Parks in the News
- Moving California’s Parks Forward - 12/22/2015
California’s parks system is at a crossroads. For the last two years, we’ve served as co-chairs of the Parks Forward Commission?—?an effort established under statute by Governor Brown, and tasked with finding a way to modernize and transform our treasured state parks system. With this trans...
- STATE PARKS: Changes coming to Inland parks as system seeks ‘transformation' - 08/27/2015
It may seem small, but it was a big deal for officials at California Citrus State Historic Park.
Until recently, the 248-acre park in Riverside only accepted cash and checks as payment. New machines, however, now give visitors the option of paying with plastic.
“For us, it’s a pretty major st...
- Tech Talk: CaliParks App Makes Finding Parks Across The State A Snap - 05/26/2015
For those of us living in California’s more urban locales, finding a little slice of outdoor serenity among the cosmopolitan chaos can seem impossible. But whether you’re looking for a local place to play some basketball or planning a camping trip in one of the state’s most beautiful natura...
- http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article21402810.html - 05/20/2015
For 150 years, California’s state parks have offered a world-class opportunity to experience our state’s natural beauty and rich heritage. While we agree with William Dillinger that our state parks system has not aged well (“Transformation plan threatens soul of state parks,” Viewpoints, ...
- Brown appoints budget manager as next state parks director - 04/30/2015
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday named a budget manager to continue reform efforts at California's beleaguered parks department.
Brown appointed Lisa Mangat to lead the Department of Parks and Recreation, where she has been serving as acting director since 2014. Mangat prev...
- California's most popular parks - 04/17/2015
Our friends at CaliParks.org shared their heat map of the most "socially connected" parks in California--those that are tagged most frequently on Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, and FourSquare. Use the arrows to scroll through the current top 10. You can also zoom in on the maps to see the most popul...
- Website of the Week: CaliParks - 03/28/2015
With CaliParks, visitors can use the interactive, mobile-friendly, browser-based app to discover their next adventures, share their experiences and build communities around parks.
In a nutshell: California has far more parks than you ever realized — 11,826 in all. Pick a location, and CaliParks ...
- California state parks' blueprint for a more diverse future - 03/19/2015
From the Anza-Borrego desert to the Big Basin redwoods, California has more than 270 state parks, including beaches, historical sites, lakes and dunes. But the system has long been troubled with funding scandals, threats of closure, and $1.3 billion in deferred maintenance. And like the national ...
- Editorial: New effort could save state parks system - 03/11/2015
All you have to do to appreciate the diversity of California’s state parks system is take a look around the North State.
There’s the Joss House in Weaverville, Burney Falls, Castle Crags the Ide Adobe outside Red Bluff and Ahjumawi Lava Springs — history, culture, spectacular natural resourc...
- California parks system stuck in park - 03/05/2015
The vast and varied California state parks system boasts abundant natural beauty, but is extremely light on cash and has been beset with problems for years.
Now under new management, and guided by a report from the Legislature-created Parks Forward Commission, a potential reversal looms after year...
- Saving California Parks -- With New Ideas and Tech - 03/04/2015
SAN FRANCISCO -- Standing on the corner of Mission and 16th Street, a mixed neighborhood of yuppies and the Latino working class, Carlos Lopez, 19, said he's heard of Mount Tamalpais State Park. But he thinks it's far away and isn't sure how to get there. When told it is only about 10 miles north...
- Bargain Hunter: CaliParks app connects Californians with camping, hiking, backpacking and more - 03/03/2015
Looking to explore the state parks this spring? CaliParks, California’s free park-finder app for smartphones and tablets points users to the best places for camping, hiking, backpacking, fishing or kayaking. The app covers every park in the state — 11,826 in all. Visit www.caliparks.org for a...
- Rural County Representatives of California Report California State Park Reforms Were the Subject of a Late February Joint Legislative Hearing - 03/02/2015
February 27, 2015 - California State Park reforms were the subject of a Joint Legislative Informational and Oversight hearing earlier this week. John Laird, Secretary, Natural Resources Agency, Lisa Mangat, Acting Director, Department of Parks and Recreation (Department), and Steve Szalay, Speci...
- CaliParks App Unveiled: Pioneering Social Media App Helps Californians Discover California Parks, Plan Trips, Share Images and Experiences - 03/02/2015
Want to discover what’s happening in parks across California, find places where you can do everything from camping to climbing to playing basketball, plan a trip, share images and comments, and invite friends to join you? Now there’s an app for that.
“CaliParks” is California’s first par...
- Parks Forward for All - 03/01/2015
The independent Parks Forward Commission in California is calling for transformational change to diversify access to and support for state parks. State parks are not located near where most people live. State parks do not meet the needs of diverse people. Many parks departments do not have demogr...
