On January 16, 2014 we convened a Gathering to discuss partnerships and the future of California State Parks. More about it can be seen here: http://openspacecouncil.org/upload/page.php?pageid=62

1. Rainy Season Gathering:
Today, tomorrow, and the Next 12
Months from a Park Partner
16 January 2014
• The changing roles of the
cooperating association as
experienced at two Parks
• Some thoughts on State
Parks
•
Andy Vought
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1/16/2014
Portola and Castle Rock Foundation
President, Portola and Castle Rock
Foundation
Director, Save the Redwoods League
Prior: 25 years Start-up experience
avought@yahoo.com
Support Portola and Castle Rock
State Parks
www.portolaandcastlerockfound.org

2. Portola and Castle Rock Foundation
• We’re the 501 (c) 3 –Cooperating
Association for:
– Portola Redwoods State Park
– Castle Rock State Park
• Since 1991
1/16/2014
Portola and Castle Rock Foundation

3. Closest State Parks to Silicon Valley …
1/16/2014
Portola and Castle Rock Foundation

4. Castle Rock State Park
• Ridge hiking – start of Skyline to the
Sea Trail
• Unique bouldering and climbing
• Castle Rock and Waterman Gap
Trail Camps
• 138,000 visitors/year (1)
• 5229 acres; Opened 1968
(1) Statistical Report FY2011-12 – 86% ‘free-use’ hiking.

5. Castle Rock Donor Agreement
• Partnerships:
– Sempervirens Fund deeply
invested strategically in Castle
Rock SP; eventually took lead
• Donor Agreement:
• $250,000
– $50,000 from Portola and
Castle Rock Foundation
• Two year term
1/16/2014
Portola and Castle Rock Foundation

6. Castle Rock State Park Projects

7. Portola Redwoods State Park
• Redwood hiking and camping
• Peters Creek Old Growth, Slate Creek
Trail Camp
• 53 family campsites, 4 group sites
• 42,000 visitors/year (1)
• 2768 acres; Opened 1945
(1) Statistical Report FY2011-12

8. Portola Redwoods Donor Agreement
• Partnerships:
– Save the Redwoods League and
Peninsula Open Space Trust nurtured as
equal parties to Donor Agreement
• Donor Agreement:
• $60,000 DA + $40,000 Improvement
Fund + Volunteer team
• Two year term
• Business Plan: Randy Widera
• Built ongoing partnership for
infrastructure investments
1/16/2014
Portola and Castle Rock Foundation

9. Portola Redwoods State Park Projects

10. Everyone’s Role is Changing
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Parks
– Continued triage; difficulty fulfilling
commitments – adverse climate for creative
solutions
Land Trusts (Sempervirens Fund, POST, Save The
Redwoods League)
– Longer inventory holding – larger balance
sheet requirements
Cooperating Associations
– Engagement Elevations due to Donor
Agreements, Operating Agreements, …
– Revised Mission Statement: Inspire
Protection of Castle Rock and Portola
Redwoods State Parks Through Quality
Educational Experiences and Infrastructure
Improvements
1/16/2014
Portola and Castle Rock Foundation

11. Parks need to be more affordable…
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State Parks are too expensive:
– $35 per night + $8 ResAm = $43
– $8-10 daily parking fees
– Out of reach of many Californians
Best path would be the defeated 2009 $15 State
Park Access Pass proposal (mandatory: 28m
vehicles, net benefit $360M )
New $150 150th Anniversary, $75 California Park
Experience and $50 Historical Passport Passes a
great idea
We need further initiatives and pricing experiments
– Targeted price reductions could enhance access
without unduly burdening budget – all camping
fees are only 11% of Parks budget.
– Pricing – learn through experimentation; Price
gouging on weekends or lowering prices during
the week, for example buy 2 get 1
1/16/2014
Portola and Castle Rock Foundation

12. A Crisis is a Terrible Thing to Waste …
• California Parks look costly in comparison to other States:
Source:
Statistical Report of State Park Directors, 2010-2011, Tables 1-5
• Benchmarking suggests budget may not be spent as efficiently as other
States:
– “California *28%+ had the second highest percentage of full-time
headquarter employees in the comparison set. Oregon had the highest
*34%+ and Illinois *3%+ had the lowest percentage”
Source:
1/16/2014
Parks Forward Commission, California State Parks Baseline Financial Assessment,
FTI Consulting, p.71
Portola and Castle Rock Foundation

13. We Need to Embrace Change Throughout the
System
• Market Our Parks Better
– Understand our visitors based upon data
• Share this data with partners to leverage value
– Try things: accept credit cards, experiment with
pricing, offer wifi, offer light accommodations
• Changing roles for ‘the Supporting Cast’ eg.
Land Trusts, Cooperating Associations
– Evolve Different Business Models
– Develop New Support / Cooperation Alternatives
• Parks Needs to Embrace Parks Forward
Highlighted Change
– Understand the challenge
– Simplify to improve employee efficiency
– Reap benefits to fulfill commitments and build
sustainability
Source:
– And support with money
1/16/2014
PR SP Sustainability Plan and Road Map for Park
Partner Engagement, RW Widera Consulting
Portola and Castle Rock Foundation

14. Thank You
1/16/2014
Portola and Castle Rock Foundation