California offers a rich natural and cultural heritage. Our state parks are more than just campgrounds, beaches and picnic areas; of the 1.5 million acres in the State Parks system, 94 percent is managed for natural and cultural heritage values. From historic buildings to vast beaches, lush forests to ghost towns, lighthouses to sand dunes, California's state parks have it all. Over 85 million people a year visit our amazing parks system and with such high visitation comes necessary maintenance, repairs, and improvements in order to protect and restore these natural and cultural resources.
Currently, CSPF is managing three major projects: wetlands restoration at Candlestick Point SRA; restoration of the historic lighthouse at Pigeon Point Light Station SHP; and restoration of Vikingsholm at Emerald Bay State Park. Become a member and donate today to keep our state parks in tip-top shape!
For more information on capital projects, please call the Program Office at (213) 748-7458.
The California State Parks Foundation is currently working to raise the significant public and private funding needed to complete a restoration project of the entire lighthouse.
In 1987, the State Parks System approved the Candlestick Point State Recreation Area General Plan after much public participation and feedback. The Plan identified the restoration of natural areas within the Yosemite Slough as a high priority. In 2003, a total of 34-acres, including Yosemite Slough, was assessed for restoration potential in a feasibility study funded by the CSPF. The study showed that restoration of this area is possible and would be extremely beneficial for the entire bay.
After many years of planning and hard work the new Marine Education Center at Año Nuevo State Reserve officially opened to the public on June 3, 2008 with the help of more than 100 guests, including state and local officials, school children, and an impressive "kelp-cutting."
CSPF is working to help restore and preserve Vikingsholm to ensure that more than 40, 000 visitors annually will continue to enjoy one of our country’ most historic and architecturally significant buildings. Currently, we hope to help restore the exterior dragon fascia.
Coronado Bay Resort, which sits next to the state beach, and since 2007, it has donated $525,000 (and counting) through an innovative partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and California State Parks Foundation to maintain and beautify the state beach.
The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) bought this 32-acre open space in 2001, after local outcry against the proposed industrial redevelopment of the area. Local citizens lobbied to keep the historic area as open space, and the result was Los Angeles State Historic Park (aka "the Cornfield").
Rio de Los Angeles State Park, a partnership between the City of Los Angeles and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), became a state park in 2005. The 60-acre park is managed by the City, while the 3.6-acre wetlands area is managed by DPR.
Currently, CSPF is seeking grants for further maintenance and weed management.
The restoration of Yosemite Slough will create the largest contiguous wetland area in the County of San Francisco. The project will help restore essential wildlife habitat, improve water quality, and prevent erosion along the shoreline of the City of San Francisco—an area of the bay where tidal wetlands have been most impacted and suffered the greatest loss due to urbanization. The Yosemite Slough Restoration project will also be accessible to visitors and will serve Bayview Hunters Point, a community that has been unfairly impacted by environmental degradation.
