CALIFORNIA, USA — The California Department of Parks and Recreation has partnered with Pathways to Parks and the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom to award $57 million in grants to fund 125 communities in California to help expand their outdoor activities and access to state parks and other public lands.
California has over 280 state park units, which can benefit from the Outdoor Equity Grants Program. According to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the program helps establish hubs for local activities and trips to natural areas for underserved communities.
Also, the program strives to teach young people about outdoor leadership, career pathways, environmental justice engagement, and access to nature.
Locally, Sacramento and the Sacramento region greatly benefit from this program. Locations ranging from La Familia Counseling Center to the Tuolumne River Preservation Trust have received a grant to expand their educational programs.
These locations have set dates, times, and hours for when they will take trips, ranging from going to the Old Faithful Geyser and Petrified Forest in Calistoga to going to Yosemite National Park to reset and revitalize with nature.
Now that many organizations are recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, they are trying to get themselves and the rest of the community out there to enjoy nature within the greater Sacramento and California regions.
“These programs will turn parks into outdoor classrooms, inspiring a new generation of environmental leadership in California,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero.
The full list of each OEP, their purpose, and the grant amount can be seen HERE.
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