The Trust for Public Land in Action: 2018 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
Introduction A YEAR IN REVIEW
Thanks to your involvement and support, today more than 8 million people across the country live within a 10-minute walk of a place created or protected by The Trust for Public Land — and countless more visit these sites each year. In cities like New York, New Orleans, and Philadelphia, schoolchildren and neighbors now have beautiful places to play thanks to their new state-of-the-art rain garden schoolyards that capture storm water runoff. Community members in Ohio are making their voices heard as they help shape the design of a future public space that will increase park equity for low-income residents. And hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail are enjoying time outside together thanks to even more protected landscapes along the trails. In California, many residents still cannot walk to a park and have never hiked a woodsy trail or strolled along a sandy beach. We also saw another year of record heat and wildfires that devastated our forests, wildlife, and rural communities across the state. Thanks to your ongoing support, The Trust for Public Land pressed forward and improved access to parks and nature, and bolstered the state’s climate resilience. This year, we are especially proud to have: • Played a leading role in passing Proposition 68, a $4.1 billion parks, open space and water bond. Proposition 68 represents the single largest
state investment in parks in disadvantaged and underserved communities in California’s history. • Created new play areas in San Francisco and Ventura where children can climb and run their way to better health. • Protected 5,600 acres of wilderness—from desert vistas around Joshua Tree National Park, to alpine meadows in the northern Sierra, to lands along the Colorado River. • Closed a gap in the Pacific Crest Trail and completed the first addition of land to the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. • Helped pilot a shuttle service between a light rail station and a trailhead in the San Gabriels, so more people can enjoy the outdoors. Partnerships are a hallmark of The Trust for Public Land’s work, and this year, at our first San Francisco Gala, in City Hall, we recognized two great partners. Jackie Safier, President of the Helen Diller Family Foundation, was presented with the Land for People Award—our highest national honor—for her commitment to park equity in the Bay Area. We also presented Phil Ginsburg, General Manager of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, with the Power of Place Award, for helping his city become the first in America to reach our 10-Minute Walk™ goal. On the following pages, you can learn more about our recent accomplishments and what we have in store for 2019. We hope that our victories and aspirations, like ensuring that every family lives within a 10-minute walk from a park, will inspire you to join us in the years ahead. Thank you for supporting our land-for-people mission. We couldn’t do it without you.
The 10-Minute Walk™ campaign M AY O R S A C R O S S T H E C O U N T R Y E N D O R S E O U R PA R K S C A M PA I G N At The Trust for Public Land, we believe everyone deserves a quality park close to home. Studies show that parks are essential to the physical, social, environmental, and economic health of a community. And yet, one in three Americans today do not have a quality park within a 10-minute walk, or half-mile, from home. That’s why on October 10, 2017, The Trust for Public Land, in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association and the Urban Land Institute, launched a historic campaign to ensure that everyone lives within a 10-minute walk to a quality park or open space. In cities across the country, mayors are coming together to endorse the 10-Minute Walk standard for all. So far, more than two hundred have signed on, including the mayors of America’s four largest cities (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston). As always, California is leading the nation in this campaign and steering the state toward a greener and healthier future by setting
audacious goals for itself. Twenty-three mayors and one county supervisor in California have joined the 10-Minute Walk campaign thus far. (Check below to see if the mayor of your city has joined us yet!) In the year ahead, The Trust for Public Land and its partners will continue to recruit mayors to join the campaign and make their own commitment to the 10-Minute Walk vision. California’s 10-Minute Walk commitments Alameda Albany Anaheim Arcadia Covina Cupertino Dublin El Cajon Encinitas Garden Grove La Habra Lake Elsinore
Lincoln Livermore Los Angeles Los Angeles County Mountain View Palmdale Redding Richmond Riverside Santa Clara Stockton Watsonville
RICH REID
Maywood Riverfront Park
Maywood in Los Angeles County
Helping communities fund their parks and open spaces At the federal, state, and local levels, The Trust for Public Land advocates for the importance of parks and open space and the need to fund them, in order to create parks and protect land for people to enjoy now and for generations to come. Since 1996, we’ve guided nonpartisan political action on over 500 ballot measures across more than 30 states nationwide, generating over $68 billion in public funds for healthy land and water. This year, The Trust for Public Land played a leading role in the passing of Proposition 68, a record $4.1 billion bond measure to support parks and open space, clean water and other natural resources, and climate resilience throughout the state. We worked with the governor and bipartisan lawmakers to place Prop 68 on the ballot; then led a statewide coalition for the campaign. In June, Californians reaffirmed their commitment to the environment, and each other, by passing Prop 68, the largest investment in parks, natural
Fast fact: The landmark $4.1 billion Prop 68 bond measure is the largest investment in parks and natural resources for underserved communities in California’s history. resources, and underserved communities in California’s history. Thanks in part to our advocacy, Prop 68 directs park funding to the communities that need them most, based on the 10-Minute Walk benchmark and other criteria. This historic achievement will help move millions of Californians closer to the 10-Minute Walk goal and the many benefits of close-to-home parks.
