SACRAMENTO, Calif.—This year, the California State Parks’ Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Division and partners are encouraging off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts to be off-road heroes. The theme for the 2023 OHV Safety Awareness Weeks, set for April 1-9 and November 11-19, is “Be the Off-Road Hero.” Setting the example by following safety protocols can have a positive impact in the lives of all Californians.

California State Parks invites individuals to “Live the Parks Life” as rangers or lifeguards in the nation’s largest state park system. Starting today, March 24 to June 10, 2023, individuals can apply for the State Park Peace Officer Cadet exams. Cadet academy graduates can serve the state as rangers and lifeguards to safeguard both visitors and the historical, cultural and natural resources found in 280 state park units. Offices are located near beaches or waterways, or in deserts, parks, museums, historic parks and state vehicular recreation areas.

California State Parks today announced a commence work date of March 20, 2023, for the severely damaged pier at Seacliff State Beach following recent historic storms. The demolition is expected to take six weeks and will leave no visible portions of the pier. Attempts will be made to remove items from the pier prior to demolition, including the lifeguard tower and memorial benches.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.— California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) is now accepting grant applications to help local public entities enhance safety on California’s waterways and protect them from abandoned and unwanted vessels. The application period for the competitive grant programs, Boating Safety and Enforcement Equipment (BSEE) and Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE), is open from March 15 through April 28, 2023. Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in an applicant workshop.

SACRAMENTO, Calif., -- California State Parks today enters a new era with its new digital Passport Program, driven by OuterSpatial, designed to increase access and engagement with the state’s 280 parks. The digital Passport Program invites people - whether they’re lifelong park lovers or first-time visitors - to compete and gain social status from collecting badges. No more carrying around paper passports to get stamped at the visitor center. The new Passport Program augments the existing features of the OuterSpatial-designed California State Parks App, which included park closures, directions, and wayfinding in one place.

California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) announced today its plans for this year’s Aquatic Invasive Plant Control Program in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and its southern tributaries. Starting tomorrow, March 1, DBW will begin herbicide treatments to control water hyacinth, South American spongeplant, Uruguay water primrose, Alligator weed, Brazilian waterweed, curlyleaf pondweed, Eurasian watermilfoil, hornwort (aka coontail), and fanwort.

First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California State Parks, and Parks California are thrilled to announce the 12 non-profit organizations to become the first-ever recipients of the Adventure Pass Grants Program, enabling them to provide meaningful and relevant outdoor experiences for fourth graders. Too often, transportation and other challenges prevent young people from taking advantage of the California State Park Adventure Pass, which gives free entry for fourth graders and their families at 19 participating state parks.

February 27, 2023 – A recently released study shows that a vast network of more than 100 nonprofit organizations play an indisputably critical role in supporting California’s state parks.

The study, Creating Impact: A Study of Nonprofit Partnership in California State Parks, examines the contributions made by nonprofit, community-led organizations in the wake of the California’s fiscal crisis of 2011–2012 that threatened to close dozens of state park sites, and the efforts to bolster public-private partnerships to foster innovation and bring additional expertise, capacity and resources to the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) system.

California State Parks Gold Fields District’s K-9 Rex has received a bullet and stab protective vest, thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K-9 Rex’s vest was embroidered with the sentiment “This gift of protection provided by Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.”