Coastal Conservancy Awards Over $48 Million for Coastal Access, Restoration, and Climate Resilience

Grants approved at Sept 5 meeting include funding for wildfire resilience, community-based wetland restoration, land acquisitions, and coastal access programming.

Fortuna, CA – The Board of the California State Coastal Conservancy approved grant funding for 22 projects, totaling over $48 million, to protect, restore, and improve public access along the state’s coast and coastal watersheds.

The projects approved at this week’s meeting include:

• $1,238,120 to Tamien Nation, a California Native American Tribe with ancestral homelands in the Santa Clara Valley, to equip a native fire crew to steward tribal territory, and implement prescribed fire and fuel reduction work at Henry W. Coe State Park in Santa Clara County.
• $6,600,000 to the San Diego Unified Port District for the construction of Harbor Park, a 25-acre park with a beach, boat launch, and other recreational amenities to expand, improve the resilience of, and replace amenities of Bayside Park on the Chula Vista Bayfront.
• A total of $994,197 to 13 nonprofit organizations and 1 Tribe for projects that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the California coast through the Conservancy’s Explore the Coast program. The programs will engage an estimated 6,100 people from across California, including 5,500 low-income Californians, 5,700 people of color, 1,000 youth who are homeless or in foster care, approximately 650 people for whom English is not their first language, and at least 1,900 people with physical, cognitive, and/or emotional disabilities.

“Coastal Conservancy funding is being put to work to protect and restore the California coast, and to make it more accessible and climate resilient.  The projects funded at this meeting, from wildfire resilience to wetland restoration to lower cost coastal accommodation, will help to address the many challenges that face our iconic coastline. We are proud of our nonprofit, tribal, and public agency partners and excited to see these projects being implemented.” said Amy Hutzel, Executive Officer of the State Coastal Conservancy.

The awarded projects are as follows:

Contra Costa County

• East Bay Regional Park District was awarded $700,000 to the to undertake theKeller Beach Access Improvements Project, consisting of constructing public access improvements and amenities at the Keller Beach portion of Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline.

Del Norte

• The City of Crescent City was awarded $835,000 to undertake the Lighthouse Cove Lower Cost Accommodations Projectwhich consists of adding up to three lower cost units which will accommodate up to 20 people and renovating the existing restrooms at the City of Crescent City’s Lighthouse Cove RV Park.

Humboldt County

• Save the Redwoods League was awarded $3,370,000 to construct public access improvements and visitor amenities for the ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway and Restoration Project(formerly the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project), at the former Orick Mill A site.
• Community Initiatives was awarded $207,600 to undertake the Alderpoint Great Redwood Trail Planning Project, Phase 1, consisting of tribal and community engagement, resource studies and surveys, trash removal, vegetation management, and conceptual designs for tribal/local interpretive features along a 4.5-mile segment of the trail and potential trailhead.

Marin County

• Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District was awarded $2,213,270 to implement the Lower College of Marin Corte Madera Creek Habitat Restoration Project, which consists of partial removal of a section of concrete channel; restoration of 1.44 acres of tidal wetland, transition zone, and upland habitats; and enhancement of public access, in and along lower Corte Madera Creek in the unincorporated area of Kentfield.

Mendocino County

• The Noyo Center for Marine Science was awarded $498,000 to construct an approximately 1,500 square feet multi-purpose work facilityfor large-scale marine mammal exhibition displays, community education, and storage, and for use as a future marine research and blue economy projects workspace, located in Fort Bragg.
• The Noyo Harbor District was awarded $750,000 to the to undertake the Noyo Harbor Marina Redevelopment Planning Project which consists of conducting community engagement and a planning study; and preparing 60% designs, permit applications, and CEQA documents for the redevelopment of Noyo Harbor Marina.

• Save the Redwoods League was awarded $8,500,000 to repay private loans used to acquire the 3,187-acre DeVilbiss Ranch to facilitate transfer of ownership of the 4,566-acre Lost Coast Redwoods propertyin northern Mendocino County to the United States Bureau of Land Management.

Monterey County

• The California Marine Sanctuary Foundation was awarded $79,120 to augment the Conservancy grant authorized on June 1, 2023 for the Castroville To The Coast Acquisition And Planning project which provided funding to the to conduct pre-acquisition activities to acquire a conservation easement over 24 acres of agricultural land along Tembladero Slough, between Castroville and Salinas River State Beach.

