Photo Credit: International Rivers. Staff discussing Movement Building during the 2012 International Rivers staff retreat to explore new ideas and strategize on organizational objectives.

Since 1985 International Rivers has worked to protect rivers threatened by dam projects while also promoting energy and water alternatives. They help partners worldwide to defend rivers and community rights. International Rivers will use their $750,000 award to build operating reserves, strengthen regional offices in Asia, Africa and South America and expand global awareness and support for the movement for healthy rivers and human rights.

The award, announced on February 28, 2013, recognizes exceptional grantees of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation that have demonstrated creativity and impact. For these awards, the foundation does not seek or accept nominations. To qualify, organizations must demonstrate exceptional creativity and effectiveness; have reached a critical or strategic point in their development; show strong leadership and stable financial management; have previously received MacArthur support; and engage in work central to one of MacArthur’s core programs.

If you lead a nonprofit, then you are probably wondering how your organization can become a top-performer. So, I contacted Aviva Imhof, the International Rivers Campaigns Director, to ask her for advice she could share with other nonprofits that want to create more impact and be more effective.

What makes International Rivers an exemplary nonprofit?

Aviva Imhof, International Rivers:

The combination of activism, solid research and writing, effective communications and ongoing support for the development of social movements are what makes us such an effective organization.

We pride ourselves on working in partnership with NGOs and affected communities around the globe, and we are very responsive to the needs of our partners and to their concerns. We are well-respected by our partners. We also run effective campaigns while keeping on top of the latest research and policy developments in our world of rivers and dams so that we are recognized as global experts on our issues and are able to provide solid and effective advice to our partners. We also have real impact on the ground – in stopping projects and achieving better compensation for dam-affected communities.

What are your top 3 pieces of advice for other nonprofits?

Aviva Imhof, International Rivers:

• Listen to your partners and learn from them. Support them in whatever ways you can – they are the strength of the movement, and you will achieve nothing without them. Also learn from other activist groups and social movements – borrow tactics that have been used successfully in other struggles and adapt them to your context. And along these lines, look for partnerships that can further your mutual goals and invest in those partnerships, especially if you have limited resources.

• Get your facts straight and ensure your communications are professional. Nothing does more damage to your credibility than getting your facts wrong or being hyperbolic all the time. Make sure you communicate effectively; this builds your credibility and sphere of influence.

• Continuously adapt your strategies to the changing external context. Don’t be afraid to experiment and to change course if necessary.

The MacArthur Foundation produced this video about International Rivers’ work.

19th Century Barn Converted into an Artist Studio and Workshop at Pond Farm, Austin Creek State Recreation Area

Today Bay Nature published a story I wrote on a hidden gem in the California State Park system. The story is about a world famous ceramic artist and arts educator who lived and worked for more than 40 years in what is now a California State Park near Guerneville in western Sonoma County.

Over the last couple of years, I have been digging up stories about our endangered California state parks and talking to many inspiring and hard working people along the way who are raising funds and volunteering their skills to keep parks open and protected.

In December, I contacted Michele Luna, executive director of Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, a nonprofit doing amazing work in Sonoma County, to learn about their strategies to save a state park called Austin Creek State Recreation Area. She told me how her organization had taken over operations of the park under the new law AB 42 that allows a nonprofit to take on full financial and operational responsibility for a state park. Austin Creek shares an entrance station with the enchanting redwood grove of Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, so Stewards now staffs the entrance station for both parks.

During my conversation with Michele she mentioned Pond Farm Pottery and an artist named Marguerite Wildenhain. At first I thought she was saying “palm frond pottery.” I am probably not the only one who had never heard of this place. After all, the historical site here sits on a hilltop along a steep ravine behind gates that warn “No Public Entry.” Michele Luna put me in touch with Anthony Veerkamp, a field director for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. With Anthony’s help, I started to piece the history of Pond Farm together.

Anthony told me the story of Marguerite Wildenhain going back to 1919 when the Bauhaus school for the arts opened in Germany. Marguerite was the first pottery student. He spoke of Marguerite on a first name basis as if she was an old friend. My research into her life and legacy continued after I checked out three fascinating books from the Berkeley public library.

From the 1940s until 1985, the beauty and serenity of Pond Farm and the surrounding wilderness captivated the imagination of Marguerite and her students. Famed photojournalist Otto Hagel, who came here frequently in the 1950s, chronicled the experience of the artist community that grew and fell apart during the 1940s and 50s.

The more I learned about this talented woman, of Jewish descent, who fled Europe during World War II, the more I realized it is important to stop this important piece of California history from crumbling. It could disappear before giving people the opportunity to learn about Marguerite Wildenhain’s incredibly rich life and legacy as an artist and an educator. Do you feel a sense of urgency?

Go to the Bay Nature story to learn more about a new national effort that combines the resources and determination of three nonprofits — National Trust for Historic Preservation, Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods and California State Parks Foundation — working in partnership with California State Parks to find a solution.

How to Experience Pond Farm Pottery

Pond Farm Pottery is located less than two miles up a steep and winding road, which rises out of Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve near the town of Guerneville.

