photo courtesy of CA Dept. of Parks and recreation

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed legislation to advance the state’s commitment to equitable access to state parks.

Championed by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, whose California for ALL Kids initiatives support children’s physical, mental and social-emotional well-being, the legislation establishes a pilot program to give every fourth grader a free annual pass to select California State Parks.

“Nature is a public good and a crucial public health tool. For adults and children alike, quality time in nature is good for our hearts, minds, and bodies,” Jennifer Siebel Newsom said. “No state is better positioned than California to leverage the great outdoors to augment our communities’ health and well-being, especially for youth in underserved communities.”

Assembly Bill 148 establishes the California State Park Adventure Pass, a three-year pilot program that waives day-use entrance fees to 19 state parks for fourth graders and their families for a year. Earlier this month, the governor also signed Senate Bill 129, legislation that includes $5.6 million to fund the new State Park Adventure Pass as well as $3 million to establish the State Library Park Pass, a new two-year pilot program to provide passes to libraries across the state, which will loan the passes to members of the public so they can have free day-use access at state parks.

“Access to nature is a crucial component to the health and well-being of our kids, and these outdoor access pilot programs set us on a path to expand access to nature and benefit children’s health,” California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot said. “I am very excited to continue working with the first partner and California State Parks to reduce barriers and expand access to state parks for kids and residents from park-poor communities.”

In 2019, Siebel Newsom and the California State Parks Foundation launched Pathways to Parks, an initiative to bridge the nature gap and expand park access for youth. According to a recent report, 7% of low income communities in the United States are located in nature-deprived areas. Studies indicate that access to parks and greenspace can lead to improvements in the physical well-being of children, as well as improved social emotional learning and academic outcome.

“With the leadership of the governor and first partner, California was able to create for the very first time innovative access programs for children and families to explore state parks,” California State Parks Director Armando Quintero said. “More diverse communities will have the opportunity to become part of California’s landscape, enjoy the physical and mental benefits of connecting with nature and be inspired to take care of these treasured places for future generations. We look forward to the continued partnership with the administration and Legislature.”

For information, visit gov.ca.gov and parks.ca.gov.