San Diego County

• The San Diego Unified Port District was awarded $6,600,000 to undertake the San Diego Harbor Park Project, Phase 1A, consisting of the construction of Harbor Park, a 25-acre park with a beach, boat launch, and many other recreational amenities, to expand and replace Bayside Park on the Chula Vista Bayfront.
• The Maritime Museum Association of San Diego was awarded $3,457,000 to replace two mooring dolphins and augment an existing Conservancy grant to prepare design and engineering, environmental compliance documents, and permit applications for the Maritime Museum of San Diego entry building.

San Francisco Bay Area

• $1,500,000 was awarded for operation of the Bay Restoration Regulatory Integration Team (“BRRIT”)for a second period of five years. The BRRIT consists of an interagency team of dedicated staff working together to coordinate agency processing of permit applications to make the permit process more efficient.

Santa Clara County

• Tamien Nation was awarded $1,238,120 to undertake phase two of theTamien Nation Cultural Fire Stewardship Program, continuing to build capacity and equip a native fire crew to steward tribal territory, and implement prescribed fire and fuel reduction work at Henry W. Coe State Park.
• The Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency was awarded $1,500,000 to the to acquire approximately 1,218 acres of the 3,654-acreRichmond Ranch for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of open space, wildlife corridors, natural resources, viewsheds, and grazing lands; and for public access and California Native American tribal cultural uses.
• Ducks Unlimited, Inc. was awarded $8,000,000 to construct the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project Reaches 1-3 ecotonein Ponds A12 and A13 to restore tidal marsh and upland transition zone habitat adjacent to a flood risk management levee and public access trails in Alviso.

Santa Cruz County

• The County of Santa Cruz was awarded $865,000 to prepare technical and feasibility studies, plans, designs, environmental review documents, community and tribal engagement, and permit applications for a new cabin campground and associated amenities at Greyhound Rock County Park.

Solano County

• The County of Humboldt was awarded $20,000 to add Solano County to the existing projectof developing critical data layers for wildfire resilience planning concerning north coast counties of California.

Sonoma County

• The Endangered Habitats Conservancy was awarded $499,510 to prepare plans, 65% designs and permit application materials for the Russian River Floodplain Restoration Project, consisting of the habitat restoration of 358 acres of floodplain near the town of Windsor.

COMMUNITY WETLAND RESTORATION GRANT PROGRAM

Los Angeles County

• Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) was awarded $171,484 to restore or enhance 3 to 5 acres of natural habitats at the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve; research, select, and initiate restoration at 1-2 sites, totaling approximately 3 acres, along the Lower LA River corridor; and implement 2 river clean-up days at 6 to 11 sites per year along the Middle and Lower LA River.

• Trout Unlimited was awarded $150,000 to provide bi-lingual coastal wetland and upland pollinator habitat education and mentorship in local schools in Paramount and hands-on, community-led, restoration implementation events to plant drought tolerant native pollinator plants on 6 acres within Ralph C. Dills Park in Paramount.

Orange County

• The Newport Bay Conservancy was awarded $97,300 to restore 1.7 acres of degraded coastal sage scrub and wetland habitats in the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Preserve.

WILDFIRE RESILIENCE PROGRAM

Alameda and Contra Costa Counties

• East Bay Regional Park District was awarded $2,075,000 to conduct vegetation treatments to reduce fuels across an estimated 130 acres in Tilden Regional Park, Anthony Chabot Regional Park and Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline, develop an approximately 34-acre shaded fuel break along the southern border of Lake Chabot Regional Park, and purchase vegetation management equipment.

Marin County

• The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy was awarded $4,000,000 to: (1) implement forest health and wildfire resiliency activities in Tomales Bay State Park, a priority project in the Marin Regional Forest Health Strategy; (2) implement wildfire resilience activities in Marin City; and (3) engage the FIRE Foundry workforce development program in either or both project components.

EXPLORE THE COAST PROGRAM

$994,197 to 13 nonprofit organizations and 1 Tribe for 14 projects that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the California coast.