Hiking trails meander from the visitor center to the redwoods. From the far end of the grove, the East Ridge trail climbs steeply to Pond Farm’s namesake – a large pond in the shape of a fish. A short trail takes you from the ridge over to the main road.

By car or bicycle, you can follow the winding main road up the steep hill and park outside of the historic site, which is nestled among fir and oak trees along Fife Creek. Beyond Pond Farm, the main road and the East Ridge trail continue to climb to the ridge, where you can take in panoramic views of the rugged wilderness that stretches over nearly 6,000 acres.

Marguerite Wildenhain describes Pond Farm in Invisible Core: A Potters Life and Thoughts (1973):

One had to go through a redwood state park to get there, and then in sharp hairpin turns 600 feet up to a plateau that lay open to the south and had a backdrop of higher hills behind it. There was an old farmhouse with palm trees and a dilapidated, old, traditional western barn, nothing more, at first sight. But when I climbed the hills, I could see the elongated pond in form of a fish and yet higher hills all around. It was wild, steep country, just one generation away from the Indians who used to bathe their horses in the pond, on their way from the volcanic area of Lake County to the Coast, there to exchange obsidian arrowheads for fish, etc. For me as a European, as I was then, this was fantastic coming from Lyon, a town that had had a 2,000-years jubilee as a Greek settlement! Here everything was new, fresh, and nearly untouched by human hands, virgin land and uncharted mountains. Here one could make history!

Books on Marguerite Wildenhain’s Life and Legacy

• Pottery: Form and Expression by Marguerite Wildenhain with a photo story by Otto Hagel (1962)
• The Invisible Core: A Potter’s Life and Thoughts by Marguerite Wildenhain (1973)
• Marguerite Wildenhain and the Bauhaus: An Eyewitness Anthology. Edited by Dean and Geraldine Schwartz (2007)

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“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Point Reyes National Seashore

The 2012 winter here in Northern California arrived with strong winds, rain and cold temperatures. Last year, around the same time, the sun bathed me in warmth at Point Reyes National Seashore. Along with the weather, each year brings something new, including unexpected challenges as well as new opportunities.

Events of this year, especially the recent tragedy in Connecticut, have shown us that in the aftermath of a crisis, organizations and people will rise up. We owe so much gratitude for the nonprofits, donors and volunteers who help us respond to difficult times and work tirelessly to make the world a better place.

Many of these nonprofits rely on the period between November and December to raise funds to sustain the important, life changing work that they do. The Chronicle of Philanthropy is tracking online giving in 2012 compared to 2011 using a large graph. Hover over any day of the month to compare online giving totals between 2011 and 2012, as we reach the pinnacle of the giving season.

For many parks advocates in California, fundraising is now a part of their job descriptions to keep park gates open, educate school children and find ways to bring in money to support park operations. Thank you for enriching lives and protecting our natural, cultural and historical treasures.

In September of 2011, I began to dedicate this blog to covering the state parks crisis in California and was amazed by the outpouring of support and high level of cooperation among nonprofits, public agencies, philanthropists and lawmakers. My goal was to provide an online space where we could avoid amnesia about the trail of events, as they unfolded throughout the year. I owe so much gratitude to Glenn Brank of NorCal Yak for giving my blog many shout outs on his highly engaging blog featuring Northern California kayaking adventures and to Robert Hanna, the great great grandson of John Muir, for the many Facebook links.

I hit the pause button on my blog in August after tapping into my energy reserves for too long while working to ensure that my nonprofit clients received my highest level of attention. I am pleased to report that I helped two organizations I care strongly about maintain important momentum during development director transitions.

Please jump on over to BayNature.org to find the latest coverage on the California State Parks crisis including an article published today featuring author Joan Hamilton’s interview with the new Parks Director, Major General Anthony Jackson. In recent weeks, I have also revitalized my outreach for Bay Nature’s continuing state parks coverage, talking to new people and discovering yet more hidden treasures and untold stories in our park system. I will keep you posted.

Sun, rain or snow, I hope you find time to rejuvenate in the coming weeks. I wish you serendipity and success in 2013.

This post is dedicated in the memory of Christina Wong McAleavy, whose big smile, uplifting laughter and sense of adventure will always be an inspiration.

• Tour of Village & Museum w/ Ranger Rejas
• Nature Walk w/ Outdoor Educator Cynda Vyas – Both Tours meet in front of Museum
• Musical Performance by Stephen Shen & Wei Ping Qu Hu

12:00PM: Audience Participation Tai Chi

1:00PM: Lion Dancers meet The Alma and The Grace Quan

1:30PM: Opening Greetings & Marin Chinese Cultural Association Lion Dance Team

2:30PM: Redwood Empire Chinese Association Cultural Dancers & Chorus

3:15PM: Ribbon Dance w/ Louise Kanter Lipsey

3:45PM: Contortionist Performance by Bo Bo Giang

Visit NorCalYak to see what Heritage Day was like last year: Paddling into History at China Camp State Park.

