In 2010, the California State Parks Foundation inaugurated the State Parks Grassroots Champion Award to honor the outstanding grassroots work by individuals and groups to protect California’s state parks and keep them open.  CSPF is proud to announce our 2011 State Parks Grassroots Champion Awards recipients. 

CA Travel Industry Association (CalTIA)

CSPF Board Member Wendy James and Grassroots Award Recipient John Severini, president and CEO of CalTIA

As the unified voice of California’s travel, tourism and hospitality industry, CalTIA, led by President and CEO John Severini, has been a true state park champion.  In the wake of repeated proposals to close state parks across California, CalTIA led the efforts of the business community to keep state parks open, well-maintained and protected.  CalTIA recognizes the important role that California’s state parks play in generating tourism and has worked to increase public awareness of the benefits that state parks have on state and local economies. CalTIA’s support of Proposition 21, The State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010, was critical in demonstrating that the importance of California’s 278 state parks reaches beyond park visitors themselves, but also impacts businesses and communities that rely on state parks for their economic livelihoods.

John Mott

Grassroots Award Recipient John Mott and CSPF President Elizabeth Goldstein

John Mott has been championing the benefits and value of California’s state parks for more than three decades. Although recently retired from the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) after over 30 years of service, John has spent his professional and personal life continuing the legacy of his father and CSPF founder, William Penn Mott. Over the years, John has devoted countless volunteer hours advocating in support of state parks. In addition to being a regular participant at CSPF’s Park Advocacy Days, John has made advocacy for parks a year-round affair. In both professional and personal roles, John worked closely and volunteered his own time with nonprofit organizations that work to support state parks across California.  During rounds of park closure proposals, John volunteered his time for the Save Our State Parks Campaign. In 2010, John recruited, trained, and coordinated a local corps of more than 60 volunteers and worked with nonprofit partners throughout the state as part of the Proposition 21 campaign.