• Black Surf Santa Cruz was awarded $66,700 to provide 660 individuals from historically excluded groups in the Central Coast and San Francisco Bay regions with transformative surfing experiences aimed at fostering belonging, mental well-being, and equitable access to ocean activities.
• DiverSeaFy was awarded $43,200 to provide 90 teenage graduates of SCUBA training from underserved communities in Southern California with the opportunity to explore the underwater ecosystem.
• Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians was awarded $100,000 to reconnect 250 tribal citizens from the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians with their coastal heritage through immersive Family Camps, fostering environmental and cultural awareness while promoting indigenous food sovereignty practices.
• Greater Farallones Association was awarded $38,000 to provide 175 low-income students from Sonoma and Mendocino counties with the LiMPETS program, fostering scientific understanding of coastal ecosystems through immersive field trips and classroom sessions within the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.
• Green Cities Fund (fiscal sponsor for Queer Surf) was awarded $100,000 to provide 535 participants from LGBTQ+ communities throughout California with surf meetups and camping trips along the coast to cultivate in-depth connections to the natural environment.
• Insight Garden Program was awarded $100,000 to provide 300 formerly incarcerated individuals and some of their family members from multiple regions of the state with enjoyable and healing day trips and camping trips along the coast.
• LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired was awarded to provide 120 blind or low vision youth and young adults from the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California with accessible coastal recreational activities to gain knowledge about the environment and develop essential life skills and self-confidence.
• Martin Park Inc DBA Martin Park was awarded $27,200 to provide 35-50 youth (grades 3rd-12th) and 8-10 accompanying parents or guardians from Fresno with day trips to the Central Coast to explore the beach, relax, and develop connections with peers and their families.
• MeWater Foundation was awarded $52,740 to bring 1,940 San Francisco underserved youth to Bay Area beaches to gain lifelong knowledge and build confidence and connection to coastal environments through surfing, mindfulness practices, and marine ecosystem education.
• Orange County Adult Achievement Center DBA My Day Counts was awarded $23,257 to provide 47 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have limited mobility or are non-ambulatory with enjoyable and adaptive coastal exploration activities.
• Paddle for Peace was awarded $68,100 to provide up to 520 underserved youth from Southeast San Diego’s inner city with a mix of water recreational activities and hands-on environmental education experiences designed to provide a fun and healing environment, empower them with scientific knowledge, and foster long-lasting connections to the coast.
• Project Avary was awarded $75,000 to provide 1,190 youths of incarcerated parents with coastal hiking, camping, and adventuring trips designed to foster long-term healing and relationship with the coast.
• Semillas Sociedad Civil (fiscal sponsor for Anawakalmekak International University Preparatory of North America) was awarded $100,000 to provide 40- 45 high school students from East Los Angeles, who identify as Indigenous Migrant, with trips to Catalina Island to deepen their understanding of environmental stewardship and connect them to their ancestral coastlands.
• Social Good Fund (fiscal sponsor for Salted Roots)was awarded $100,000 to provide 595 youth and adults, primarily girls, women, and gender expansive people of color, with surfing lessons and mentorship through their Community Soul Surfer Program to develop leadership skills and build confidence.

Coastal Conservancy Awards Grants for Climate Resilience, Public Access, and Habitat Restoration

6/7/2024 – Yesterday, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy authorized grants for climate resilience, public coastal access, and habitat restoration along the California coast and San Francisco Bay.

The grants awarded were:

NORTH COAST

1. A grant of up to $100,000 to the Yurok Tribe to undertake the Prairie Creek at Elk Meadow Cabins Habitat Enhancement Project, consisting of removing invasive plants and installing large wood features in an approximately 3,000-foot reach of lower Prairie Creek in Humboldt County.
2. A grant of up to $130,000 to the County of Del Norte to augment the Conservancy’s previously authorized grant of $96,000 to assess the feasibility of expanding camping opportunities and to develop a park improvement plan for Clifford Kamph Memorial Park, the northern gateway to the California Coastal Trail, in Del Norte County; and authorization to expand the project scope to include preparation of designs, engineering, and environmental analysis of improvements identified in the park improvement plan.
3. A grant of up to $500,000 to the Town of Fairfax to acquire the approximately 100-acre Wall Property in Marin County for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources, wildlife habitat, open space, California Native American tribal cultural resources, and compatible public access.
4. A grant of up to $650,000 to the Elk Valley Rancheria to prepare the South Beach Sea Level Rise and Connectivity Feasibility Study, which will develop and evaluate alternatives for how best to prevent future flooding of a vulnerable section of Highway 101 adjacent to Crescent City, while improving public access to South Beach and protecting the Crescent City Marsh in Del Norte County.
5. A grant of up to $999,335, of which $792,575 are funds received from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, to the Tomales Bay Watershed Council Foundation to implement the Chicken Ranch Beach Wetland Enhancement Project, consisting of restoring approximately one acre of tidal wetlands to enhance water quality and improve wildlife habitat at Chicken Ranch Beach on Tomales Bay, near Inverness, Marin County.

