CALIFORNIA - The Trust for Public Land in Action: 2019 by Trust for Public Land

The Trust for Public Land in Action: 2019 C E L E B R AT I N G W HAT YO U M A D E P O S S I B L E IN CALIFORNIA AND BEYOND

Protecting land for people As a supporter of The Trust for Public Land, you recognize the innumerable ways that equitable public access to natural spaces improves the lives of millions of people across California and the nation. Your support creates climate-resilient communities, boosts health and wellness, conserves and restores invaluable landscapes, and reconnects people to the land and to each other. On a national scale, 2019 was a banner year. We opened 15 new parks across the country, bringing a quality park within a 10-minute walk of home to over 382,000 people. We also protected over 84,000 acres of public land at 67 sites from Maine to California. Here in California, nature is also making a comeback! In the Mendocino National Forest, tule elk are roaming oak meadows and salmon are thriving in icy streams of the former Sanhedrin Ranch. Hikers in the Mojave Desert are exploring natural sculpture gardens of boulders nestled within the recently protected Rock Springs Ranch. Nearby, in the Kern River Valley, visitors marvel at migrating birds flocking to Desert Springs for

rest and nourishment before the next leg of their migratory journey. In San Diego County, at-risk Hermes copper butterflies are flitting through the coastal sage scrub around Van Dam Cornerstone. In Los Angeles, children are reveling in the whimsical playgrounds and nourishing gardens of Madison Avenue Park and Eastside Community Garden. And northwards, students in Oakland are experiencing the first phase of a green schoolyard at Melrose Leadership Academy. You help create and preserve these moments. You amplify community voices. You ensure public access to the wildlands and open spaces that define our region. You create parks, trails, and green spaces for people across California and the country to enjoy. For all this and more, thank you!

Guillermo Rodriguez California State Director

RACHID DAHNOUN

Trinity Divide Pacific Crest Trail

Taking a giant step in protecting the Pacific Crest Trail Every year, thousands of intrepid hikers traverse the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (Pacific Crest Trail, or PCT) to experience the full range of wild beauty in the American West. For most of its 2,653 miles, the trail crosses public land, welcoming hikers along its route. But in a few areas, the trail navigates privately held lands, where the whim of a landowner has the potential to disrupt the PCT’s seamless journey across the Sierra and Cascades.

For John Bernstein, land protection manager at The Trust for Public Land, this success was the culmination of five years of hard effort. During those years, John hiked this portion of the trail many times, sidling up alongside the Klamath and Cascades mountains, nearly eye level with the snowcapped peaks of Mount Shasta, Castle Crags, Trinity Alps, and Marble Mountains. He says, “It’s gratifying to know that these and other sublime vistas are now protected forever.”

This summer, we conserved 10,300 acres along northern California’s Trinity Divide, securing 17 miles of the PCT—the longest unprotected segment along the entire trail!

Now, for the first time in more than a century, outdoor enthusiasts can delve into the surrounding forestlands, blooming meadows, lush EDGEWOOD

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Trinity Divide Pacific Crest Trail

fens, and glacial lakes. The Trinity Divide is one of the most botanically rich spots on Earth. In fact, the U.S. Forest Service has discovered previously unknown species in the area! Thanks to the efforts of The Trust for Public Land and supporters like you, these habitats can be restored and managed sustainably as part of the Klamath and ShastaTrinity National Forests. IMPACT: The Trinity Divide brings together 16 parcels of private land across a 225-square-mile area in the Trinity Mountains on the border of Trinity and Siskiyou counties in Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s far north.

Thanks to you: The Trust for Public Land has protected 17 miles of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail at the Trinity Divide, securing the longest unprotected segment along the entire trail.

Cultivating community at Madison Avenue Park Three years ago, Ivan Gonzalez and his wife, Lucero, found their dream home in East Hollywood. But while they loved the house, they were apprehensive about the weedy lot next door. Having grown up in a tough part of Los Angeles, riddled with vacant lots, Ivan knew these spaces could become magnets for crime. When the Gonzalez family learned that the parcel was slated to become a park and community garden, their fears quickly dissipated. Ivan recalls, “We thought the park was the start of a good community.”