- Reforms needed for California’s out-of-touch park system - 02/26/2015
Over the past several years, it has become clear to Californians that our state parks system is failing to adequately serve our communities.
This is California, a state of sweeping innovation from Hollywood to Silicon Valley, yet our parks are stuck in the last century. Outdated web services and a...
- CaliParks: A New Way To Discover And Share Your Parks In California - 02/17/2015
Parks and technology — for some park lovers never the twain shall meet. Parks are where you go to escape from technology. But for many others, technology is a way to discover, enjoy, and share experiences and a love for parks.
In California, we’re deeply engaged in reimagining the ways that te...
- How to get Californians to visit their state parks - 02/17/2015
t's a poorly run and out-of-touch parks system, indeed, that needs a commission to tell it to accept credit cards. Yet that's among the major recommendations of the so-called Parks Forward task force, which aims to transform California's state parks into buzzing hives of recreation.
Some of the re...
- Sacramento Bee: California's State Parks Must Be Inclusive - 02/16/2015
For more than 150 years, California State Parks have provided opportunities for Californians and visitors to experience our nature’s beauty and rich heritage.
We should be proud of our parks system – 279 parks, embracing more than a third of our state’s spectacular coastline, as well as...
- A turnaround plan for state’s parks - 02/15/2015
California’s parks are a visitor’s delight — and a financial fright.
The park system comprises 1.6 million acres, with 339 miles of coastline, 15,000 campsites and 7,600 picnic sites, 4,400 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails and 6 million artifacts in a network of museums and...
- Parks Forward report spurs major park reform - 02/15/2015
California’s immense state parks bureaucracy has been under intense scrutiny since it imploded during 2011’s round of severe state budget cutting, with revelations of millions of dollars hidden in obscure accounts and a hidebound bureaucracy unable to cope with rising demands. With the adopti...
- As California grows, our parks must keep pace - 02/15/2015
For too many Latinos growing up in the Central Valley, Yosemite National Park’s world-renowned beauty is just a backdrop and sometimes just a name — a wonder they may never get to enjoy.
There are many reasons why only 11% of Yosemite’s visitors are Latinos in a state where they make up 38% ...
- KNBC News Conference with Commissioner Woo - 02/15/2015
Watch the video
- Change needed in state parks system - 02/14/2015
Change is coming to California’s state parks.
A group called the Parks Forward Commission has issued what it calls a plan for “fundamental transformation” of the entire park system via a series of sweeping changes aimed at renovating parks physically as well as changing how Californians thin...
- Cal Poly Pomona students design cabins for use at state parks - 02/14/2015
POMONA >> Steps away from College of Environmental Design offices at Cal Poly Pomona sits a uniquely small, wooden structure with a sloping roof.
The Wedge cabin, as it is called, can fit a double bed and a pair of bunk beds in a mere 156 square feet of space. It has plenty of windows, and the fro...
- CaliParks: A new way to discover and share your parks - 02/14/2015
Jon Christensen writes: Parks and technology -- for some park lovers never the twain shall meet. Parks are where you go to escape from technology. But for many others, technology is a way to discover, enjoy, and share experiences and a love for parks.
In California, we're deeply engaged in reimagi...
- State parks in trouble: Saving California’s wonderlands - 02/14/2015
The California parks system is a network of incredible wonderlands spread among 280 parks covering 1.6 million acres from the deserts to the mountains to the sea. But for years, the system has been plagued by bureaucratic mismanagement, badly deteriorating conditions in the parks, a $1 billion ba...
- Website Seeks to Streamline California Parks Experience - 02/10/2015
Were a person to explore all 11,826 parks in California, it might take several years and more than a few pairs of hiking boots.
As an alternative, CaliParks.org accomplishes the same feat in seconds.
The new mobile-friendly website is a clearinghouse for people who want to get outdoors but don...
- New App Reminds Us State Parks Aren't Just for White People - 02/10/2015
If you’ve been to a state park lately, chances are good you didn’t encounter many minorities in the wilderness. According to the Parks Forward Commission, a group tasked with modernizing California’s sprawling parks system, African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans are underreprese...
- Exploring California's 12,000 Parks With Open Data - 02/09/2015
California’s extensive state park system is a guarantee that all the state’s citizens, not just the moneyed elite, will have access in perpetuity to the state’s embarrassment of natural riches—mountains, beaches, deserts, forests, you name it.
In recent years, however, the system has been ...
- New park-finder website lets users search 11,000 California parks - 02/09/2015
A new website allows you to search all California parklands, from the big national parks to local dog parks.
The CaliParks website will help you plan your next adventure at 11,826 parks statewide and find what you're looking for in one place, according to an announcement last week.
It works in Eng...
- State Parks Transformation Team Releases Action Plan, Launches New Website - 02/09/2015
The California State Parks’ Transformation Team on Friday launched a public website and released its first Transformation Action Plan, outlining strategic goals and 30 priority initiatives.