 CENTRAL COAST

6. A grant of up to $160,000 to the Santa Cruz Hostel Society to augment the Conservancy funding previously authorized on September 22, 2022 to plan and implement renovations to the Santa Cruz Hostel in the City of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County.
7. A grant of up to $278,300 to The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to undertake the San Luis Obispo Land Conservancy Wildfire Resilience Project, consisting of purchasing equipment for annual wildfire fuel reduction and road maintenance work within three preserves in San Luis Obispo County.
8. A grant of up to $800,000 to the City of Marina to prepare plans, environmental review documents, and permit applications for improvements to a California Coastal Trail trailhead and coastal access point at Fort Ord Dunes State Park, Monterey County.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

9. A grant of up to $3,400,000 of grant funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and up to $1,000,000 of grant funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for operation of the Bay Restoration Regulatory Integration Team for a second five-year period.  The funds may be disbursed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.

SOUTH COAST

10. A grant of up to $1,643,344 to the City of Oceanside to undertake the Loma Alta Slough Wetland Enhancement Project, consisting of the enhancement of 5.8 acres of coastal wetlands in the City of Oceanside in San Diego County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The Board also approved a Sea Level Rise Memorandum of Understanding for San Francisco Bay.

Amy Hutzel Appointed New Executive Officer of the State Coastal Conservancy

The State Coastal Conservancy is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Executive Officer, Amy Hutzel.

Amy Hutzel

Ms. Hutzel previously served as the Conservancy’s Deputy Executive Officer and has been with the agency for over twenty years, during which she has been instrumental in many key projects including the restoration of thousands of acres of former salt ponds in the San Francisco Bay, the creation of the Conservancy’s flagship Explore the Coast and Explore the Coast Overnight grant programs to expand coastal access, and establishing the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority. She also led the development and implementation of many of the Conservancy’s equity-focused initiatives: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Guidelines, the ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan, the Beach Wheelchair Grant Program, and the updated Coastal Access Project Standards.

“The State Coastal Conservancy has had a remarkable impact on the California coast in the last 4 decades.” said Ms. Hutzel, “I am honored to take on this role at a time when our work is so essential. Together with the incredible Conservancy staff, I will work to accelerate projects that work with nature to adapt to climate change impacts and increase equitable access to the coast for all Californians.”

“The Coastal Conservancy plays a vital role in achieving the State’s goals for biodiversity, climate resilience, and equitable access to California’s natural wonders. Amy has proven herself as an exceptional leader at the Coastal Conservancy already and I could not be more excited for her to take the reins at this key agency.” said California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot

Each year, the State Coastal Conservancy issues tens of millions of dollars in grants to non-profit organizations, public agencies, and tribes for projects that restore and protect the California coast, increase public access to it, and increase communities’ resilience to climate change. In addition to its annual appropriations from Natural Resource Bonds, on September 23, 2021, Governor Newsom signed a budget bill that includes a total of $500 million for coastal resilience to be appropriated to the Conservancy in Fiscal Years 2022-23 and 2023-24. The Executive Officer and staff of the Conservancy also manage the work of the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, which allocates approximately $25 million each year for restoration projects on the San Francisco Bay shoreline.

“We’re thrilled for Amy to serve as the Executive Officer at the Conservancy,” said Doug Bosco, Chair of the State Coastal Conservancy’s Board, “The Board and I know Amy as a dedicated and collaborative leader with an exceptional track record of delivering complex projects. She will bring her energy and enthusiasm to this role, and a clear vision for what this agency can achieve.”

Ms. Hutzel has been with the State Coastal Conservancy for over 20 years, serving as Deputy Executive Officer, Bay Area Program Manager, and Project Manager. Prior to joining the Conservancy, she worked at Save The Bay and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

As Executive Officer, she will work closely with the Boards of the Conservancy and the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, lead the Conservancy’s 70 members of staff, and support hundreds of climate adaptation, public access, and habitat protection and restoration projects throughout the California coast, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and in coastal watersheds. Amy lives with her husband and two children in San Francisco.

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Awards $14 million for Coastal Access, Protection, and Restoration

Yesterday, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy authorized over $14 million in funding for restoration, preservation, and public access to California’s coast and coastal watersheds.

The projects approved included $495,000 to design and permit access amenities and a new ADA-compliant bathroom at Lechuza Beach in Malibu, $755,820 to remove fish barriers and restore habitat on Davy Brown Creek in the Santa Maria River watershed, and $1,721,088 to nonprofit organizations and public agencies for 45 projects that create coastal experiences for communities facing barriers to coastal access. These 45 grants are part of the Conservancy’s Explore the Coast grant program, which aims to help more Californians, particularly those that have been historically excluded, access and enjoy the coast.

The grants awarded this week will not only enhance the health and accessibility of the California coast, but will help to make it more resilient to the challenges of rising seas and a changing climate.