SHAUN ELLIS
Taking a stand for our public lands A D V O C AT I N G F O R N AT U R E Our public lands are the pride of the nation, but they are increasingly under attack from special interests. Together, we’re taking a stand. At the heart of our advocacy is the belief that all people deserve access to nature. The Trust for Public Land is defending attacks on the Antiquities Act meant to reduce protections of Bears Ears, Grand Staircase Escalante and other national monuments. We are pushing back on legislation in Congress and in some states meant to expand drilling, mining, and logging on public lands. We are also pushing for reauthorization and full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund,
the nation’s most important source of conservation funding, which has protected more than two million acres of land. We have ramped up our bipartisan advocacy efforts, mobilizing widespread public outreach in support of conservation and public lands that includes organizing calls and letters to elected officials, as well as visits by volunteers to Washington, D.C. Our efforts this year have led to over 295,000 letters being submitted by our supporters to the Trump administration and members of Congress, opposing attacks on our national monuments.
JAY DASH
Protecting Forni Meadows in the Northern Sierra Homesteaded by the Forni family in the 1880s, Forni Ranch served as a summer cow camp for generations. But with changes in the economics of cattle ranching, about a decade ago the family stopped grazing the land, and put it up for sale. Mountain meadows are prime targets for development because of their level and scenic terrain, but are also critical to wildlife, water storage, and with good management sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere supporting climate resilience. The family sought a buyer who would protect the wild beauty of the land that had inspired them for generations. This summer, The Trust for Public Land purchased and conserved the 835-acre Forni Ranch, and with it a mosaic of scenic meadows, forests, and wetlands. In early summer, the grassy meadows erupt with a rainbow of wildflowers—yellow monkeyflower, red-orange Indian paintbrush, purple larkspur—that take your breath away. The meadows are ringed by old-growth fir and pine
forests and crossed by two gurgling, tree-fringed streams that feed the American River. To the north loom the white granite mountains of the Crystal Range—named for the way sunlight glints on their icy slopes—most notably Pyramid Peak, the apex of the range and highest point in Desolation Wilderness. This vast alpine wilderness provides refuge for the California wolverine, northern goshawk, endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, and other wildlife. Protection and restoration of mountain meadows is a staple of our work in the Sierra Nevada. Our most well-known achievement is the conservation of Ackerson Meadow in Yosemite National Park. We can now add Forni Ranch to this roster. With the ranch incorporated into the El Dorado National Forest, hikers can take in the grandeur of the pastoral setting with stunning views of Pyramid Peak, as well as explore new access routes into the neighboring Desolation Wilderness.
EMILY SCANNELL
Forni Ranch
Desolation Wilderness, CA
Renewing Civic Center Playgrounds in San Francisco Five years ago, the City of San Francisco invited us to help reimagine Civic Center Playgrounds. Thousands of children live and go to school near Civic Center Plaza, and visit the Main Library, Asian Art Museum, and other institutions ringing the plaza, but the decades-old playgrounds had become rundown and neglected. During a series of workshops, The Trust for Public Land engaged parents, children, teachers, and community leaders; we then hired award-winning Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture to synthesize their ideas into a bold, visionary design. The generous support from the Helen Diller Family Foundation was critical to the design and construction of the new playgrounds, a project inspired by the memory of its founder Helen Diller, a San Francisco native who had dreamed of seeing them renewed.
“My mother hoped these playgrounds would provide a timeless anchor for one of the great civic plazas in the world,” said Jackie Safier, Helen’s daughter and the Foundation’s president. Since opening on Valentine’s Day 2018, the Helen Diller Civic Center Playgrounds have won the hearts of families across San Francisco. Parents can now relax on benches while their children explore the whimsical play structures inspired by San Francisco’s famous fog, such as “Cumulus City,” a cluster of puffy playhouses. Purple lilacs, gold lantana, and other flowers shelter and embellish the play areas. At night, the two playgrounds flicker to life with one of the nation’s largest interactive lighting displays, visually connecting them and allowing for safe, nighttime play.