Visitor Guide
Michael Hanrahan of Way Out There Press offers an excellent online visitor guide to the park. This free PDF describes the park’s history, plant life, wildlife, unique tidal salt marshes, trails and recreational facilities, including camping and picnic sites.

August 15 Update:
Visit the San Rafael Patch for photos and stories about Heritage Day 2012.

In May of 2011, former California State Parks director Ruth Coleman announced that her department would close 70 state parks around the state to achieve a total of $33 million in budget cuts to state parks over two fiscal years. The former director did not have to choose to close parks. That was not a mandate. Yet, she could not see any other way. Worse, the parks department could not document the process it used to select parks for closure.

How communities responded, sparking new opportunities

People who love their parks rallied communities, lawmakers and philanthropists to find short-term and long-term solutions to the crisis.

To raise public awareness, filmmakers and bloggers hit the road, like the The First 70 crew and blogger Lucy D’Mot of Placerville who visited all 70 parks slated for closure, recalling vivid accounts of each park experience in her blog, State Park Closures Trip.

Blogger Lucy D’Mot chronicled all 70 parks slated for closure on her blog State Park Closures trip. She took a picture of her traveling companion at Gray Whale Cove State Beach. Click through to her blog.

Park advocates filled hearing rooms in Sacramento with public testimony and rose up to the challenge of finding alternative ways to fund and run parks. Some secured “donor agreements” and others proposed to run parks in partnership with the state. Robert Hanna, the great great grandson of John Muir, roamed the state to help nonprofit groups succeed. Joan Hamilton wrote and outstanding special feature for Bay Nature magazine titled, The Parks and the People.

Help from philanthropists and conservation groups

After witnessing an outpouring of support, many philanthropists stepped up earlier this year. The California State Parks Foundation, an independent partner to State Parks, also expanded their role to facilitate the flow of philanthropic dollars to nonprofits that were close to succeeding with their campaigns to raise funds or even operate a park.

Sempervirens Fund, Save the Redwoods League and the Sonoma Land Trust grew new partnerships in response to the crisis. For example, as two of the oldest conservation organizations in the state, Sempervirens Fund and Save the Redwoods League partnered with community-based nonprofits to protect redwood parks. The Sonoma Land Trust launched the successful Parks Alliance of Sonoma County.

Communities realized that they “have a stake in these parks,” said Ruskin Hartley of Save the Redwoods League. In a conversation I had with him in May, he pointed to a grassroots movement to save Anderson Valley’s Hendy Woods, home to ancient redwoods, as an example. “People have re-discovered the history of that park.”

Reactions by nonprofits to latest fallout

In reaction to the fallout in Sacramento over the mismanagement of $54 million in funds over the last 12 years, several nonprofit partners and donors to state parks issued statements. After getting hit with another blow, here’s how a few groups are reacting and framing the issue:

• Save the Redwoods League –

  Despite the recent news about a mismanagement issue by high-ranking officials with California State Parks, Save the Redwood League will continue to move forward to rebuild and reinvent our park system so that our natural treasures are protected forever. The League’s first and foremost priority is to safeguard redwoods and their surrounding lands for all to experience and enjoy.

• Hendy Woods Community –

  Although it is now clear that the impression of a fiscal emergency was lie, we do not in any way regret that a connection between the park, its staff, our visitors, and our community has been revitalized. Hendy Woods is a wonderful place that is enjoyed by everyone who has a chance to spend some time there. It is a place where quiet weddings happen, babies explore the wonders of a dirt trail, kids ride bikes in safety, and families get together and forget the rest of the world for awhile.

• California State Parks Foundation – In a letter on August 3 to the governor and legislators, Elizabeth Goldstein outlines recommended actions and writes:

  It would be easy for us and all partners and supporters of our state park system to remain angry. It would be understandable to do so. But we at CSPF feel a commitment and duty to all park visitors to ensure that these scandals do not define our state park system. You, as leaders of our state, have an obligation and an opportunity to restore confidence and rebuild this system for California.

• Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association (AMIA) – In a July 29 letter to the editor of the Lake County News, AMIA President Roberta Lyons wrote:

  The revelation of the $54 million in hidden monies will not change our efforts. Even before the budget crisis hit, Anderson Marsh State Historic Park suffered from neglect. Our plan is to continue to negotiate our operating agreement contract, which will hopefully be in place within the next few months. Donors to our effort need to know that all of the funds donated go to AMIA and, in turn, to the park. Also, unlike the state, apparently, we are not only happy, but are required, to show our “books” to anyone who requests it.

• Sempervirens Fund –

  The discovery of this surplus is disturbing on many levels. And yet the fact of the matter is that, even if these funds had been discovered and spent earlier, State Parks would nevertheless still be facing the enormous challenge of covering its annual operating costs and a backlog of over $1 billion in deferred maintenance. Our state continues to face massive deficits, our state park system is in crisis, and something has to change.