NORTH COAST

1. Authorization to transfer fee title to nine Conservancy-owned parcels in the Bodega Bay area to the County of Sonoma; approval of the implementation/disposition plans for the property transfer; and authorization to disburse up to $34,000 to Sonoma County Regional Parks to prepare surveys and Phase 1 environmental site assessments of the parcels.

CENTRAL COAST

2. A grant of up to $165,000 to Trout Unlimited to augment an existing Conservancy grant authorized on May 24, 2018, to replace a concrete creek crossing with a fish-friendly box culvert on Cachagua Creek, a tributary to the Carmel River in Monterey County.
3. A grant of up to $216,636 to the Regents of the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) to conduct invasive plant removal to enhance native riparian habitat on the Santa Clara Riverin Ventura County.
4. A grant of up to $980,000 awarded to the Conservancy by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under its National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program to the Elkhorn Slough Foundation to augment a Conservancy grant authorized on December 19, 2019 to complete Phase 2 of the Elkhorn Slough Tidal Marsh Restoration Projectin Elkhorn Slough, Monterey County.
5. A grant of up to $212,812 to San Mateo County Harbor District to construct new public restrooms, realign a small segment of the California Coastal Trail, reconfigure the parking lot, and install other visitor-serving amenities at Pillar Point Harboradjacent to Surfer’s Beach in San Mateo County.
6. A grant of up to $100,000 to the County of Santa Cruz to develop a facilities and management plan for public access and natural resource protection for the north coast region of Santa Cruz County.
7. A grant of up to $755,820 to Earth Island Institute to remove two fish barriers, replace them with bridges, and restore habitat on Davy Brown Creek, located in the Santa Maria River watershed, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
8. A grant of up to $825,000 to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County for the acquisition of three conservation easements on the 7,681-acre Attiyeh Ranchin northern San Luis Obispo County.

SOUTH COAST

13. A grant of up to $200,000 to San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) to enhance and restore 4.6 acres of riparian upland habitatat Ocean Knoll Canyon in the City of Encinitas, San Diego County.
14. A grant of up to $35,780 to Orange County Coastkeeper to conduct monitoring and outreach to protect endangered bird species and associated habitat located near the Santa Ana River Mouthin the cities of Newport Beach and Huntington Beach.
15. A grant of up to $180,680 to the Environmental Center of San Diego to prepare environmental assessments, permit applications, and draft engineering designs to provide additional public access at Princess Streetin La Jolla, San Diego.
16. A grant of up to $3,500,000 to augment the Conservancy grant of $4,900,000, previously authorized to the Crystal Cove Conservancy to restore 17 historic cottages on North Beach of the Crystal Cove Historic District at Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County.
17. A grant of up to $200,000 to the Sierra Health Foundation to work with tribal entities to conduct planning to further tribal access, tribal participation in land management, and land acquisition by tribal entities at multiple sites in Orange County.
18. A grant of up to $330,040 to Amigos de los Rios to implement the Monrovia High School Watershed Discovery Projectin Monrovia, Los Angeles County.
19. Authorization to terminate the Coastal Conservancy’s Calleguas Creek Watershed In-lieu Fee Programby disbursing $2,453,773 million for the purchase of 58.11 jurisdictional wetland and riparian buffer credits from the Santa Paula Creek Mitigation Bank.
20. A grant of up to $495,000 to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to prepare final engineering designs and construction specifications, and prepare and submit permit applications needed to: 1) update and repair existing public beach access amenities, including two beach stairways, and to 2) install new Americans with Disabilities Act compliant public access amenities, including a restroom, at Lechuza Beachin the City of Malibu.
21. A grant of up to $1,342,500 to the Riverside County Regional Park and Open Space District for construction of a segment of the Santa Ana River Trailas part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Prado Dam Alcoa Dike construction project, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
22. A grant of up to $310,000 to Coastal Quest to conduct stakeholder outreach and engagement for coastal resiliency planning for state parkson the San Diego County coast.

STATEWIDE

19. $1,721,088 to nonprofit organizations and public agencies for 45 projects that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the California coast. Participants are drawn from throughout the State and will visit coastal locations from Del Norte County south to San Diego County.

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Awards over $8.2 million in First Ever Virtual Board Meeting

Oakland, CA – Today, in its first ever virtual Board meeting, the Coastal Conservancy Authorized $8.2 million in grant funding for projects to restore, protect and increase access to the California Coast and San Francisco Bay.  Due to state and local Shelter-In-Place orders, members of the Conservancy’s Board, staff and the public convened via teleconference to discuss and approve 20 projects.