The 15-member team, made up of parks staff and outside consultants, says the action plan closely follows t...
- State parks report shows new direction - 02/09/2015
A special state task force has come up with a plan to rebuild California's state parks system, which has been throttled by years of budget cuts, fiscal mismanagement and having to rely on volunteers to run many parks.
Marin has a lot at stake in the future of the state parks department. There are ...
- California's state parks far from needed turnaround - 02/08/2015
An optimist would say that California’s state parks are on the brink of transformation, now that there’s a blueprint to fix the department and appeal to the next generation.
The realist, however, would say that there is a lot of work to get anywhere close to the ambitious vision for 2025.
A...
- Access, innovation, diversity goals for state parks’ future - 02/07/2015
Almost any iconic image of California — towering redwoods, crashing waves on a rocky coast, oak-studded golden hills, Gold Rush diggings, Spanish adobes — are found on our state park lands. Travelers from around the world come to visit many of the 279 diverse natural and cultural sites in the...
- Park losses are glaring to state - 02/07/2015
Most of the state-owned parks in San Diego County operated at a loss in the 2014 fiscal year, and seven of those parks were more than a million dollars in the red, according to a new financial report from the California State Park System.
The department has come under fire in recent years for fina...
- Marin Voice: A good start in fixing our 'treasured' state parks - 02/07/2015
California's treasured state parks include amazing beaches, beautiful coastal redwoods, giant sequoias, scenic grasslands, breathtaking mountain lakes, incredible deserts and numerous historical and cultural sites. Approximately one-third of California's coastline is within the state parks system...
- New Website for California Parks Debuts - 02/06/2015
There's a new way to promote the thousands of parks in California.
A website, called CaliParks.org, has just been launched, and it covers the nearly 12,000 parks throughout the state.
It's like Yelp, but for outdoor recreation.
It incorporates social media -- including Twitter, Flickr and Instagra...
- New Social Media App for Californians to Discover California Parks, Plan Trips, Share Experiences - 02/06/2015
There is a new social media app in the market for Californians to discover what is new at California parks, find places where you can do everything from camping to climbing to playing basketball, plan a trip, share images and comments, and invite friends to join you.
"CaliParks" is California's fi...
- Ron Gonzales: Latinos should lead effort for accessible parks - 02/06/2015
This year, Latinos across the Bay Area and California have a unique opportunity to become leading voices for accessible parks and open space.
By speaking out now, we can improve the health of Hispanic Californians in nearly every corner of the state. We can secure safe places for our kids to play ...
- New Social Media App for Californias to Discover Parks, Plan Trips, Share Experiences - 02/06/2015
There is a new social media app in the market for Californians to discover what is new at California parks, find places where you can do everything from camping to climbing to playing basketball, plan a trip, share images and comments, and invite friends to join you.
"CaliParks" is California's fi...
- There's An App for That - 02/06/2015
Curious to know if there’s a California park where you can go spelunking, wildlife watching and surfing all in one go? A new website launched on Wednesday by the Parks Forward Commission gives visitors a chance to see the parks near them as well as the attractions they offer.
The site is intende...
- Commission Calls for Fundamental Transformation of State Parks - 02/06/2015
SACRAMENTO, January 30, 2015 – Calling for a “fundamental transformation” of the state’s 1.6 million acre park system, the Parks Forward Commission today issued its final plan that recommends a series of sweeping changes to ensure the long-term sustainability of California's state parks.
T... - Racial Divide in California's State Parks Could Squander Future Funding - 02/06/2015
(CBS SF) — One of the best parts
of living in the Golden State is the ability to enjoy over 1.6 million acres of mountains, beaches and valleys protected by state parks. But a new report finds park visitors do not reflect the state’s changing and diverse demographics, making the future of pa... - Panel Recommends Overall of State Parks - 02/06/2015
The California state parks system was rocked by scandal in 2012 after an investigation uncovered more than $50 million hidden away by the department in special funds, even as it moved to close 70 parks across the state because of budget cuts.
Prompted by the revelation, the Legislature created an ...
- Yelp-like website harnesses social media content for California parks - 02/05/2015
A new mobile-friendly website has launched that blends social media, Internet databases and the mapping muscle of Apple and Google to explore California’s vast web of local, state and federal parks.
It’s like Yelp! for outdoor recreation statewide.
CaliParks.org, developed by San Francisco-ba...
- State Parks Systems Faces Tough Road to Sustainability - 02/05/2015
Governor Jerry Brown wants the California State Parks system to be self-supporting. But only six of the 279 parks bring in more money than they cost to run – and the entire system lost nearly $300 million last fiscal year.
