For Immediate Release: 6/18/2018
California State Parks Announces $3.2M for Local Park Projects from the California Habitat Conservation Fund
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California State Parks today announced the selection of 21 local park projects that will receive grants totaling $3.2 million from the California Habitat Conservation Fund (HCF) Grant Program. Cities such as Grand Terrace in San Bernardino County will receive $212,552 tobuild approximately 5,000 linear feet of trail, a trailhead with a restroom, parking and interpretive signage at the Blue Mountain Trailhead. In Yolo County, the city of Woodland will receive $116,500 to conduct a series of outdoor education programs and activities including nature education for elementary aged students, community-oriented wildlife activities and adult/junior docent training programs at Woodland Regional Park.
The HCF Grant Program, funded by the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990 (Proposition 117), allocates approximately $2 million each year to cities, counties and districts. The program requires a 50 percent match. Eligible projects include: nature interpretation programs to bring urban residents into park and wildlife areas, protection of various plant and animal species, and acquisition and development of wildlife corridors and trails. California State Parks through its Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS), serves as an administrator to the program.
The recommended projects (listed by the county where the projects are located and grant recipient(s) are:
Humboldt County
City of Arcata: Arcata Community Forest Expansion/Forsyth Acquisition: $250,000 to acquire approximately 49 acres to expand the Arcata Community Forest.
Lake County
City of Clearlake: Austin Waterfront Park Trail: $170,000 to construct 1,200 linear feet of trail with overlooks, rock walls and split rail fencing, interpretive panels, kiosk, gravel parking lot with concrete ADA space, and the restoration of habitat.
Lake and Napa Counties
Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District (City of Calistoga): Robert Louis Stevenson State Park Access Improvements:$200,000 to acquire approximately 1,254 acres to expand and provide access for the state park.
Los Angeles
City of San Dimas: San Dimas Northern Foothills Trail: $150,000 to develop approximately 1.2 miles of trail with interpretive signage.
Orange County
City of Costa Mesa: Fairview Park Vernal Pools Restoration: $150,000 to restore three acres of degraded vernal pools and install interpretive signage.
City of Dana Point: Harbor Point Park Trail Extension and Overlook: $12,500 to renovate a trail by creating a scenic overlook and extending the trail to create a loop.
County of Orange (City of Laguna Niguel): Healthy Planet, Healthy People, Aliso and Wood Canyons Park: $127,701 to provide wildlife area interpretive field trips and activities.
County of Orange (City of Orange): Irvine Regional Park Natural Play Trail: $199,000 to renovate an existing trail with landscaping, interpretive signage and natural play component.
Riverside County
County of Riverside (City of Riverside): Hidden Valley Wildlife Area: Knee High Naturalist: $112,000 to provide a series of environmental education "knee-high naturalists" classes, including six eight-week long sessions for ages 1-3 and 3-5, and their caregivers; and provide two annual environmental education events to the community over a four-year period at the Hidden Valley Nature Center.
San Bernardino County
City of Grand Terrace: Blue Mountain Trailhead: $212,552 to build approximately 5,000 linear feet of trail, a trailhead with a restroom, parking and interpretive signage.
San Diego County
County of San Diego (City of Alpine): Peutz Creek Preserve Acquisition: $200,000 to acquire approximately 240 acres.
City of Chula Vista: HELP Chula Vista: Hike, Explore, Learn, Protect: $100,000 to conduct an educational program that includes approximately 120 guided hikes and approximately 48 community clean-up projects.
County of San Diego (City of Julian): Sierra Verde Connection Preserve Acquisition: $200,000 to acquire approximately 251 acres to add to the preserve.
Santa Barbara County
City of Carpinteria: Carpinteria Coastal Vista Trail Acquisition: $155,000 to acquire a 0.16 acre easement to complete the coastal trail.
Santa Clara County
City of Morgan Hill: Lake Silveira Wildlife Trail: $226,906 to develop approximately one mile of ADA pedestrian/ bicycle trail with interpretive signs, a bridge and wildlife viewing deck.
Sonoma County
County of Sonoma (City of Petaluma): Helen Putnam Regional Park Trail Renovation: $97,000 to renovate approximately 2,500 linear feet of trail, including the decommission of volunteer trails and realignment of existing trails; trail side and pond habitat restoration, and to install new interpretive signs and construct a new picnic table pad.
San Francisco County
City and County of San Francisco: Golden Gate Park Oak Woodlands Trails Improvement: $250,000 to rehabilitate and stabilize approximately 1,900 linear feet of trail, and to install 250 linear feet of box steps, 15 way-finding signposts and two interpretive signs; and to restore approximately 10,000 square feet of habitat.
City of South San Francisco: San Bruno Mountain Wildlife Camp: $9,250 to host a multi-week youth outdoor education wildlife camp including an overnight educational excursion.
Solano County
City of Vacaville: Wilderness 101: $105,800 to expand the Camp Adobe outdoor education program by adding an overnight camp-out and interpretive field trips to natural areas for first through sixth grade children over a four-year period at Pena Adobe Park.
Yolo County
City of West Sacramento: Southport Setback Levee Trailhead: $112,500 to acquire approximately 1.55 acres for public access to a new levee trail located on the Sacramento River.
City of Woodland: Outdoor Education Programming: $116,500 to conduct a series of outdoor education programs and activities including: nature education for elementary aged students, community-oriented wildlife activities and adult and junior docent training programs at Woodland Regional Park.
This summer, grantees will participate in a mandatory grant administration workshop, receive grant contracts from OGALS and begin work to complete their projects.
OGALS develops grant programs to provide funding for local, state and nonprofit organization projects. Since 1964, more than 7,400 local parks throughout California have been created or improved from OGALS' grant funding. Since 2000, OGALS has administered approximately $3 billion in grant funding throughout California. For more information, please visit http://www.parks.ca.gov/grants. Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/caparkgrants.
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California State Parks provides for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high quality outdoor recreation.