Among the grants awarded was $1,000,000 to the National Wildlife Federation to prepare engineering designs and construction specifications for a wildlife crossing that will connect the Santa Monica Mountains to the Sierra Madre Range over US-101 and Agoura Road, west of Liberty Canyon Road in the City of Agoura Hills.  The wildlife crossing’s primary beneficiary will be the mountain lion (Puma concolor) population in and around the Santa Monica Mountains. There are approximately 10 to 15 mountain lions remaining in this area, and the habitat fragmentation caused by US-101 causes inbreeding, territorial fighting, decreased genetic diversity, and declining health among the mountain lions. Scientists and wildlife managers predict the mountain lion population in the Santa Monica Mountains will be extinct in the next 50 years without a safe US-101 crossing at Liberty Canyon.

The Board also approved a grant of up to $500,000 to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to prepare plans, designs, environmental review documents and a public works plan for a campground and associated amenities at the Malibu Bluffs in the City of Malibu.  One of the biggest barriers for low and middle-income Californians to accessing and enjoying the coast is the lack of affordable overnight options. Nearly 60% of Californians never spend the night when they visit the coast. This project will help expand coastal camping in Southern California. When constructed, the Malibu Bluffs Campground would add 50 campsites ranging from platform tent cabins/yurts to pop-up tent campsites, nearly doubling the number of campsites in the City of Malibu, which receives 15 million visitors annually.

NORTH COAST

1. A grant of up to $94,700 to the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to improve and expand the Mattole Beach Campground, increasing access to low cost accommodations along the California coast.
2. A grant of up to $1,300,000 to the Redwood Coast Land Conservancy for the acquisition of the 113-acre Mill Bend propertyand preparation of an integrated resource management plan for the property, located at the mouth of the Gualala River in Sonoma and Mendocino counties.
3. Consideration and possible authorization to amend the January 18, 2018 authorization to disburse funds to the Marin County Resource Conservation District for restoring coho salmon habitat in San Geronimo Creek, to allow the Marin Resource Conservation District to use $25,000 of those funds for procurement, transportation, and storage of large woody debris for future use on instream coho salmon habitat restoration projects within the greater Lagunitas Creek watershed in Marin County.
4. A grant of up to $150,000 to Sonoma County Regional Parks to prepare a master plan addressing resource protection and public use, including a segment of the California Coastal Trail and lower cost accommodations for the Carrington Coast Ranchin coastal Sonoma County.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

5. A grant of up to $428,875 to The Watershed Projectto finalize designs and construct green infrastructure and signage to improve water quality, prevent flooding, increase climate resiliency at a city park in Richmond, Contra Costa County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
6. A grant of up to $1,413,200 to MarinLink for the Novato Baylands Stewardsto restore or enhance approximately 177 acres of wetlands through engaging local communities in Marin County.
7. A grant of up to $970,000 to the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to implement the North Reach of the Lower Walnut Creek Habitat Restoration Project, Contra Costa County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
8. Consideration and possible adoption of a Labor Compliance Program to allow disbursement of Proposition 84 funds for the Bel Marin Keys Unit V Phase Icomponent of the Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project, City of Novato, Marin County.

CENTRAL COAST

9. A grant of up to $440,620 to the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County to restore 9.9 acres of wetland and upland habitat at Watsonville Slough Farms in Santa Cruz County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
10. A grant of up to $750,000 to the Carmel Area Wastewater District to develop plans, engineering designs, permit applications and environmental review documents for relocation of a wastewater pipeline in the Carmel River Lagoon, which will help facilitate the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement project in Monterey County.
11. A grant of up to $194,689 to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County for construction of cattle grazing fencing and a water distribution system at the Pismo Ranch Preservelocated adjacent to the City of Pismo Beach in San Luis Obispo County.
12. A grant of up to $4,200 to the California Department of Parks and Recreation to acquire new beach wheelchairs at Gaviota, Refugio, and El Capitan State Beachesalong the Gaviota Coast, Santa Barbara County.
13. A grant of up to $130,000 to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County to prepare designs, plans, permit applications, and environmental review documents for an all-access trail and improvements to associated visitor-serving amenities at Antonelli Pondlocated in the City of Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz County.
14. A grant of up to $80,000 to the County of Santa Barbara for preparation of design plans, technical studies, and a County permit pre-application package for the addition of campsites, relocation of campground support facilities, and site improvements at Jalama Beach County Parkin Santa Barbara County.
15. A grant of up to $186,024 to Trout Unlimited to remove a fish passage barrier on Potrero Creek, in the Carmel River watershed, in Monterey County and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