It may be a mark of how dysfunctional the State Parks system has been t... - IT Business Report: - 02/05/2015
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Want to discover what's happening in parks across California, find places where you can do everything from camping to climbing to playing basketball, plan a trip, share images and comments, and invite friends
to join you? Now there's an app for tha... - New App Puts All California Parks at Fingertips - 02/05/2015
A new effort puts nearly 12,000 federal, state and local California parks in one place — your browser.
Launched with the support of the Parks Forward Commission, a new web-based app draws on the power of social media to help expand access to California’s trove of natural wonders.
“This is a w...
- Group Unveils New Website for California Parks - 02/05/2015
A new mobile-friendly website has launched that blends social media, Internet databases and the mapping muscle of Apple and Google to explore California’s vast web of local, state and federal parks.
It’s like Yelp! for outdoor recreation statewide.
CaliParks.org, developed by San Francisco-ba...
- Parks Forward Commission Radio Interview - 02/03/2015
Visit the Capital Public Radio to hear Dr. Steven Lockhart, member of the Parks Forward Commission, speak on the Insight program.
- Aggressive path forward for California’s precious state parks - 02/03/2015
California’s state parks offer an immense range of ways for visitors to learn and to play. Hear tales of the 49ers at Old Shasta or of Alta California at Pio Pico State Historic Park. Ride a wakeboard on Lake Oroville or discover an urban escape along the Los Angeles River.
With such rich asset...
- KQED/SF Public Radio "Forum" with Commissioner Conn - 02/03/2015
California's state park system is under "serious stress" according to a new report from the California Parks Forward Commission. The report includes recommendations to tackle the system's biggest challenges, including a severe maintenance backlog and a lack of permanent funding. We discuss the st...
- KCRW/LA Public Radio - 02/03/2015
Three years ago, California was threatening to close state parks due to a lack of maintenance and declining attendance. At the same time, park officials were found to be stashing away millions of dollars. Governor Brown appointed a commission called Parks Forward which has come up with a plan to ...
- Independent Commission Calls For Big Changes In State Parks Department - 01/31/2015
An independent commission is calling for the “fundamental transformation” of California’s archaic State Parks system. That includes the creation of an outside organization to help raise money and coordinate volunteers. Ben Adler has more from Sacramento.
The Parks Forward Commission formed a...
- Parks Take on Hurdles - 01/31/2015
We are heartened to see the issues faced by California’s state parks highlighted in The Herald. California’s 280 parks represent some of the most beautiful and historically significant resources in our state. They provide places to connect with our environment, with family, to exercise and to...
- Report: Attracting new and diverse visitors key to future of California state parks - 01/31/2015
A report released today from the Parks Forward Commission calls for a “fundamental transformation” of the state park system that the panel hopes will secure more funding and attract new visitors to the 1.6 million acres of state parks throughout California.
Key recommendations from the report ...
- California State Parks Seek Younger, Diverse Visitors - 01/30/2015
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The future of California's state parks depends on attracting younger and ethnically diverse people from cities to experience the state's vast natural scenery, according to a commission tasked with reforming the state parks department.
Parks Forward, the commission formed fo...
- Panel urges transformation of California state parks system - 01/30/2015
When visitors arrive at a state-run park these days, they may find disrepair after years of skipped maintenance and a crowd that doesn't reflect the state's growing diversity.
Behind the scenes, they would discover a public agency that is working with outdated technology and overwhelmed by its...
- California state parks seek younger, more diverse visitors - 01/30/2015
An independent commission is recommending officials find ways to attract younger and ethnically diverse people from the cities to visit California's state parks. Parks Forward will make its recommendations on Friday when it turns in a report to state lawmakers.
- California State Parks Seek Younger, Diverse Visitors - 01/30/2015
The future of California's state parks depends on attracting younger and ethnically diverse people from cities to experience the state's vast natural scenery, according to a commission tasked with reforming the state parks department.
Parks Forward, the commission formed following a 2012 sca...
- State parks in serious trouble - 01/30/2015
California’s venerable state parks — from sunny Los Angeles beaches to towering redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains — are under “serious stress” and suffering from declining budgets, shorter hours, higher fees, a $1.3 billion maintenance backlog and outdated technology.
That’s the con...
- Parks Under Serious Stress - 01/30/2015
California’s venerable state parks — from sunny Los Angeles beaches to towering redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains — are under “serious stress” and suffering from declining budgets, shorter hours, higher fees, a $1.3 billion maintenance backlog and outdated technology.
That’s the con...
- California parks: New funding, better accountability needed to stop decline, new report says - 01/29/2015
California's venerable state parks -- from sunny Los Angeles beaches to towering redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains -- are under "serious stress" and suffering from declining budgets, shorter hours, higher fees, a $1.3 billion maintenance backlog and outdated technology.
