By: Natural Resources Agency
California has an Outdoors for All newsletter dubbed The Trailblazer and a logo! These new tools will help the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and its departments, conservancies, and partners chart their progress and continue building an Outdoors for All.
This initiative (movement) is expanding parks and outdoors spaces in communities that need them the most, supporting programs to connect people who lack access, fostering a sense of belonging for all Californians outdoors, and much more.
Why is it important for people to connect to nature?
- Connecting people to nature is critical for our physical, mental, and social wellbeing.
- Outdoor spaces help communities adapt to climate change by serving as a refuge from extreme heat, filtering polluted water that runs off roads after it rains, and storing carbon dioxide in trees.
- When designed with ecosystem health in mind, parks and other outdoor spaces can be good for wildlife and biodiversity, too, providing places for plants and animals to thrive.
- Finally, outdoor recreation is a reliably powerful economic engine for the state. California is home to the nation’s largest, active outdoor-industry economy.
Even though California has the nation’s largest state park system (280 state parks) and many outdoor spaces, outdoor access and its many benefits are not equitably distributed to all communities.
To date, departments, and conservancies within CNRA, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and partners have expanded access through land acquisitions, grant funding, career pathway strategies, tribal land acknowledgements, park pass programs, social media messaging, outdoor programming, etc.
Thank you to all who are prioritizing equitable outdoor access in their communities and throughout the state. We invite you to read this monthly newsletter and share it with others. Repeated stories about our efforts can help build stewardship for the outdoors.
|
By: Natural Resources Agency
This past election in November 2024, majority of voters across California approved a $10 billion Climate Bond to ensure resources are available to strengthen the resiliency of California communities to a changing climate. CNRA will serve as the coordinating agency for the rollout of the Climate Bond. The Agency and its departments and conservancies are committed to improving the accessibility and effectiveness of its state grant programs. We invite you to share your experiences of working with grants by completing a survey. Your input will help inform Climate Bond implementation in the months ahead. The survey includes 27 questions about finding grant opportunities, the grant application process, and grant management post-award. Please answer whatever questions are applicable to you and your organization’s experiences and skip whatever does not apply. View survey. Please note, this survey will close on April 18, 2025, at 5 p.m. We recognize your time is important and thank you for your feedback!
Climate Bond Resources
Story from: San Joaquin River Conservancy
Congratulations to the San Joaquin River Conservancy for opening Ball Ranch and Wildwood Native Park to the public! The opening of these public spaces supports California’s Outdoors for All, an initiative that aims to expand outdoor access to all Californians.
 |
|
-
Ball Ranch. In partnership with the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust and partners, the San Joaquin River Conservancy opened Ball Ranch to the public on November 12. This park provides the Fresno community with a variety of recreational opportunities daily from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. View Video (Instagram link)
|
 |
|
-
Wildwood Native Park. On January 10, the San Joaquin River Conservancy opened Wildwood Native Park to the public. Located in Madera County, this park will be open to the public for year-round recreation, seven days a week. Wildwood Native Park offers 22 acres of low-impact recreational activities including launch access to the San Joaquin River, fishing, picnicking, walking trails, and wildlife viewing. Click here to view Instagram post on the March 22 grand opening event.
|
The San Joaquin River Conservancy is one of 10 conservancies under the CNRA umbrella. It is a regionally governed agency created to develop and manage the San Joaquin River Parkway, a planned 22-mile natural and recreational area in the floodplain extending from Friant Dam to Highway 99 in Fresno.
 Story from: California Conservation Corps
Last year, 92 young adults in the California Conservation Corps ventured into remote wilderness to perform some of the most challenging and rewarding work of their lives. Six crews spent five and a half months living off-grid, constructing and maintaining trails for public recreation.
In recognition of the growth and impact Corpsmembers achieved in the Backcountry Trails Program, CCC received The Corps Network’s prestigious 2025 Project of the Year Award. This year, three awardees were chosen from more than 150 corps programs across the United States through a competitive nomination and review process.
View full press release
Story from: Sierra Nevada Conservancy
At the Sierra Nevada Conservancy’s (SNC) quarterly Board meeting held March 6, the Board awarded a grant of $2,299,993 to the 40 Acre Conservation League to complete forest health work on its 650-acre property just west of Emigrant Gap in Placer County.
With the help of earlier grants from the SNC and the Wildlife Conservation Board, the 40 Acre Conservation League was able to purchase the land — called Tahoe Forest Gateway — in early 2024. As the only Black-led land conservancy in California, the 40 Acre Conservation League has a dual mission of conserving and restoring natural lands and developing inclusive and welcoming access for recreational and educational opportunities in nature.