SOUTH COAST

16. A grant of up to $1,000,000 to the National Wildlife Federation to prepare engineering designs and construction specifications for a wildlife crossing that will connect the Santa Monica Mountains to the Sierra Madre Range over US-101 and Agoura Road, west of Liberty Canyon Roadin the City of Agoura Hills.
17. A grant of up to $500,000 to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to prepare plans, designs, environmental review documents and a public works plan for a campground and associated amenities at the Malibu Bluffs in the City of Malibu.
18. A grant of up to $177,000 to the University of California Los Angeles to conduct dune restoration performance monitoring for the Cardiff State Beach Living Shoreline Project, County of San Diego; this authorization will augment funding previously authorized by the Conservancy for Project implementation which totaled $2,899,332 and included $83,289 specifically for dune restoration performance monitoring.
19. A grant of up to $15,000 to the Center for Natural Lands Management to complete a Property Analysis Record (PAR) for the Hobo Aliso Ridge propertyin Laguna Beach, Orange County.
20. A grant of up to $50,000 to the Orange County Coastkeeper to prepare a business plan, evaluate design options, and prepare permit applications for the purchase and installation of ten prefabricated lower-cost bungalows at the Waterfront RV Parkin Huntington Beach, Orange County.

Working with the Conservancy during Coronavirus Precautions

A message from our Executive Officer, Sam Schuchat:

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Awards $7.8 Million for Coastal Restoration, Overnight Accommodation

Board approves first Explore the Coast Overnight Grant

Oakland, CA – Last week, the Board of the California State Coastal Conservancy awarded $7.8 million to 13 projects to protect and restore the California coast and San Francisco Bay, and increase public access to these natural resources.

Among these grants was $2 million to the Crystal Cove Conservancy to restore 17 historic cottages in Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County.  This grant is the first funding to be authorized under the Conservancy’s Explore the Coast Overnight program, which funds projects and programming that create opportunities for all Californians to stay overnight at the coast.  Only 21% of overnight accommodation facilities on the California coast are “lower cost[1]” .  Of that, 62% are camping sites or RV sites, leaving a very small number of “lower cost” hotels and motels to serve all visitors.   The Explore the Coast Overnight program seeks to increase the number of cabins, hostels, hotels, campgrounds and other overnight options available at a rate within reach of most Californians.

The projects approved at the February Board meeting were:

NORTH COAST

1. A grant of up to $90,000 to the Trinidad Coastal Land Trust for construction of public access improvements, including restroom, picnic area, kiosk, and bike rack, at Houda Pointin Humboldt County.
2. A grant of up to $838,113 received from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to the Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to complete construction and implement post-construction monitoring of the White Slough Restoration Projectin the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge (HBNWR) on Humboldt Bay.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

3. A grant of up to $200,000 to the Solano Land Trust for construction of a staging area and other public amenities at Rockville Trails Preserveto allow access to new Bay Area Ridge Trail segments, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
4. A grant of up to $1,700,000 to the County of Napa to restore a two-mile reach of the Napa Riverand a one-mile secondary channel to enhance long-term river and floodplain function, improve water quality and riparian habitats, and attenuate flood damage to adjacent properties.
5. A grant of up to $239,719 to Friends of Corte Madera CreekWatershed to prepare design criteria, alternatives, and 35% design drawings for channel modifications to improve salmonid fish passage in a 3,100-foot long reach of concrete channel in the Corte Madera Creek in Marin County.
6. A grant of up to $485,993, to the Alameda County Resource Conservation District to implement the Water for Wildlife, East Bay Rangeland Pond and Trough Enhancement Projectin Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
7. A grant of up to $500,000 to the Association of Bay Area Governments to prepare 60% designs and permit applications for thePalo Alto Horizontal Levee Pilot Project adjacent to the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant, City of Palo Alto, Santa Clara County.

CENTRAL COAST

8. A grant of up to $300,000 to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County to prepare plans, designs, environmental review documents, and permit applications for approximately five miles of public trails and a trail staging area at the Watsonville Slough Farm.
9. A grant of up to $40,000 to the County of Santa Barbara to prepare a design and feasibility study for the Santa Maria River Levee Trailin Santa Barbara County.
10. Consideration and possible authorization disburse up to $670,000 of grant funds from the California Natural Resources Agency’s Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Programto the Contra Costa and San Mateo County Resource Conservation Districts and the Amah Mutsun Land Trust to augment the Conservancy’s October 17, 2019 authorization to disburse funds for planning and implementation projects that will improve forest health and wildfire resiliency, facilitate greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and increase carbon sequestration in forests.