• Valley of the Moon Natural History Association (VMNHA) – Elisa Stancil, Vice President of (VMNHA) wrote Focusing on What’s Right With Our Parks in the Petaluma Patch:

  During this time of outrage over California State Parks hidden $54 million dollars in unreported income, we at Jack London State Park and Valley of the Moon Natural History Association (VMNHA) want to go on record in full support of the Parks Alliance of Sonoma County, the California State Parks Foundation and our hundreds of volunteers, members and donors who have allowed us to keep treasured public lands open … Through the transparent, energetic, ethical efforts of the Parks Alliance and the California State Parks Foundation these parks are open for business, offering, in many cases, more services, experiences, programs and open hours than ever!

• Coe Park Preservation Fund (CPPF) – In a July 27 press release, the nonprofit group, which donated over $250,000 to the state to keep Henry W. Coe Park from closing, wrote:

  In light of the incorrect assertions by the DPR about its dire financial situation, CPPF is calling upon the Legislature, during its next scheduled session, to allocate $20 million of the hidden funds back to their original intended use — the operation of the California State Park system.

What’s next?

The California Legislature reconvenes this week, and Governor Brown is calling on lawmakers to direct millions of dollars in state funds to keep parks open, fix serious park maintenance problems and match donor contributions. Can we hold them to it?

We should pay attention to AB 1589 – also known as the California State Parks Stewardship Act of 2012. One of the co-authors of that legislation, Assemblymember Jared Huffman recently reacted to the state parks fallout in an interview with KQED’s Scott Shafer – calling for a “serious reset” of the parks department:

“There have been signs of problems at the department for a long time. In some ways [the news of financial mismanagement by California State Parks] is consistent with some of the concerns that I’ve had for some time about a fortress mentality, closed process, lack of transparency. It’s good that this is coming out, because this is an agency that really does need a serious reset.”

At California state parks like Ano Nuevo State Natural Reserve, nonprofit partners and park rangers work closely together

Over the last several months while covering the state parks crisis for this blog, I have spoken to a number of state park rangers, park volunteers and staff with partnering nonprofits. “Headquarters,” the center of decision-making for California State Parks in Sacramento, seemed more like the land of Oz: a mysterious place where it’s hard to find the Wizard or the front door. How do you get to Oz? Through a disaster.

$54 Million in surplus funds, stashed for 12 years

By now, you’ve probably heard about the hidden cache of funds found by California State Parks in a time when state parks have suffered from over $1.3 billion in deferred maintenance, service reductions and threats of closure. On Friday, due to an investigation by Sacramento Bee environment reporter Matt Weiser, the parks department revealed that $54 million had been stashed away over the last 12 years. Director Ruth Coleman resigned. Many questions remain including the most obvious: Who did this? And why?

Let’s not forget about park advocates and their allies: local State Parks staff

The scandal by unknown people and for unknown reasons should not cloud over the hard work of park advocates, who have worked tirelessly for the past year – mobilizing volunteers and inspiring philanthropy for parks. Those park advocates include people who have led or volunteered for educational partners to state parks for years or decades. They include California State Parks rangers and area supervisors who have worked hard to help local nonprofits create plans and proposals to find reprieves for parks slated for closure despite challenging communications with state park decision-makers in Sacramento.

Park advocates volunteering for supporting nonprofits have created new ways for people to connect and engage in parks – from “Broadway Under the Stars” in Jack London State Historic Park to fundraisers for Castle Rock State Park, like one in March that raised $20,725 in one day from the climbing community.

A new fee collection system managed by the nonprofit Bodie Foundation at Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve removed this state park from the closure list.

At Mono Lake, a state reserve that draws over a quarter million visitors per year from all over the world, a new $3 parking fee is generating revenue to support public access.

A grassroots group in San Diego successfully raised funds to save Palomar Mountain State Park in San Diego County, where 61% of voters said no to $18 per year in increased vehicle license fees in the November 2010 election to raise $500 million a year in a dedicated fund for state parks.

Friends of Palomar put up this message to assure donors that their contributions are safe and “still much needed by Palomar Mountain State Park.”

Nonprofit park partners speak out on KQED Forum

On KQED Forum this morning, Michael Krasny spoke with Matt Weiser, the environment reporter for the Sacramento Bee who broke the story about the scandal; Bob Berman, vice president of the Benicia State Parks Association and Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation. Goldstein said that the revelations felt like being “kicked in the stomach.” The foundation she leads issued this statement on their blog.

Steve Deering, who is on the board of Friends of China Camp, called in to say that his group has worked hard over last six months to raise $250,000 for China Camp State Park. Their success was made possible by strong community support. He remains enthusiastic about their role as the new park operator for the park and hopes that the surplus dollars in Sacramento will find their way back to the parks, like China Camp. Deering also emphasized that while there is a scandal at the top, we should not forget about the dedicated state park workers thoughout the system:

“We would not have been able to enter this operating agreement without the support of local state park workers. We want to thank them.”

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown is one of 25 parks granted some time to work out a deal with California State Parks

This past week I received a flurry of emails from Robert Hanna, the great great grandson of John Muir (pictured below), who has possessed a fierce determination to save every state park in California slated for closure. On Friday he celebrated victory at the State Capitol in Sacramento after learning that all but one of 70 parks will stay open, and he is not stopping there.