This summer, more than 200 people celebrated the ribbon cutting for Madison Avenue Park and Eastside Community Garden. Today, the Gonzalez family goes there often. Parents and neighbors now chat in Armenian, English, Tagalog, and Spanish amidst citrus trees and planter beds, while children play on tractor and grain silo climbers. As an employee of a public transit agency, Ivan appreciates the health benefits of being able to walk to a park with their son, Danny. The boy has taken to calling the place “Danny’s Park.”

The Gonzalez family attended design workshops hosted by The Trust for Public Land, collaborating with their new neighbors on a shared vision for the park. The neighborhood collectively voted for their favorite amenities and drew pictures imagining their ideal park.

“We felt like we won the lottery,” Ivan said. IMPACT: Over 12,000 East Hollywood residents now have access to much-needed green space within a 10-minute walk of home.

TPL STAFF

danny at his park Los Angeles, CA

Thanks to you: A Los Angeles community has seen a half-acre vacant lot transformed into a vibrant green space for recreation and community gardening.

madison avenue park Los Angeles, CA

Building on the legacy of India Basin The Bayview-Hunters Point community, which sits on the bay just south of downtown San Francisco, grew up around shipbuilding. However, the recent decline of the area’s maritime industries has left the predominately African-American neighborhood facing economic uncertainty and a waterfront marred by vacant shipyards and environmental contamination. For years, families have advocated for restoring the waterfront’s intrinsic beauty. Thanks to the efforts of the community, The Trust for Public Land, and our generous supporters, they do not have to wait much longer!

for Public Land worked closely with churches and community groups so that local feedback was incorporated into the concept design. Once the historic shore walk is created, educational features will highlight the history of the waterfront. Peaceful and immersive, rich in scenery and history, the future park will be a place to play in nature, discover history, and gather with family and friends. IMPACT: India Basin boasts one of the largest natural shores and wetlands in the Bay Area. It will soon be made accessible to the roughly 37,000 residents of Bayview-Hunters Point.

With your support, The Trust for Public Land is helping transform seven distinct industrial and open spaces across India Basin into one harmonious system of parks and trails. Altogether, India Basin Waterfront Parks and Trail will span 1.5 miles of coastline and 60 acres of parkland. The community, which has a strong tradition of environmental justice advocacy, quickly embraced the chance to help reshape their neighborhood. In collaboration with project partners, The Trust

Thanks to you: More than 1,000 residents of Bayview-Hunters Point had a voice in reshaping their neighborhood. GUSTAFSON GUTHRIE NICHOLS

HUNTER FRANKS

What’s your vision? San Francisco, CA

the future of india basin San Francisco, CA

Greening schoolyards in California Many schoolyards in California look and feel more like parking lots than playgrounds. They exacerbate the effects of hot weather and air pollution, producing unhealthy conditions. This summer, The Trust for Public Land found out how high temperatures get at three public schools in Oakland. What we found was shocking: the asphalt was typically 25° hotter than the air temperature. At one school, on a 74°F day, several spots in the schoolyard registered above 131°F—the threshold at which human skin receives a seconddegree burn.

and educational. We also invite students and their families to mulch and plant the new grounds, creating a sense of ownership of the space. The Trust for Public Land is working on our first green schoolyard in Oakland at Melrose Leadership Academy. During the first phase of construction, one volunteer put down his shovel and mused, “It just occurred to me while I’m digging this hole that my son will be here in nine years and he’ll be able to see this plant grow and flourish. It makes it all worth it.” IMPACT: Making all Oakland Unified School District schoolyards green and open to the public after school hours and on weekends would give 43,000 additional Oakland residents access to open space within a 10-minute walk of home.

The Trust for Public Land is remaking paved play spaces into green schoolyards that promote healthy recreation, environmental literacy, and climate resilience. We have successfully completed green schoolyards in New York and Philadelphia, and now have six demonstration sites underway in California. At the same time, we are working towards opening schoolyards to the public after hours to close inequitable gaps in park access.