LINDSAY UPSON
Helen Diller Civic Center Playgrounds San Francisco, CA
TPL STAFF
“This is not your average jungle gym,” said Anne, a mother who lives nearby. “An amenity like this is a big deal for people raising families in the city. However, it can also have larger effects for everyone. Making downtown more welcoming for kids and families is just a good thing all around— once families take root, a neighborhood can really thrive.” Since opening, the playgrounds have been filled with the boisterous shouts of children every day, and thanks to the spectacular lighting, late into the evenings. The new playgrounds were a catalyst for further improvements in and around the plaza. Thanks to the Helen Diller Family Foundation, The Trust for Public Land also built a new Bi-Rite Street Café on-site. The café is a place for people to recharge with a snack or beverage amidst the bustling plaza.
Meanwhile, the City is rejuvenating Civic Center Commons with art and programming. The Trust for Public Land helped sponsor an art installation, “Knitting the Commons,” that earned a 2017 Beautification Award from San Francisco Beautiful. Artist team Knits for Life swaddled more than 100 trees in colorful, hand-knitted yarn stockings of giant Pacific octopi, Telegraph Hill parrots, and other motifs chosen by residents.
Fast fact: The playgrounds serve some of San Francisco’s most densely populated areas and have attracted more than 14,000 children every month since opening in February 2018.
Opening Kellogg Park in West Ventura “ T H E L I T T L E PA R K T H AT C O U L D ” West Ventura is a working-class community with a vibrant arts scene and legacy of activism. Many residents are immigrants from rural Latin America who came to work on Ventura farms and have since set roots in the area. There are few parks or recreational spaces in the neighborhood for families, which has contributed to high rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Almost half of local elementary students are overweight. The community spent years searching for a park site. Finally, in 2013, The Trust for Public Land helped the City of Ventura acquire an empty lot for the park on the neighborhood’s main street. However, many obstacles remained, from zoning issues to raising capital. Over the years, residents
continued to push for a park despite many hurdles, earning it the nickname, “The Little Park That Could.” They took time away from work to attend neighborhood meetings and public hearings. More than 1,000 residents contributed to the concept design through workshops and surveys. And in spite of tight budgets, they made donations. Local businesses chipped in too, while The Trust for Public Land was able to secure much-needed public funds. In April, on a perfect California spring morning, families converged at Kellogg—“The Little Park That Could”—for its grand opening, a fleet of strollers in tow. They were not disappointed. Every foot of its two-and-a-half acres is packed with
ANNIE BANG
Kellogg Park
West Ventura, CA
amenities: two playgrounds, fitness equipment, a walking trail, benches, picnic tables, and many more, for exercise, active play, get-togethers, and cultural events. Nature is woven through the park space. Oaks, manzanita, sage, and other native plants create a California oasis for residents and wildlife. A bioswale flows across the park and into the stone amphitheater, which doubles as a stage and infiltration trench—capturing over a million gallons of rainwater each year—improving water quality and resilience to drought. A granite boulder, sand bar, and other areas invite children to play in nature, while stone pedestals illustrated with pebble mosaics inform visitors about the environment. There is also a community garden where neighbors can cultivate vegetables and new friendships.
The grassroots effort to create Kellogg Park is etched in stone, in the park’s dedication: “The Kellogg Park reflects the hard work and sheer grit of hundreds of individuals who dedicated themselves tirelessly to the park; not to serve themselves, but for the benefit of future generations.”
Fast fact: More than 5,000 residents, including 2,000 children, live within a 10-minute walk of Kellogg Park.
