Nominations for 2024 California State Parks’ Golden Bear Awards Open Through June 30
SACRAMENTO — The California State Park and Recreation Commission (SPRC) is now accepting nominations for the 2024 Golden Bear Awards. These awards honor and celebrate individuals and organizations acting in support of the California Department of Parks and Recreation and its mission to provide 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. The nomination period is open through Monday, June 30, 2025.
Six awards—one statewide, one per geographical division (Central, Coastal, Desert and Northern) and one honorary partner—will be presented by the SPRC during a public commission meeting. Recipients of the award for 2023 included the Sierra State Parks Foundation for its continued support of Lake Tahoe Sector parks over the last 50 years. Others recognized included Dorothy Benjamin, a volunteer at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park for her work in supporting the park through planning diverse community events; Juan Carlo Mendoza, a volunteer for the Angeles District and its Mountain Bike Unit, for his strong ambition and dedication to protecting park visitors; Rick Matsuo, Park Maintenance Chief for the Angeles District, for his ability to motivate and mentor colleagues and staff; and Viktor Patino, a longtime department employee of the Office of Grants and Local Services, for his passion in reducing barriers to outdoor recreation for disadvantaged communities.
With 280 state park units, over 340 miles of coastline, 970 miles of lake and river frontage, 15,000 campsites, 5,200 miles of trails, 3,195 historic buildings and more than 11,000 known prehistoric and historic archaeological sites, the department manages the largest and most diverse recreational, natural, and cultural heritage holdings of any state agency in the nation. More than 68 million people annually visit California’s State Park System. Caring for these resources and providing high-quality recreational opportunities to all Californians can only be accomplished with the support of dedicated individuals and organizations working together with the department. Recognizing Golden Bear awardees helps motivate Californians to work to preserve and protect these unique places for current and future generations.
Nominations can be made by any member of the public. To learn about the qualifications and how to nominate candidates for an award, please visit the Golden Bear Awards webpage.
Dorothy Benjamin (center), a volunteer at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, was presented with a California State Parks Golden Bear Award last year by State Park and Recreation commissioners Francesca Vietor (left) and Phil Ginsburg (right) for her work in supporting the park through planning diverse community events. Photo from California State Parks.
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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.