SOUTH COAST

11. A grant of up to $500,000 to the City of Long Beach to construct a water treatmentfacility and two acres of surrounding green space that will include a one-acre wetland and trails that connect two parks and provide an inland connection to the California Coastal Trail, in the Willmore neighborhood of Long Beach, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
12. A grant of up to $318,600 to the Ventura Port District to install a one-ton derrick crane at the Ventura Harbor Commercial Fish Pierand enhance a commercial fishing gear storage and net repair facility at Ventura Harbor in Ventura County.
13. A grant of up to $2,000,000 to the Crystal Cove Conservancy to restore 17 historic cottages on North Beach of the Crystal CoveHistoric District at Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Notes to Editors:

The Coastal Conservancy is a state agency, established in 1976, to protect and improve natural lands and waterways, to help people get to and enjoy the outdoors, and to sustain local economies along California’s coast. The Conservancy is a non-regulatory agency that supports projects to protect coastal resources and increase opportunities for the public to enjoy the coast.

Since its founding, the Conservancy has:

• Funded 2,400 projects along the California coastline and in the San Francisco Bay.
• Protected 390,000 acres of coastal lands through acquisition of fee title and conservation easements.
• Restored 33,000 acres of habitat.
• Built 200 new coastal accessway and 210 miles of new trails.
• Put $1.3 billion to work for conservation projects, and leveraged far more from federal, local government, and private sources.

[1] There are numerous ways of defining “lower-cost” with regard to accommodations, and lower cost does not necessarily translate to affordability for people of low and middle-incomes. For the Sustinere analysis used in the Conservancy’s 2019 Assessment of Lower-Cost Coastal Accommodations, “lower-cost” coastal accommodations were defined as those having a daily rate that was 75% or less of the statewide average daily rate in 2015.

Webinar: The Stories We Don’t Tell About People of Color in the Outdoors

A recording of this webinar can be found here.

We hope you can join us for a webinar Thursday, February 28th from 12:00 p.m to 1:00 p.m. to hear about engaging people of color in the outdoors. Speaker Amanda E. Machado will share her personal story as a woman of color becoming involved in the environmentalist movement and facilitate a conversation about how to be more inclusive.

“This talk will explore how traditional narratives in the environmentalism movement and in outdoor recreation culture as a whole have historically not reflected the values and experiences of people of color. In this talk, I’ll share my personal story of how I got involved in the environmentalist and outdoors space after taking a year off to travel and hike across four continents in 2012, and why I had felt excluded from those spaces previously. I’ll then present three-five common narratives our culture often tells about people of color in the outdoors, and discuss what they miss, particularly in terms of race and other systems of power. After, participants will have a chance to brainstorm how we can combat erasure and how can tell more than just– as writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie named — the “single story” we often have about people of color outside.”-Amanda E. Machado

About the Speaker

Amanda E. Machado is a writer, editor, and facilitator who has lived and worked around the world. After teaching 9th grade English as a Teach for America corps member, she spent fifteen months backpacking South America, South Asia, Western Europe and the Western United States. Since then, she built a career as a freelance writer while living temporarily in cities like Cape Town, Havana, and Berlin.

Amanda has been published in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Harper’s Bazaar, Vox, Outside, REI Co-Op Journal, Quartz, Business Insider, and others, and has worked as a social justice editor for Matador Network, the world’s largest independent travel magazine. Her work has also been featured in the New York Times, NPR, Longreads, Jezebel, the She Explores podcast, and several other publications, radio programs, and blogs. In addition to her essay writing, Amanda also facilitates workshops on issues of equity and social justice for organizations around the world.

Amanda has a degree in English Literature and Nonfiction Writing from Brown University.

Equity and Environmental Justice Survey/ Encuesta de Equidad y Justicia

The Coastal Conservancy is embarking on an effort to create Equity and Environmental Justice Guidelines to direct our agency’s work. The Coastal Conservancy’s vision is of a beautiful, restored, and accessible coast for ALL Californians and we see equity and environment justice as a key driver of our agency’s work.  We would like your feedback to help identify which priorities you think are most important for our agency to address. Please share with any others you think may be interested.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GWKLCZD

Surveys due March 6, 2019.

Coastal Conservancy está embarcando en un esfuerzo para crear recomendaciones y mejorar el programa Equidad y Justicia en el Medio Ambiente. Nos gustaría que sus comentarios nos ayuden a identificar las prioridades que considera más importantes en su comunidad. Gracias.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q29HQNX

Encuestas programadas para el 6 de marzo de 2019.