In May 2011, California State Parks announced the closure of 70 parks around the state due to proposed budget cuts for the fiscal year that started today. Parks were hit along with health and human services programs in effort to reduce the state deficit, now near $16 billion. Due to a $22 million budget shortfall, parks were scheduled to close today, July 1, the first day of the new fiscal year.

Park advocates have now patched together short-term funding and operating solutions to help keep 69 parks from closing, at least for now.

• 40 State Parks now have firm operating agreements.
• 25 State Parks are still under negotiation (recent budget bills bought these parks more time).
• 4 State Parks do not currently have viable options and may still close (recent budget bills bought these parks more time).
• 1 State Park is closed and its future is very uncertain.

Nonprofit park partners and conservation organizations, local governments and private companies have negotiated deals leading to 40 formal agreements that will keep those parks open from one to five years.

Nonprofits have rallied their local communities to find short-term solutions through fundraising, unique partnerships with local government agencies and, in a couple of cases, by fully taking over park operations. In a few cases, the federal government agreed to maintain state parks near national parks, and private companies submitted bids to respond to “Requests for Proposals” issued by California State Parks.

Park advocates are still negotiating for 25 parks

Beyond the 40 deals, other groups continue to hammer out agreements for 25 additional parks from Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in the Sierra foothills to Hendy Woods State Park in Mendocino County.

Five Tuolumne County Rotary clubs raised funds to match a $75,000 grant from the Sonora Area Foundation to help save Railtown. Railtown 1897 and its historic locomotives and railroad cars have appeared in more than 200 films, television productions, and commercials.

Hendy Woods, another park with an interesting cultural history, preserves ancient redwoods in two peaceful groves and offers visitors camping, access to the Navarro River and intrigue to discover huts where the Hendy Woods Hermit lived a wild existence for 18 years. The newly formed Hendy Woods Community, a nonprofit, is saving that park with the help of substantial support from Save the Redwoods League, a nonprofit that has raised funds to preserve ancient redwood groves as state parks for 94 years.

Hendy Woods State Park, in negotiations, but open for now

Parks without viable options

The fate of the remaining five parks, Benicia State Recreation Area, California State Mining and Mineral Museum, Gray Whale Cove State Beach, Zmudowski State Beach and Providence Mountains is much more uncertain. All but Providence Mountains next to the Mojave National Preserve will continue operating “for the very near term,” according to Natural Resources Agency spokesman Richard Stapler. If those parks do not attract partners willing to support these parks, then services like trash pickups and bathroom maintenance will end. Providence Mountains has been closed since March of this year and has already been vandalized resulting in over $100,000 in damage.

Signed budget bills offer breathing room beyond July 1

Up until about a week ago, only about 31 parks had formal agreements. Then this past Thursday park officials dramatically shifted their position with time running out. The reprieves for 38 more parks came at the end of this last week after Governor Jerry Brown partially signed-off on stop-gap budget bills from lawmakers, re-allocating $10 million to the state park system and $13 million in bond funds for projects to pursue cost-saving or revenue-generating enhancements to the park system.

You can help build a sustainable future for these California state parks by visiting the parks, paying parking and camping fees and making donations to park partners. Follow Hanna’s Range of Light Facebook page to stay up on his fight for long term solutions for our beleaguered park system.

More coverage at Bay Nature

A version of this story also appears on BayNature.org. Along with veteran reporter and editor Joan Hamilton, I will continue to support Bay Nature’s coverage of the state parks. Are you a new operator of a state park? If so, I hope to hear from you.

Brannan Island, northeast of the San Francisco Bay Area in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, will be managed by American Land and Leisure starting August 1, 2012. Photo by Lucy D’Mot, State Park Closures Trip.

As California careens toward closing state parks for the first time in the state’s history on July 1, the issue is receiving nationwide attention.

Last Thursday, KQED Forum took a pulse on the devastating situation. For me, it was clear that nonprofits have been the true heroes in the fight to save state parks, after months of mobilizing donors and volunteers.

Concession Contracts

Then on Monday, Rachel Myrow of KQED’s California Report posted, The Private Solution for State Parks, after learning that California State Parks intended to enter into concession agreements with American Land & Leisure, a company that will take over operations of three state parks for five years. The company, which was sent notice of the park department’s intent to award a contract, will take on operation of campgrounds, day-use areas, restrooms and kiosks, visitor services, as well as security and legal liabilities, reported Myrow. The three parks are Turlock Lake, Woodson Bridge and Brannan Island, all state recreation areas.

The website for Brannan Island SRA, in the Sacramento River Delta near the Bay Area, alerts visitors that American Land & Leisure will take over on August 1.

The Parks Department will also award a concession contract to run Limekiln State Park, and other concession deals are in the works with private companies.

In the meantime, nonprofits continue to work on saving other parks with donor agreements or operating proposals. Most recently, California State Parks pulled Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park and Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park off the closure list after donor agreements came through.

In response to these developments, on June 20 National Pubic Radio’s All Things Considered aired the story Saving California State Parks: The End Of Public Funding? by Melissa Block. Rob Reich, who is a co-director of Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society told NPR, “Getting the state off the hook for funding parks may also set into motion a slippery slope.”

