PORTOLA AND CASTLE ROCK FOUNDATION
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Mission Statement
Portola Redwoods and Castle Rock State Parks, located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, provide unparalleled hiking, camping, and guided recreation in the Bay area. The Portola and Castle Rock Foundation (PCRF) is the official state-chartered cooperating association supporting an interpretive agenda at these parks. With the advent of the parks crisis in 2011, we expanded our mission, raised funds and engaged with partners to keep these parks open, actively engage on behalf of Parks, and provide funding to preserve these important resources. We are raising the bar by working with California State Parks and our partners to make needed infrastructure investments in these cherished parks.
About This Cause
Mission: Inspire Protection of Castle Rock and Portola Redwoods State Parks Through Quality Educational Experiences and Infrastructure Improvements 1. Executive Summary Portola Redwoods and Castle Rock State Parks, located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, provide unparalleled hiking, camping, and guided recreation in the Bay area. The Portola and Castle Rock Foundation (PCRF) is the official state-chartered cooperating association supporting an interpretive agenda at these parks. With the advent of the parks crisis in 2011, we expanded our mission, raised funds and engaged with partners to keep these parks open, actively engage on behalf of Parks, and provide funding to preserve these important resources. We are raising the bar by working with California State Parks and our partners to make needed infrastructure investments in these cherished parks. 2. Portola Redwoods State Park Portola Redwoods State Park has a rugged, natural basin forested with Coastal Redwoods, Douglas Firs and Live Oaks. The 2,800 acre park includes 18 miles of trails, a campground with 53 sites, and 4 group campsites. Two beautiful creeks run through the park, Pescadero and Peter’s Creeks. Visitors have the opportunity to observe a wide variety of wildlife ranging from the Banana Slug and Great Pacific Salamander, to large mammals including, deer, coyote and mountain lions. Many bird species inhabit the park including the endangered and elusive Marbled Murrelet. 3. Castle Rock State Park Castle Rock, originally inhabited by the Ohlone Indians, has grown from the original gift of 35 acres owned by Russell and Dorothy Varian in 1968 to its current 5,229 acres – largely the result of acquisition by one of our partners, Sempervirens Fund. Castle Rock State Park is situated along the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains with sweeping views of the valleys below. Forested areas of the park have been left in its natural wild state with Coastal Redwoods, Douglas Fir, Tan Oak and Madrone trees for all to enjoy. This park is graced with 32 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails. The trails in Castle Rock State Park are part of an impressive trail system linking this park to Big Basin Redwoods State Park and the Pacific Coast in the Santa Clara and San Lorenzo Valleys. The attendance to Castle Rock State Park and the iconic backcountry trail camps, Skyline to the Sea Trail, much of which is located within he park, has increased many-fold in recent years . 4. Park Closures Averted in 2012 Castle Rock State Park and Portola Redwoods State Park were both placed on the list of 70 California State Parks slated for closure in late 2011. This was a catalyst for action for PCRF. Portola Castle Rock Foundation announced its intention to raise money to keep these park jewels open. We engaged with other non-profit partners with common goals to prevent the closure of these magnificent places of nature. In May 2012 Sempervirens Fund concluded a Donor Agreement with California State Parks for Castle Rock State Park of $250,000 including $50,000 funded by PCRF. Then in June 2012, Save The Redwoods League, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) and PCRF all signed the agreement for Portola Redwoods State Park. Our Parks remained open thanks to everyone’s help !! 5. Portola Castle Rock Foundation – PCRF Volunteers in Portola founded a program 1991 as a cooperating association to support Portola Redwoods State Park. The chapter was expanded in 1998 to include Castle Rock State Park as the two parks are closely related in both locality and sharing Park staff. The name of the program was renamed to reflect this valuable evolution to Portola Castle Rock Foundation. We are a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt charity. Prior to the closure crisis of 2011, the Foundation chiefly operated as supporters of the interpretive agenda at both parks, raising funds through the sales of camping supplies, interpretive materials, and firewood at the Portola Redwoods State Park Visitor Center. The