That's the conclusio... - Report on state parks urges fundamental changes - 01/29/2015
A report on the future of California’s state parks recommends fundamental change to overcome chronic budget and management problems that threaten the long-term sustainability of these pantheons to nature.
- Panel urges overhaul of California parks system - 01/29/2015
A panel created by the Legislature to review state parks operations will report Friday that the Department of Parks and Recreation is underfunded and mired in outdated bureaucracy, and that the parks system is out of reach for many poor people in urban areas.
The report, to be released by the...
- Independent Commission Calls For Big Changes In State Parks Department - 01/29/2015
An independent commission is calling for the “fundamental transformation” of California’s archaic State Parks system, including the creation of an outside organization to help raise money and coordinate volunteers.
The Parks Forward Commission formed as the California Department of...
- In praise of parks, and seeking state leadership - 01/23/2015
Parks should be the crown jewel of every neighborhood.
Anyone who lives near a great neighborhood park understands their importance. They provide places for family and friends to socialize and activities for our kids that build leadership, teamwork, and improve focus in school. In urban areas...
- Brown's Budget Gives State Parks System One Year To Turn Around - 01/20/2015
California’s state parks system has faced a rough few years: Deep cuts during the recession, and a financial scandal that rocked the department. Now, a state commission is just days away from releasing a report that demands the department modernize itself and Governor Jerry Brown’s new bu...
- To Make Government Work, We Need to Pay Attention - 01/11/2015
California government’s policy decisions and lawmaking are often a necessary response to a crisis. Last year, the Legislature addressed California’s drought by regulating groundwater management, putting a water bond on the ballot and appropriating funds for water conservation. However, on...
- Diminished services at state parks likely to continue under funding proposed by Gov. Brown - 01/09/2015
The North Coast’s new state senator has vowed to press for more money for California’s state parks, warning that Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget released Friday threatens public access and the long-term financial health of the 279-park system.
- Modern Prefab Cabins for California State Parks - 09/15/2014
In an effort to modernize the experience of staying overnight at California State Park cabins, the Parks Forward Commission invited architecture students from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, to design new cabins to be placed at campgrounds throughout the state. The commission, an...
- State parks in crisis; bureaucrats can’t make the fixes - 09/02/2014
Anyone who has visited our state parks, campgrounds and recreation areas realizes these facilities are badly in need of major reform. The Parks Forward Commission Draft Recommendations, intended to serve as “a plan to transform State Park management and modernize State Park operations” and ...
- Cal Poly Pomona Architecture Students Aim to Revitalize Camping - 08/29/2014
A dozen architecture graduate students from Cal Poly Pomona recently took on the ambitious task of revitalizing camping. They spent two weeks researching the project and then another two weeks designing cabins based on specifications for size, portability and price. The designs for the cabins wer...
- Here's the New State Parks Cabin Designed to Attract Millenials - 08/27/2014
California is hoping to attract more youngsters to its state parks, so it asked a bunch of architecture students to design cooler cabins for camping. This snappy-looking little cabin, called The Wedge, is just one of the designs to come out of Juintow Lin's architecture studio at Cal Poly Pomon...
- California camping gets a twist with cabin concept - 08/23/2014
Fresno, Calif. For a lot of people, camping is off limits. Tents and gear are expensive, and then there's the thought of sleeping outside on the ground. A group formed by the state to help revamp California's 280 state parks wants to open up their natural beauty to a wider array of people than ty...
- Transforming California’s state park system - 08/14/2014
For 150 years, our state has built and been a steward of a network of parks that preserves our state’s diverse natural and cultural heritage. Millions of visitors from around the world enjoy our parks each year, fueling our state’s important tourism economy.
- New nonprofit model can save California's state parks - 08/07/2014
A classic tactic for organizations in disarray and looking for new leadership is to choose a retired military general for the top spot in hopes that he or she will rally the troops. Worked for a young United States of America, which turned to the otherwise reluctant Gen. George Washington. Work...
- State parks system needs to be open to new ideas - 08/06/2014
"Innovation" and "government" are two words that don't normally go together, especially in state government, where so many departments, even the brilliant systems of higher education, sometimes seem stuck in some previous generation.
- A road map to the future of state parks - 08/03/2014
California now has a road map to the future of the state's troubled park system. It just needs a driver. Parks Forward - a state-appointed blue-ribbon commission with deep talent, knowledge and connections - issued detailed draft recommendations last week for a "series of sweeping changes to en...
- California's parks system in need of major revamp, commission finds - 07/31/2014
California's parks system is in need of a revamp. Years of struggling with budgets and poor administration has left the system in a crisis. That's according to the Parks Forward Commission which just released its preliminary findings.
- Overhauling California's Struggling Park System - 07/31/2014
How do you turn around California's struggling state parks? Overhaul the whole system. Before you ask voters for any more money, you need to cut red tape and modernize. That's the consensus behind new recommendations from the Parks Forward Commission, a panel tasked with getting the system on ...