Current Budget Bill

On June 15, the legislature approved a budget that included appropriations that would increase park funding by tapping other state and federal funds. The governor has until July 1 to sign the bill, make line-item vetoes or veto the entire bill. For additional detail, listen to Brown, Dem Lawmakers Still Working on State Park Funding on Capitol Public Radio.

30 Parks Saved For Now

For the latest count of state parks saved, visit my Parks Status Updates page. On the KQED Forum show last Thursday, California State Parks Director Ruth Coleman said, 30 parks are saved for now, 25 more deals are possible and 15 parks are “really, really, threatened.”

The UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley on Pinterest

In February, the Chronicle of Philanthropy hosted a live chat titled, Pinterest for Nonprofits: Promoting Your Cause on the Fast-Growing Social Network. More than 1,700 people in the nonprofit world joined the discussion.

Honestly, sometimes I can relate to a New Yorker cartoon that depicts a person in front of their computer pinning the screen in an endless rhythm. I tend to feel like my time could be better spent in the real world than in yet another virtual one.

Nevertheless, I joined Pinterest recently to experiment with this relatively new communications channel because it is now the third most-popular social network in the United States, behind Facebook and Twitter. And many nonprofits feel the need to explore these channels as possible tools for education, advocacy, marketing and better fundraising.

For the nonprofit community, Pinterest is ideal for curating pictorial stories for causes that naturally offer heaps of visual content.

Pinning for Parks

If you read this blog, then you know I am a parks and open space aficionado. I am distressed, to say the least, that our state parks here in California are under siege. In May 2011, the Parks Department announced the closure of 70 California State Parks due to a $22 budget shortfall hitting July 1, 2012. Since September 2011, I have devoted this blog to covering the parks crisis because the consequences of shuttering parks and packing up parts of our history would be devastating on many levels.

If there is a silver lining, it has been educational to witness and follow the grassroots organizing and efforts among nonprofit park advocacy groups. Many of these groups are learning to develop business plans and rigorous fundraising campaigns for the first time. The results have been impressive.

On Pinterest, I created four boards to illuminate the beleaguered parks and the people working to make a difference. The amount of visual expression by people and the natural beauty of our state parks make “pinning” easy.

• Blogs, Films and Stories: Saving California State Parks. This board celebrates the people and organizations that are producing stories to illuminate the plight of the imperiled parks.

• Rescue Efforts Underway: California State Parks. Parks on this board have partnership agreements in progress or efforts underway to save the parks. The nonprofits behind these efforts have invested a significant amount of human energy to save these public assets.

• Parks in Jeopardy: California State Parks. This board aims to bring attention to parks that will likely close (or remain open but abandoned by the state) on July 1, 2012 because of a lack of potential partners or community resources to save them with private funds or other public agency support.

• Rescued Parks: California State Parks. Parks on this board are either saved or nearing a final deal with the state. The nonprofits behind these efforts have invested a significant amount of human energy to save these public assets, so please visit the parks and donate if you can to their causes.

Nonprofit Blog Carnival

The theme for the Nonprofit Blog Carnival this month is Pinterest, and Britt Bravo of Have Fun, Do Good is the host.

Britt invites you to submit your blog posts for consideration any time before Monday, June 25th. On Wednesday, June 27th she will post a round-up of some of the best posts on Have Fun, Do Good.

Palomar State Park photo by California State Parks

Friends of Palomar Mountain State Park announced that the Director of California State Parks, Ruth Coleman, signed off on an agreement to remove Palomar State Park in the mountains northeast of San Diego from the park closure list.

Over 300 individuals, corporations and foundations (including the California State Parks Foundation) contributed funds to keep the mile-high park on the western side of Palomar Mountain open for another year, the first in a three-year commitment. An ongoing fundraising campaign will continue to ensure the park’s operation beyond the first year, as well as to pay for improvements to the park. The park features a campground, views of the Pacific and hiking amid ancient live oaks with 10-foot diameters. Bedrock mortars and artifacts found here are evidence that native peoples lived in the area for hundreds of years.

Palomar becomes the 18th park to receive official notice and a signed agreement. That leaves 52 parks on the closure list for July 1, 2012 — just over four weeks away. Efforts are underway to save several more parks. Nonprofit park groups and public agencies are close to finalizing deals. We should expect to hear official news about Hendy Woods, Sugarloaf, Annadel, Point Cabrillo and others soon.

In May 2011, the California Department of Parks and Recreation announced the closure of 70 state parks due to devastating state budget cuts. This blog celebrates the parks and the people who are rescuing those state parks. The nonprofits behind these efforts have invested a significant amount of human energy to save these public assets, so please visit the parks and donate if you can to their causes.

Parks on Closure List with Signed Agreements to Stay Open
Visit the Park Status Updates page for the latest count of parks saved. You can help build a sustainable future for these parks by visiting the parks and making donations to the park partners.

Russian Gulch State Park Fern Creek Canyon

A website that manages camping reservations for a state park on California’s dramatic North Coast warns campers: “park scheduled for closure beginning July 1, 2012 indefinitely.” Russian Gulch State Park, located just over a mile north of the famous historic town of Mendocino is among 70 parks that were slated for closure in May 2011.

