Happy Thanksgiving from CSPF!

We are getting into the holiday spirit here at CSPF! In preparation for Thanksgiving on Thursday, some CSPF staffers share why they are thankful for state parks.

BD: I’m thankful for state parks because they make my heart sing when I visit one!

GS: I am thankful for state parks because I can run through the woods with my grandchildren, then sit down in a pile of leaves and listen to the quiet.

SP: I am thankful for state parks because it enables my children to explore the outdoors other than their own backyard.

JR: I am thankful for state parks because there I can be free and at peace.

MH: I am thankful for state parks because they inspired in my sons a love of nature in all its beauty and grandeur.

AS: I’m thankful for state parks because they rejuvenate me and reconnect me to the natural world.

MO: I am thankful for state parks because they provide essential habitat for the native plants, insects, and animals that make up local ecosystems, which are the fabric of life on this planet. In our increasingly consumptive and high-tech world, these kinds of spaces—where we can be outside and connect with the natural processes that sustain all life—are becoming increasingly rare. They are precious sanctuaries that must be advocated for and protected.

TVT: I’m thankful for state parks because they give me – and all Californians – a place to breathe deeper, think clearer, dream bigger, jump higher, and play longer than I do when I’m not in state parks. 

ER: I am thankful for state parks because of the natural beauty and tranquility that is preserved for generations to enjoy.

LFH: I am thankful for state parks because they have been the setting for many of my most treasured memories with my family and friends. In fact, I’m hoping to take my nephews to Calaveras Big Trees State Park for the first time this weekend and I can’t wait to see their faces when they see those trees!

CC: I’m thankful for state parks because they offer such a variety of places to hike and take you to special vistas that are good for nourishing the inner you.

JE: Well, I’m thankful for state parks because the one in my backyard let’s me ride my mountain bike for hours on end.

MB: I am thankful for state parks because they celebrate the best of California’s glorious history and the promise of things to come.

Why are you thankful for state parks?