- California panel calls for full revamp of state parks funding, upkeep - 07/31/2014
California needs to completely make over the way it pays and cares for its state parks, according to a state commission reviewing a park system it says is in severe crises. The 12-person commission issued a preliminary report calling for an "internal transformational team" to develop a new organi...
- Independent Commission: Fix Parks System, Then Ask Voters to Pay For It - 07/30/2014
Here’s the recipe from an independent commission to turn around a California Department of Parks and Recreation in turmoil after financial scandals and budget cuts: Fix the broken bureaucracy, then ask voters to approve new taxes or fees to pay for the parks system.
- The parks system is debuting a “tent cabin” prototype... - 07/30/2014
- Camping Out in Style in California Parks - 07/16/2014
The California State Parks Department is showing off a prototype of their camping cabin at the State Fair, these sleeping quarters could be available at a state park near you in the future!
- California Parks System Gets Another New Leader - 07/14/2014
The California parks system has weathered its share of scandals and upheavals in the past few years. But the system’s newest leader is hoping to focus on the future. Acting Director Lisa Mangat is the fourth person to lead the state parks system in just two years. She’s taking over from fo...
- Lynn Rhodes: Time for action on state parks - 06/27/2014
Acting Director Lisa Mangat is the fourth person to lead the state parks system in just two years. She’s taking over from former director Anthony Jackson, who retired suddenly after 18 months. In 2012 the department was rocked by a financial scandal.
- Editorial: Jerry Brown needs to find an innovative and energetic parks director - 05/23/2014
Gov. Jerry Brown’s parks director quit after an embarrassingly short tenure, giving the governor an opportunity to try again to find someone who can transform the troubled but world-class system.
- New structure proposed to bring state parks up to speed - 04/29/2014
Parks Forward - a blue-ribbon commission studying the troubled California State Parks system - is proposing a surprisingly bold vision for the future of parks in California: a brand-new privately and publicly funded organization to do what the state parks agency cannot do.
- New report says California parks continue to lag - 04/23/2014
Sacramento -- California’s parks are being dragged down by stagnant leadership, inadequate resources and a failure to serve the state’s growing population of young Latinos, according to a draft report from an independent commission created to examine the troubled park system.
- Editorial: State parks system still has a long way to go to overcome scandal - 03/04/2014
California State Parks has been under new leadership for more than a year, after the “hidden funds” scandal shredded its public standing. Parks Forward, a commission established by the Legislature to make recommendations for an overhaul, will come out with a report in April.
- Parks Forward Report Lists Challenges for State Parks - 12/20/2013
Sacramento — A new study has found that California’s state parks system is top-heavy and has been slow to seize on moneymaking opportunities that could help it recover from deep fiscal wounds, some of which were self-inflicted. The independent review also unearthed erratic and antiquated acc...
- Parks Forward Commission Meeting Update - 12/18/2013
It has not been an easy few years for the California state park system. Facing a budget crunch, the Department of Parks and Recreation nearly closed 70 parks last year before it was revealed that top officials had hidden more than $20 million in a secret fund. The embarrassing revelations continu...
- State Parks Celebrate Anniversary, Future Discussed - 12/04/2013
In a sprawling Sacramento warehouse sit more than a million artifacts from California State Parks. They include a dog treadmill used to churn butter, a four-barrel shotgun for hunting waterfowl and old train lights and whistles. The opening of the Museum Collections Center is the first celebra...
- Parks Forward looks to the future for state parks - Public urged to comment on what is needed - 10/15/2013
A blue-ribbon commission is undertaking the monumental task of restructuring California’s parks system, a system that has recently foundered under a massive bureaucracy, questionable fiscal management, and grim financial times. The Parks Forward Commission held the fifth in a series of 10 state...
- Future of the state park system discussed - 10/14/2013
POINT LOMA — While much of the region watched the Chargers/Colts game Monday evening about 50 people gathered in a Point Loma meeting room to talk about state parks. Some general themes: parks will always need some taxpayer funding; parks should be more accessible to the less wealthy, to Lati...
- ONTARIO: Future of California’s state parks to be discussed - 10/14/2013
The Parks Forward Initiative and the California State Park and Recreation Commission will hold a workshop in Ontario to gather new ideas from Inland Empire residents on how to improve efficiency, create financial sustainability, and better leverage partnerships within the California State Park Sy...
- New vision sought for state parks - 10/12/2013
California’s state parks are mostly identified with long walks in the redwoods, camping under the stars and beachcombing. But as the state’s population evolves — in color, age and recreational tastes — so too must its parks, say those developing a new vision for the 280-park system that ...
