to support the state park system, while providing free day-use access to California state parks.

This program goes a long way towards providing the funding needed to address the $1.2 billion deferred maintenance shortfall that currently exists in our state parks. The deferred maintenance projects in the Russian River District total in the millions. We have been anxiously waiting for a long-term solution to go along with the Governor’s news on May 14th that closing 48 state parks is off the table. We are very appreciative of the work done by the California State Parks Foundation and Assemblymember Laird to develop this program.

"California’s state parks are finally being thrown the financial life preserver they’ve so desperately needed for decades,” declared Elizabeth Goldstein, President of the California State Parks Foundation. "The California State Parks Foundation believes that a solution to the underlying fiscal crisis in our state park system is the only way to truly save our state parks."

Stewards is committed to working with the California State Parks Foundation and Assemblymember Laird to gain the Legislature’s and Governor’s support for this critical program. The Save Our State Parks Campaign continues with a new phase.