This Earth Day, 40 state parks will receive funding from the California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) for much needed restoration and improvement projects, to be completed by volunteers during CSPF’s 20th annual Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup on Saturday, April 21, 2018. Thanks in part to a $250,000 total grant provided by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), the funds will support parks across the state to provide needed upkeep and repair at state parks – from constructing new native plant gardens and repairing nature trails, to upgrading buildings and improving park infrastructure. For 20 years, CSPF has mobilized volunteers across the state to demonstrate their support for environmental protection on Earth Day by spending time protecting and improving state parks. This year, thousands of people will gather across California for special volunteer projects that make state parks more accessible and enjoyable, like:
- Replacing trees lost during the drought at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
- Painting an ocean-themed mural at San Elijo State Beach
- Updating campgrounds with new ADA-compliant campfire rings at Castle Rock State Park
- Installing a permanent public bike fix-it station and signs at Huntington State Beach
- Promoting stewardship and sustainability of our shoreline parks at a community engagement event at McLaughlin Eastshore State Park
- Rebuilding a severely damaged access road at Jack London State Historic Park
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of CSPF’s Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup program, for the first time PG&E is including a supplemental grant ($50,000 of the $250,000 total) for projects to prepare state parks for natural disasters. These projects will focus on brush removal and habitat management to make parks better able to cope with fires, drought and other environmental impacts in the short term, and will bolster strategies to help make parks more resilient in dealing with the effects of climate change in the long term.
“PG&E has a proud tradition of supporting state parks, enjoyed by millions of visitors each year. Expanding that effort to help protect natural and cultural resources against the effects of climate change is the logical next step, and is part of our larger company strategy to help build more resilient communities,” said Travis Kiyota, PG&E Vice President of California External Affairs and Executive Director of the PG&E Corporation Foundation.
Climate resiliency projects will be completed in conjunction with Earth Day volunteer activities on Saturday, April 21 or on a date to be determined by individual state parks during the spring of 2018.
Volunteer registration for the 40 parks opens early March. To find out more about CSPF grants and projects in your area, or for more ways you can help protect our state parks this Earth Day, please visit calparks.org/earthday.
