Trip Report: Creating a California Outdoors for All
California Program Manager, Katie Hawkins, and Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland.
Last week, I received an incredible invite to participate in a roundtable discussion on improving equitable access to California’s outdoors. Along with a superstar panel of recreation leaders, including California’s Natural Resources Secretary Crowfoot and Undersecretary Barranco, as well as our national Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, I joined a critical discussion about how to advance equitable access to state and national parks and public lands.
We met in San Diego, home to abundant outdoor recreation opportunities, from the coastal wilderness of Torrey Pines, majestic views from the top of Cuyamaca Peak, to the surf breaks of Ocean Beach. However, many individuals in the area do not have access to these beautiful landscapes. The focus of the meeting was to discuss strategies and priorities on how we can work collectively to improve outdoor access in California. The state has been leading the nation on this issue with its commitment to 30x30 and historic investments in access-related infrastructure and programs for disadvantaged communities.
Photo credit: California Natural Resources Agency
Secretary Haaland was in the region visiting with outdoor leaders; she underscored the Department of the Interior’s commitment to conserve, protect, and enhance access to America’s public lands and urban green spaces.
“Through key initiatives like America the Beautiful, we are working to ensure that every community has a meaningful chance to engage with the outdoors,” said Secretary Haaland. “I believe strongly that getting young people in touch with nature early and often is key to building long-term relationships between communities and their surroundings. If we can help more people access nature—we will help lift up the next generation of stewards for this Earth.”
At the event, the Newsom Administration and California Natural Resource Agency also announced the Outdoors for All initiative, with new investment in California’s parks across the state, with the goal of expanding outdoor access, green space, and outdoor programming. California has been a leader in investing in outdoor recreation infrastructure and green space, focusing on investments in underserved communities. Parks and green spaces offer valuable on-ramps to outdoor recreation, but they are also crucial in helping combat the effects of climate change, including by reducing the effects of heat islands. The state will be providing $548.3M in funding for park improvements.
"Outdoor Alliance is a key partner in advocating for outdoor opportunities for all Californians and in supporting efforts like the California Outdoors for All initiative. Outdoor recreation opportunities—and the attendant mental health, public health, economic, and climate benefits—should be available to everyone in California. We are grateful for the outdoor recreation community in supporting these programs, advocating for equitable outdoor access, and building a bridge between recreation and conservation in the state,” said Angela Barranco, Undersecretary to the California Natural Resources Agency.
Both states and the federal government can be working toward more equitable and sustainable access to the outdoors. Everyone in America deserves safe and sustainable access to green spaces and the outdoors, and Outdoor Alliance was thrilled to be a part of California’s efforts to fund and improve equitable access to the outdoors. These efforts have a ripple effect on communities, on conservation goals, and on climate resilience and we are gratified to be a part of these efforts.