Mendocino area parks — from Hendy Woods in the Anderson Valley to the dramatic bluffs of the California coast — offer ancient redwood groves, ocean views, beaches, wildflower and wildlife viewing, hiking trails, kayaking, swimming holes and campgrounds — and much of this land is made accessible by our state parks to people of all income levels.

After decades of battles to preserve the scenic wonders of the Mendocino area from unsightly development, state parks here are under siege by devastating budget cuts. Eight of Mendocino County’s 16 state parks landed on the infamous closure list of May 2011 that slated 70 California parks to close by July 1, 2012. Many parks, on the closure list or not, also suffer from a maintenance backlog of more than $1 billion across the state system.

For Russian Gulch that maintenance backlog now has State Parks scrambling. On Wednsday the Mendocino District superintendent, Loren Rex, learned about problems with the water and sewage infrastructure there. “We are no longer going to put this park out to a nonprofit agreement,” said Rex in a phone call.

This might not be all bad news, says Carolyne Cathey of the nonprofit Mendocino Area Parks Association – known as MAPA. For the last year, MAPA has been working on a proposal with the local State Parks district to operate Russian Gulch, including the campground, with a nonprofit operating agreement, authorized by the new law AB42. In March they submitted a proposal to Sacramento. In addition to a campground with 28 sites, the park offers beach access, picnic areas and hiking trails that give visitors dramatic views of the Mendocino area coastline as well as access to an inland canyon filled with lush green ferns and Pacific rhododendrons, culminating in a waterfall.

If Russian Gulch remains open to the public and protected, Cathey said that MAPA’s ultimate goal would be achieved. On a recent visit here, I could see why the park has its ardent supporters including Cathey, Mendocino locals, tourists and the local State Parks personnel who take pride in the park. When we arrived at the entry kiosk for the park, the state parks staff person gushed about the hike to a 36-foot waterfall up the Fern Canyon Trail in Russian Gulch Creek Canyon and the “Punch Bowl” — a large collapsed sea cave with churning water.

As of the late afternoon on May 24, State Park superintendent Loren Rex was waiting to hear back from Sacramento on how to proceed with Russian Gulch now that they could no longer work out an operating agreement with MAPA. This park is one of two parks on the closure list in the Mendocino area that received funding from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, so legally they cannot close those parks. Until he hears back from headquarters, Rex could not say if they can keep the campground open and staff the park. Reserve America, the website visitors use to reserve State Parks campgrounds, currently indicates that this park’s campground will close July 1, 2012.

Status of Eight Mendocino Area Parks on Closure List

Before the breakdown at Russian Gulch on Wednesday afternoon, earlier that day I spoke to Rex about the status of all Mendocino parks on the closure list. Here is the update:

• Greenwood State Beach: Several donors have stepped up to support a donor agreement for this park including the Olmsted Fund, MAPA and the California State Park Foundation.

• Hendy Woods: Thanks to the support of the newly formed nonprofit Hendy Woods Community, Save the Redwoods League and the California State Parks Foundation, this park will be taken off the closure list.

• Jug Handle State Natural Reserve: The Olmsted Fund and California State Parks Foundation signed donor agreement with California State Parks to remove this park from the closure list.

• Manchester State Beach: At a minimum, California State Parks must keep this park open to day use because the park is a past recipient of Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant monies, according to State Parks Loren Rex. Rex recently met with the nonprofit Moat Creek Managing Agency to discuss an operating agreement.

• Point Cabrillo Lightstation State Historic Park: The nonprofit Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association that has run this park as a concessionaire to California State Parks will renew its agreement to take this one off the closure list.

• Russian Gulch State Park: At a minimum, California State Parks must keep this park open to day use because the park is a past recipient of Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant monies, according to State Parks Loren Rex.

• Standish Hickey State Recreation Area: MAPA prepared a proposal to operate this park and has been discussing it with local park officials. They are getting ready to send the proposal to Sacramento and expect that it will take at least five weeks to receive approval. Donations are needed.

• Westport-Union Landing State Beach: State Parks is working on an interagency agreement with the Cahto tribe, and independent nation with strong connections to the lands here. This would represent the first time for State Parks to enter into a formal agreement with an independent nation.

More to come on Mendocino Area State Parks

This post is the first of two articles on issues facing the Mendocino area state parks and ways local community members and nonprofits are stepping up to help our parks. Visit MAPA’s Facebook page for the latest updates on their efforts to save the parks of the Mendocino area.

Update

To learn more about the status of Russian Gulch, read my updated article on Bay Nature: Faulty water system pulls Russian Gulch off closure list.

Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park
All photos on this page are courtesy of Save the Redwoods League.

Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park, a 459-acre state park with towering coastal redwoods as old as 2,000 years, gained a one-year reprieve from closure. Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, today the park’s campground re-opened (the park closed May 15) with sites available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

California State Parks officially announced that Director Ruth Coleman signed an operating agreement with Humboldt County to operate the park with the support of Save the Redwoods League, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that has been saving redwoods from the Big Sur coast to the Oregon border since 1918.