- State park issues get airing in San Rafael - 10/03/2013
Entry fees, partnerships and ballot measures are some of the ideas being bandied about as state parks officials hear from the public in an effort to boost the sagging system. The new Legislature-created Parks Forward Commission — a panel designed to find ways to improve support for the state p...
- Looking forward to the future of California’s state parks - 10/03/2013
On October 2nd, an overflow crowd of stakeholders, including representatives of nonprofit organizations and park user groups, converged on a hotel conference room in San Rafael to discuss the future of California’s State Parks. In a workshop held by the State Park and Recreation Commission...
- Los Angeles Daily News editorial - 09/18/2013
One year after a scandal rocked it to the very core, the administration of California’s state parks system remains a mess. Breathtaking understatement, perhaps, but it is accurate. Don’t just take our word for it, examine the latest audit by the State Auditor’s Office.
- 70 state parks on closure list to remain open - 09/18/2013
The news from Gen. Anthony Jackson came a year after 70 state parks were slated for closure because of budget concerns. "There is no park closure list in the State of California, absolutely," Jackson said. The list of closures had included the Governor's Mansion in downtown Sacramento, along ...
- Auburn Site of Parks Forward Workshop - 09/18/2013
September 13, 2013 -- The Parks Forward Initiative and the California State Park and Recreation Commission will hold a workshop in Auburn to gather new ideas from Gold Country residents on how to improve efficiency, create financial sustainability, and better leverage partnerships within the Cali...
- Panel examining troubled state parks department holds first hearing - 09/18/2013
Sacramento -- An independent commission with the task of examining the future of California's troubled park system held its first public hearing on Wednesday. The commission, called Parks Forward, was created by the Legislature in the wake of an accounting scandal at the Department of Parks and ...
- Commission to Revamp California State Parks Holds First Hearing - 09/18/2013
A non-profit task force set up to revamp California’s state park system held its first public hearing Wednesday in Sacramento. The Parks Forward Commission was established after recent financial scandals rocked the Parks Department.
- Have Ideas on How to Improve State Parks? Calfornia Parks & Rec Wants Your Input - 09/16/2013
California State Park and Recreation Commission will hold a workshop in San Rafael to gather new ideas from Bay Area residents on how to improve efficiency, create financial sustainability, and better leverage partnerships. Join them Oct. 2.
- Still More Work to Do in Parks - 09/13/2013
One year after a scandal rocked it to the very core, the administration of California's state parks system remains a mess. Breathtaking understatement, perhaps, but it is accurate. Don't just take our word for it, examine the latest audit by the state auditor's office. In a 43-page audit report ...
- For State Parks, A Whole New Direction - 09/11/2013
Sept. 11, 2013—The Parks Forward workshop in Santa Cruz Monday almost went to the dogs. The first of 10 such meetings around the state held by a commission tasked with reimagining the beleaguered California state parks system—kind of a big job, right?—was nearly derailed by the most narrow ...
- In blueprint for parks' future, state begins in Santa Cruz - 09/09/2013
SANTA CRUZ -- They have an international reputation and widely acknowledged value as a spiritual and financial asset, but California's parks have been cut so much by Sacramento politicians, including successive governors, that a quarter nearly went extinct in 2012.
- Parks Forward Commission to Hold Workshops in Fresno, SLO, Santa Cruz - 09/05/2013
The Parks Forward Initiative and the California State Park and Recreation Commission will begin a series of public workshops statewide in September to gather new ideas on how to improve efficiency, create financial sustainability, and better
leverage partnerships within California State Parks. - Public input wanted on future of State Parks - 09/01/2013
Central Coast residents will have an early opportunity to weigh in on an initiative underway to chart the future of California State Parks.
The department is holding a series of public workshops on the Parks Forward Initiative, an effort to gather ideas about how to improve efficiency, create fi...
- Radio interview with Christine Kehoe - 08/28/2013
- California Parklands Newsletter, Summer 2013: Parks Forward Initiative - 08/26/2013
California Parklands Newsletter, Summer 2013: Parks Forward Initiative
- John O'Neill: Fate of Monterey's historic Cooper-Molera Adobe calls for local action - 08/18/2013
I applaud the recent public discussion about the Cooper-Molera Adobe. Such public debate informs us all so that we are able to do a better job of preserving and promoting our history. We should also be ready to help implement the solutions.
Schoolchildren are taught that the history of California ...
- A dozen California leaders will revamp imperiled parks - 08/06/2013
A group of California business, education and nonprofit leaders - including Monterey Bay Aquarium founding director Julie Packard - have agreed to help revamp the state parks system in an effort to restore confidence and financial stability to an institution rocked by scandal.
- Sonoma County's Caryl Hart part of State Parks task force - 08/06/2013
Sacramento — A group of California business, education and nonprofit leaders — including Sonoma County Regional Parks Director Caryl Hart — has agreed to help revamp the state parks system in an effort to restore confidence and financial stability to an institution rocked by scandal.