“This grant advances SNC’s goal of expanding access for all throughout the Sierra-Cascade,” said SNC Executive Officer Angela Avery. “The Tahoe Forest Gateway is a beautiful property along Interstate 80 and these funds will help the 40 Acre Conservation League restore forest health and wildfire resilience as they develop a culturally relevant, accommodating, and welcoming place for the public to enjoy everything the area has to offer.”
View press release
Story from: California Tahoe Conservancy
On March 20, the California Tahoe Conservancy Board approved two planning grants, totaling $590,000, for projects to improve recreation and public access at beaches in South Lake Tahoe and Kings Beach. These include:
- A $500,000 planning grant to the city of South Lake Tahoe for improvements at Regan Beach. The funding will help the city continue planning for improvements that include new restrooms and concession facilities, upgraded picnic areas, shoreline stabilization, and a launch and storage area for kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.
- A $90,000 grant to the North Tahoe Public Utility District (NTPUD) to complete environmental analysis for improvements at Secline Beach. The NTPUD is exploring recreation, lake access, and accessibility enhancements at Secline Beach, which includes a small Conservancy property, in the heart of the community of Kings Beach in Placer County.
“Through recreation enhancements and upgrades to modern accessibility standards, these projects will make it easier for everyone — residents and visitors alike — to experience and enjoy Lake Tahoe’s shoreline,” said Conservancy Board member and South Lake Tahoe City Councilmember Tamara Wallace.
View press release
 Story from: California Tahoe Conservancy
The California Tahoe Conservancy’s 2024 Annual Report is now available online. Learn more about the Conservancy and their partners’ accomplishments towards their strategic plan goals, including:
- An environmental acquisition that California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said “may be the most important in a generation to protect Lake Tahoe.”
- Progress improving forest health and reducing wildfire risk on hundreds of state and federal open space lots.
- Grants supporting work by the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California and other Basin partners to advance environmental restoration, improve access for people to experience and enjoy Lake Tahoe, and protect Tahoe communities.
Read the full report here for these updates and more.
 Story from: Delta Protection Commission
On January 16, the U.S. Department of Interior approved the management plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area (NHA). The Delta NHA, created by Congress in 2019, is California’s first and only National Heritage Area. The Delta Protection Commission, a California state agency, was designated as the local coordinating entity for the Delta NHA.
NHAs support historic preservation, natural resource conservation, recreation, heritage tourism, and educational projects through public-private partnerships. Learn More
 |
|
On February 13, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy approved more than $17 million in grants for coastal restoration, public access, climate resilience, and wildfire mitigation. The Board also reaffirmed its commitment to its Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Guidelines and to its Strategic Plan goal of prioritizing equity for systemically excluded communities and California Native American Tribes.
View press release
|
Story from: California State Parks
On February 10, Parks California and California State Parks announced grants to 31 organizations throughout California, totaling more than $1 million to improve access to state parks and create memorable nature experiences. Through Parks California’s Route to Parks grant program, these funds will help more than 7,700 people create lasting memories at state parks in 2025.
The 2025 grantees include programs from across the state, focused on providing experiences in parks through activities such as camping, backpacking by bike and recurring, single-day programs. Three projects with California Native American tribes (Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, Jamul Indian Village, and the Mishewal Wappo) will help increase access to their ancestral lands and cultivate collaboration and partnerships with park staff.
View full press release
Story from: State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways
Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the California Boater ID card is now required for all operators regardless of age. This completes a phase-in that began in 2018.
However, there are exceptions to the requirement for people operating rental vessels, some non-residents and more. Learn about the exceptions in this FAQ.
Apply Here
Available Grants
Upcoming Meetings
Women’s History Month
March was Women’s History Month — honoring women’s contributions and accomplishments to history, society, and culture. The monthlong celebration highlighted the courageous efforts of past generations of women who paved the way and recognized the dedication and strength of today’s women who bring positive change.
Through virtual and in-person events, CNRA departments, commissions, and conservancies honored women leaders in the environmental field who use their voices to communicate the importance of nurturing and protecting the environment for the future and to encourage others to become environmental stewards. Learn more at resources.ca.gov/WomensHistoryMonth.
We invite you to explore CNRA’s Celebrating Cultural Diversity website and learn about our commemorative months:
-
February: Black History Month
-
May: Asian American and Pacific Islander Month
-
June: Pride Month
-
July: Disability Pride Month
-
September 15-October 15: Latino Heritage Month
-
November: Native American Heritage Month
The Trailblazer newsletter is issued each month to deliver up-to-date information on the Outdoors for All Initiative. This initiative (movement) is expanding parks and outdoor spaces in communities that need them the most, supporting programs to connect people who lack access, fostering a sense of belonging for all Californians outdoors, and much more. For questions or comments, please contact: outdoors@resources.ca.gov.
|