“Protecting the redwoods today is different and more challenging than at any point in the long history of state parks. However, our focus remains the same as when Save the Redwoods League was founded nearly 100 years ago – ensuring the state’s magical redwood groves are protected and made accessible to the public,” said Ruskin K. Hartley, Save the Redwoods League Executive Director.

As reported by the Times-Standard, on May 22 the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to operate the park during the next year.

Humboldt County will take the lead to operate the park, which offers camping, hiking trails amid giant old-growth trees, a swimming hole and picnic areas along the Van Duzen River. Save the Redwoods League committed funding to bridge the difference between visitor fee revenue and total operational costs. The League will also work with State Parks and the County to develop a long-term strategy for revenue enhancement and management of the park.

With the help of nonprofits and public agencies about half of the 70 parks on the state parks closure list could be spared, though the official count of parks with signed agreements stands at 17 parks (more news soon). The remaining parks will close by July 1 due to a $22 million budget shortfall. It remains to be seen if closing parks will actually save money.

Blog series
This article is part of an ongoing series on threats to California State Parks and the search for sustainable funding. If you want to know which parks have been saved, visit my parks status page for links and images to those parks.

Garrapata State Park, Rocky Ridge Trail - Flickr photo by sidstamm. This park does not have a potential partner to help keep it open.

In November 2010, 58 percent of California voters turned down Proposition 21, which would have raised $500 million a year through an $18 vehicle registration fee for California’s 279 state parks. With the failure of that proposition and the major budget cuts that ensued, the next chapter for California’s state park system looks bleak.

We are close to witnessing the closure of state parks for the first time in our state’s history due to a $22 million budget shortfall on July 1, 2012.

Since the announcement of park closures in May 2011, blogger Glenn Brank of NorCal Yak grew concerned for the loss of treasured access points for paddlers in places like China Camp State Park.

“Sad to say, but China Camp and its rich history are on a collision course with a future fixated on the bottom line. … It seems ludicrous to abandon a place with almost 150 years of history and so much to offer kayakers and other outdoors enthusiasts – especially when it’s so close to urban areas.”

NorCal Yak recently asked California State Parks for an update on the park closures. Following NorCal Yak’s lead, I contacted State Parks spokesperson Roy Stearns to check in.

How many parks have been saved? How many are likely to close?

As of May 11, 2012:

• 15 parks hold signed agreements to keep them open. These are short-term fixes, but at least these parks will not completely shut down. Visit my new park status page for the full picture.

• 20 parks are under negotiation with nonprofit partners or public agencies.

• 21 parks are accepting bids for concession agreements (including Castle Rock State Park and Portola Redwoods – two parks that are also on the “under negotiation list” and likely to receive a reprieve). The future for many of these is uncertain.

• 16 parks appear to be doomed for closure. They do not fall on any list, which means they are not in negotiations at the state level (but could be at the local level). Or partners have not stepped up.

State Parks staff visit park doomed for closure

One of the 16 doomed parks without any viable options at this point, William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park, recently received a visit by State Parks staff, reports the Daily News of Tehama County. This historic park lies along the Sacramento River in Red Bluff, about a two-hour drive north from Sacramento.

The visit involved evaluating costs and options to close the park including boarding up windows and putting up chain-link fences. The local nonprofit partner to Ide Adobe since 1979 has been scrambling to raise funds, but so far their grassroots fundraising has only yielded under $3,000. A parks department report estimates that Ide Adobe costs $127,110 per year to operate.

In the meantime, other remote parks in California’s northern reaches are already shutting down. According to the Times-Standard, the North Coast Redwoods District of California State Parks announced service reductions, particularly campground closures, to three state parks. Although the parks were initially scheduled for closure in July, the district can no longer afford to operate them. Residents near the parks are worried about the repercussions on local tourism – and the local economy.

Urgency bill, AB 1589, advances

One piece of good news emerged on Monday when an urgency bill to save state parks, Assembly Bill 1589, advanced in the legislature after gaining unanimous, bipartisan support from the Assembly Revenue & Taxation Committee. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) and Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) co-authored the legislation that proposes several creative funding opportunities to help prevent state parks from being closed.

The bill, also known as the California State Parks Stewardship Act of 2012, addresses short and long-term needs for California State Parks to achieve substantial budget savings without wide-scale park closures. The bill includes an option for taxpayers to designate all or a portion of their state income tax refund towards purchase of an annual state parks pass. This option has worked well in the state of Maine.

On Thursday at the annual conference of the Bay Area Open Space Council, Huffman said we have to move on from the failure of Proposition 21. In this “new normal” for the system, we need to work creatively.

“We can no longer count on public funding as the only source of funds for state parks.”

Blog series
This article is part of an ongoing series on threats to California State Parks and the search for sustainable funding.

Blog series
This article is part of an ongoing series on threats to California State Parks and the search for sustainable funding. The removal of Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park from the closure list brings the total number of parks saved to 15 out of 70 parks slated to close by July 1, 2012.