- Revamping California’s Parks Dept. - 08/06/2013
Sacramento, CA -- Some concerned Californians are joining forces in a push to restore confidence and financial stability in the states parks department. The group includes leaders in business, education and nonprofit agencies; like Monterey Bay Aquarium founding director Julie Packard and Sony E...
- A dozen California leaders will revamp imperiled parks - 08/06/2013
Sacramento — A group of California business, education and nonprofit leaders — including Monterey Bay Aquarium founding director Julie Packard — have agreed to help revamp the state parks system in an effort to restore confidence and financial stability to an institution rocked by scandal....
- State leaders hope to revamp California State Parks - 08/06/2013
Sacramento — A group of California business, education and nonprofit leaders — including Monterey Bay Aquarium founding director Julie Packard — have agreed to help revamp the state parks system in an effort to restore confidence and financial stability to an institution rocked by scandal....
- Group of Calif. leaders agree to help revamp state park system after institution rocked by scandal - 08/06/2013
Sacramento, Calif. - A group of California business, education and nonprofit leaders have agreed to help revamp the state parks system in an effort to restore confidence and financial stability to an institution rocked by scandal. The dozen volunteers include Monterey Bay Aquarium founding direc...
- A dozen Calif. leaders will revamp imperiled parks - 08/06/2013
Sacramento, Calif.—A group of California business, education and nonprofit leaders—including Monterey Bay Aquarium founding director Julie Packard—have agreed to help revamp the state parks system in an effort to restore confidence and financial stability to an institution rocked by scandal.
- San Diego's Kehoe to lead parks overhaul campaign - 08/06/2013
Sacramento — Former Sen. Christine Kehoe of San Diego has been tapped to help chart a new direction for California’s troubled state parks system. The 12-member Parks Forward Commission has a daunting task: Develop a plan designed to restore credibility, provide a firm financial footing, and ...
- Are California state parks stuck in a 1950s business mentality? - 07/29/2013
California State Parks is grappling with modern funding problems as it strains for cash while its staffing, recreation and maintenance needs grow. But according to critics and even the parks’ new director, the department’s business practices are stuck in the 1950s.
- State Parks’ future appears brighter - 07/18/2013
The tumult of the California State Parks system over the last four years has been well-documented. It has been almost four years since the California Department of Parks and Recreation significantly raised day-use and camping fees to offset budget reductions from the Legislature.
- Retired Marine confirmed as state parks chief - 07/01/2013
SACRAMENTO — The state Senate on Monday confirmed retired Marine General Anthony Jackson of Fallbrook as state parks chief, easily overriding complaints from some Republicans that he sidestepped controversies involving a proposed toll road and protections for the popular Trestles surfing spot ...
- State Parks Director Says Overhaul Underway - 07/01/2013
California's beloved state parks have been in the news in recent months but not always in a good way. Last year, we learned that state park officials were keeping millions of dollars in surplus funds, even when state budget cuts threatened to close 70 parks.
- San Francisco Chronicle: Calif. state parks system launching a makeover - 06/04/2013
The California state parks system, beset by financial problems and scandal, is launching a study commission that leaders hope will reshape the system and restore public confidence and financial stability.
- Sacramento Bee: Effort launched to reform state parks system - 06/04/2013
State officials on Monday launched a new program to analyze and reform California's troubled state parks system, to be led by a volunteer commission. Called Parks Forward, the effort is required by the California State Parks Stewardship Act of 2012. That law was passed in the wake of a financia...
- State parks system launching makeover - 06/04/2013
SACRAMENTO — The California state parks system, beset by financial problems and scandal, is launching a study commission that leaders hope will reshape the system and restore public confidence and financial stability. The group of private sector business leaders will study everything from how ...
- Los Angeles Times: New panel formed to 'fix' state parks system - 06/03/2013
Still recovering from last year’s financial scandal, state parks officials said Monday they are creating a Parks Forward Commission to find ways to put the system on more solid footing, including a possible expansion of partnerships with private groups that can help keep parks open.
- Central Valley Business Times: State parks may get help from business, advocates - 06/03/2013
California’s battered and beleaguered state park system goes under the microscope of a new volunteer panel, which is to make a top-to-bottom evaluation to figure out how to improve and sustain it.
- Capital Public Radio News: Commission Formed to Examine Calif. Parks System - 06/03/2013
Governor Jerry Brown’s administration is forming a volunteer commission to recommend changes to California’s struggling state parks system. The new initiative comes from legislation in the aftermath of last year’s parks funding scandal.
- Calif. state parks system launching on a makeover - 06/03/2013
The California state parks system, beset by financial problems and scandal, is launching a study commission that leaders hope will reshape the system and restore public confidence and financial stability.
The group of private sector business leaders will study everything from how big the park syst...
