The California State Parks Foundation is warning about the need to pay for efforts to make state parks more climate resilient.California boasts 280 state parks. That includes large swaths of old-growth forests, mountain landscapes, deserts and coastal reserves and beaches that account for almost a quarter of the state’s shoreline.One of the more popular destinations, with 2 to 3 million visitors a year, is Torrey Pines State reserve.
“They, I think, represent what we love about California,” said Rachel Norton, the executive director of the California State Parks Foundation. “From redwoods to beaches to deserts to mountains. And as such, they’re just really important places.” The study calls for spending $50 million a year to implement a sea level rise strategy, spending additional money on land acquisition. hiring climate resiliency staff, to stop relying on outside engineers for park projects, funding wildfire resilience and making parks climate resilience centers.Resources are the key, according to the parks foundation.