Thanks to you: Students at Melrose Leadership Academy in Oakland are discovering the joy and wonder of nature.

Green schoolyards, like all of The Trust for Public Land’s work, are designed with and for the community. Students build models, sketch ideas, and vote on amenities, making the process fun

PALOMA COLLIER

ANNIE YOUNGERMAN

Melrose leadership Academy Oakland, CA

Markham Elementary School Oakland, CA

TOP ROW: BEFORE, TPL STAFF; AFTER, TIMOTHY SCHNECK. MIDDLE ROW: JENNA STAMM. BOTTOM LEFT: BEFORE, KIRA MARITANO; RENDERING, MILLER COMPANY.

BOTTOM RIGHT: BEFORE, ANNIE YOUNGERMAN; RENDERING, PLACEWORKS.

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piagentini & jones education complex

PS 384X playground

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Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve put 4 million+ people within a 10-minute walk of a safe and vibrant schoolyard to exercise and to connect to nature and each other.

patterson elementary school Philadelphia, PA

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Markham Elementary School

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California Advisory Board updates

OUR NEW CO-CHAIRS Desirée Portillo Rabinov and Michael Parish are the California Advisory Board’s newly appointed co-chairs. Desirée and Michael will provide strategic leadership and help steer The Trust for Public Land’s activities and priorities in California. Desirée is a Senior Transportation Planning Manager for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and has done extensive work serving the people of Los Angeles. Michael, who is based in San Francisco, is a partner at the real estate investment firm Lone Tree Properties and a manager of Hellman Properties, LLC.

INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS Alex Johnson is a program director at the California Wellness Foundation, where he manages grantmaking focused on preventing violence and strengthening community clinics. He previously served as a managing director at Californians for Safety and Justice and as the Executive Director of Children’s Defense Fund– California. Alex is an accomplished policy shaper and a skilled legal practitioner.

Michelynn “Miki” Woodard, based in Los Angeles, is Director of Good Robot at Bad Robot Productions. She is also the Executive Director of the Katie McGrath & J. J. Abrams Family Foundation. At Bad Robot, she leads philanthropic campaigns, employee activations, and crosscutting initiatives that foster an inclusive and diverse company culture. Most recently, Miki led the design and implementation of programs intended to immerse employees in histories of marginalization and discrimination in an effort to bring these stories to the forefront of Bad Robot’s equity and inclusion work.

Meet our California leadership team Guillermo Rodriguez California State Director Dave Sutton California Director of Land Protection David Zhang California Senior Director of Philanthropy Alejandra Chiesa, MLA Bay Area Parks for People Program Director Robin Mark, PLA, ASLA Los Angeles Parks for People Senior Program Manager Rico Mastrodonato Interim Government Relations Director, California Luis Severiano Northern California Director of Philanthropy

California Advisory Board We are so grateful for our leaders! Val Cole Larry Gelb Shepard Harris Alex M. Johnson Cindy Polite Kamm Daniel Martin Richard Morrison Don Neal

Julie Parish Michael Parish DesirĂŠe Portillo Rabinov Daniel Rosenfeld Laura Shell Aaron Vermut Keith Weaver Michelynn Woodard

PAUL RABINOV

Robert Luis Stevenson State Park Mount Saint Helena

2019 California Advisory Board Retreat

ANNIE BANG

Thank you

for supporting The Trust for Public Land as we work to protect land and create parks for people in California and beyond. We couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do it without you.

Join us. The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.

tpl.org

Guillermo Rodriguez California State Director 415.800.5267 | guillermo.rodriguez@tpl.org David Zhang California Senior Director of Philanthropy 415.800.5280 | david.zhang@tpl.org 101 Montgomery Street, Suite 900 San Francisco, CA 94104

COVER: TOP LEFT, ANNIE BANG; TOP RIGHT, RACHID DAHNOUN; MIDDLE LEFT, LINDSAY UPSON; MIDDLE RIGHT, RICH REID; BOTTOM, RACHID DAHNOUN.