California Trails and Greenways Foundation
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| California Trails and Greenways Foundation | |
|---|---|
| Name | California Trails and Greenways Foundation |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Sacramento, California |
| Area served | California |
| Focus | Trail development, conservation, recreation, historic preservation |
California Trails and Greenways Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on the preservation, development, and promotion of trail networks and greenways across California. The Foundation works with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as private partners, to plan, fund, and advocate for long-distance trails, urban greenways, and historic route conservation. Its activities intersect with transportation planning, land management, and cultural heritage initiatives statewide.
History
The Foundation traces origins to late 20th-century trail advocacy movements that included collaborations with National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, California State Parks, and regional agencies such as Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Sacramento Area Council of Governments, and San Diego Association of Governments. Early influences included projects like the Pacific Crest Trail, California Coastal Trail, American Discovery Trail, Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, and initiatives steered by organizations such as Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, Sierra Club, and The Nature Conservancy. The Foundation engaged with historic preservation efforts tied to sites like El Camino Real, Gold Rush, Transcontinental Railroad, and consulted repositories including the California State Archives and Bancroft Library. Milestones involved coordination with funding sources such as Transportation Enhancement Program, Land and Water Conservation Fund, and legislative actions like the California Coastal Act and ballot measures akin to Proposition 68 (2018).
Mission and Programs
The Foundation’s stated mission emphasizes trail connectivity, habitat protection, and public access, aligning programmatically with partners such as California Department of Transportation, California Natural Resources Agency, California Coastal Conservancy, California Wildlife Conservation Board, and regional land trusts including Golden Gate National Recreation Area, East Bay Regional Park District, and Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Programs include master planning similar to efforts by National Trails System, interpretive programming inspired by Smithsonian Institution approaches, volunteer stewardship paralleling AmeriCorps, and educational outreach tied to curricula used by University of California, Berkeley, California State University, Sacramento, and Stanford University. The Foundation runs workshops, technical assistance, GIS mapping collaborations with Esri, and accessibility projects in concert with California Accessibility Regulations-informed practitioners.
Major Projects and Trails
The Foundation has participated in planning or support roles for routes and corridors including the California Coastal Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, American Discovery Trail, Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, El Camino Real de California, the Lost Coast Trail, and regional greenways such as the San Francisco Bay Trail, Los Angeles River Greenway, Sacramento River Trail, San Gabriel River Trail, Big Sur Coast Trail, Bay Area Ridge Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail, and urban corridors like the Greenbelt, Orange County Great Park pathways, and the Santa Ana River Trail. Projects often intersect with conservation areas and designations including Point Reyes National Seashore, Channel Islands National Park, Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, and state preserves like Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Partnerships and Funding
Partnerships span federal partners such as National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Department of Transportation programs, state entities like California State Parks, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and local governments including counties and city councils such as Los Angeles City Council, San Diego City Council, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and Sacramento City Council. Funding sources include public grants (e.g., Land and Water Conservation Fund), philanthropic support from foundations like William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and corporate partners such as REI and Google. The Foundation has also received in-kind technical assistance from firms and institutions such as AECOM, Arcadis, MIG, Inc., and university research centers including UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability.
Advocacy and Policy Impact
Advocacy work engages legislative and regulatory processes with offices and entities such as the California State Legislature, Governor of California, California Coastal Commission, California Transportation Commission, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and Congressional delegations. The Foundation has influenced planning documents, environmental review processes under California Environmental Quality Act and federal National Environmental Policy Act, and participated in coalition campaigns alongside groups like Sierra Club, California Native Plant Society, California Bicycle Coalition, and League of Conservation Voters. Policy outcomes have included trail-friendly zoning, easement tools modeled after Conservation Easement practices, and integration of trails into regional plans like Southern California Association of Governments and Association of Bay Area Governments frameworks.
Organizational Structure and Leadership
The Foundation’s governance typically includes a board of directors drawing leaders from nonprofit, academic, and public sectors with affiliations to institutions such as California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, University of California, Davis, California State University, Long Beach, and conservation organizations like The Trust for Public Land and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Executive leadership has engaged planners, landscape architects, and conservationists connected to professional associations including the American Planning Association, Landscape Architects Network, and Urban Land Institute. Staff roles cover planning, outreach, fundraising, GIS, and volunteer coordination, often interfacing with local park districts such as Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and East Bay Regional Park District.
Awards and Recognition
The Foundation and its partner projects have received awards and recognition from entities such as the National Park Service National Trails System honors, California Trails and Greenways Awards-style commendations, American Planning Association awards, Governor’s Historic Preservation Award, California Preservation Foundation accolades, and local sustainability awards from metropolitan agencies. Individual leaders associated with the Foundation have been acknowledged by institutions like The Wilderness Society, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Outdoor Industry Association, and regional civic organizations.