ANNIE BANG
Kellogg Park
West Ventura, CA
Protecting iconic Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles In a city as expansive and diverse as Los Angeles, it’s questionable whether there’s such a thing as the quintessential park experience. But if it exists, you’ll find it at Runyon Canyon, a natural area roughly the size of Disneyland just blocks away from Hollywood Boulevard. Runyon Canyon is one of Los Angeles’s most popular escapes from city life, drawing more than two million visitors each year. They come to hike the trails, do yoga, walk their dogs, and meet with friends. And, if they’re lucky, to catch a glimpse of the wildlife that roam its rolling grasslands and chaparral: deer, coyote, or Los Angeles’s famous mountain lions. All of this against a backdrop stretching from the downtown skyline to Griffith Observatory, and on clear days, the Pacific Ocean. But even many Runyon regulars didn’t know that until this year, a good chunk of the park was vulnerable. A 15-acre hilltop parcel remained in private hands and went up for sale. Development of this parcel would ruin a favorite spot, called
Fast fact: Two million people enjoy Runyon Canyon Park each year. “the Knoll,” and its sublime views. It would also block trails long open to everyone and an essential wildlife corridor, as well as derail plans to weave Runyon Canyon into a tapestry of regional open space. Together with dedicated community residents and the City of Los Angeles, and after more than a decade of engagement with the neighborhood, The Trust for Public Land permanently protected this beloved open space in spring 2017, subsequently donating it to the City of Los Angeles and Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. We’ll see you at the Knoll!
ANNIE BANG
Runyon Canyon
Los Angeles, CA
Meet our new President and CEO
DIANE REGAS This spring, conservation leader Diane Regas took the helm of The Trust for Public Land as its new President and CEO. Diane worked for more than a decade at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), most recently as executive director, where she helped EDF advance solutions that promote prosperity for all people and for the planet. Prior to EDF, Diane spent almost 20 years at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), serving in many roles, including as EPA’s top official protecting our nation’s rivers, lakes, and bays.
Diane earned her A.B., M.S. in energy and resources, and J.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, and resides in Berkeley, California. An avid outdoor explorer, she enjoys hiking, cycling, diving, camping, and spending time in nature with her husband, children, and granddaughter. “I am deeply inspired by the team and results at The Trust for Public Land,” said Diane. “Millions of Americans live within a 10-minute walk of a park or natural space created and protected by The Trust for Public Land, and I can’t wait to make that a reality for millions more.”
Welcoming our new California State Director GUILLERMO RODRIGUEZ In fall 2017, Guillermo Rodriguez joined The Trust for Public Land as California State Director, responsible for developing and leading the organization’s programmatic activities throughout the state. Since 2011, Guillermo had served as the Policy and Communication Director for the Department of the Environment, City and County of San Francisco. Previously, he was CityBuild Director of former Mayor Gavin Newsom’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, tasked with developing workforce training programs for lowincome residents and “green collar” jobs. Before joining the City, his private sector experience included senior director-level positions at Pacific Gas and Electric Company. From 1992 to 1998, he served as Executive Director of the Latino Issues Forum, a nonprofit public policy and advocacy institute. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, Guillermo holds a Certificate of Financial Analysis and Management from the Haas School of Business. “From my experience in city government, especially working with disadvantaged communities, I understand the huge difference
parks and access to open space can make in people’s everyday lives,” Guillermo said. “Working with the talented and dedicated staff at the state and national level and with our advisory board, I look forward to helping to advance The Trust for Public Land’s vital work in California.”
Meet the rest of the California leadership team Alejandra Chiesa, MLA Bay Area Program Director
Tily Shue Legal Director
Tori Kjer, PLA, ASLA Los Angeles Program Director
Dave Sutton California Director of Land Protection
Rico Mastrodonato Acting Government Relations Director—California
Marcus Yelton California Senior Director of Philanthropy
California Advisory Board We are so grateful for our amazing volunteer leaders! Val Cole
John Pardee
Karen Compton
Julie Parish, Co-Chair
Larry Gelb
Michael Parish, Vice Chair
Shepard Harris
Desiree Portillo Rabinov, Vice Chair
Cindy Polite Kamm
Daniel Rosenfeld
Daniel Martin
Laura Shell, Co-Chair
Richard Morrison
Aaron Vermut
Don Neal
Keith Weaver
TPL STAFF
Members of the California Advisory Board enjoying Runyon Canyon in Los Angeles.
RACHID DAHNOUN
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 couldn’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.
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Guillermo Rodriguez California State Director 415.800.5267 | guillermo.rodriguez@tpl.org Marcus Yelton California Senior Director of Philanthropy 415.800.5280 | marcus.yelton@tpl.org 101 Montgomery Street, Suite 1100 San Francisco, CA 94104
COVER: TOP LEFT, ANNIE BANG; TOP RIGHT, HANNAH LOZANO; MIDDLE LEFT, LINDSAY UPSON; MIDDLE RIGHT, CYNTHIA OLKIE; BOTTOM, ROBB HIRSCH.