cathartic impact of the parks crisis stirred the Foundation to expand our game. We partnered with other non-profits forging partner agreements in keeping both parks open. In addition to increasing activity focused on our core chapter of supporting the interpretive messaging, we committed our efforts towards making infrastructure improvements at both parks, developing a Parks volunteer training program, and evolving our foundation to a membership-based organization. To accomplish these new duties, we upgraded our organizational infrastructure through increasing the number of board members. Much of our recent focus has been working to improve the physical infrastructure of these two parks. We finance these investments from internally generated funds, an increase in emphasis on grants, focused fund raising efforts and the generosity of our Donor partners – Save The Redwoods League, Peninsula Open Space Trust, and Sempervirens Fund. Donor partner investment has also spurred investment by CA State Parks – for example the half-million-dollar overhaul of the wastewater facility at Portola Redwoods State Park. 6. Investment in Portola and Castle Rock Foundation We are evolving the organizational capacity of the Portola Castle Rock Foundation through a number of actions: a. Volunteer Team Training and Implementation In partnership with California State Parks, the Foundation organized and trained 35 volunteers in three training sessions. This newly created volunteer task force hikes the trails reporting trees fallen over trails and other situations needing attention to Park rangers, assisting park visitors by providing interpretive information and operating the Portola Redwoods State Park Visitor Center. b. Website Development Our website was entirely revamped in 2014 to support visitors to Portola Redwoods and Castle Rock State Parks. We suggest hikes for various interests and difficulties, highlight Park history and events scheduled in the Parks, and inform visitors how they can volunteer to support our Park jewels. c. Built a Membership-based organization To strengthen PCRF’s ability to expand our support of our cherished Parks, we undertook a project to become a membership-based organization. We began the program in 2014 and proudly achieved our initial membership target of 150 memberships in early 2015. Each of these organizational development projects received financial support from donations and specific grants from our supporters. 7. Investment in Portola Redwoods State Park We have several infrastructure projects recently completed and planned for Portola Redwoods State Park. a. New Campground Host Site In cooperation with our partners, Save The Redwoods League and Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), we invested in a new campground host site near the entrance to the Portola Redwoods State Park campgrounds. The campground host site improves the visitors’ experience by providing enhanced information regarding the park, greater security and an opportunity to purchase firewood for campfires. Completed 2013. b. Rebuild the Ramada Day Use Structure Since 1943, visitors to Portola Redwoods State Park have enjoyed protection from the sun and rain beneath a historical Ramada structure. This structure fell victim to the harsh environment in the Redwood forest and had to be demolished in 2012. PCRF formed a partnership with Sempervirens Fund and Save The Redwood League, in addition to receiving a grant from the CA State Parks Foundation, to finance the rebuilding of the Ramada. Construction to begin in Fall 2015 with expected completion in early 2016. c. Rebuild the Campfire Center One of the most lasting memories for many park visitors is the campfire program in the Redwoods, led by a Parks interpretive specialist. A beautiful campfire center has been in operation since 1957 but it is now showing its age. The audio visual system has become inoperable and the seating is nearing the end of its useful life. We anticipate raising funds and finding partners to renovate the campfire center in the next few years. d. Visitor Center Refurbishment and Interpretive displays The Visitor Center was historically used as a dance hall and event space. A significant modification in the 1980’s added offices for the Park Staff and updated the interpretive displays. Unfortunately the building itself has structural issues – part of the roof was replaced in 2013, but the remaining roof now leaks and the foundation is beginning to sink. During the next few years significant investment will be needed to restore the building and refresh the interpretive displays. 8. Investment in Castle Rock State Park a. New Entrance The most significant improvement slated for Castle Rock State Park is a new entrance including much needed expanded parking facilities, and later, a new visitor center which will be built a few hundred yards north of the current entrance on Skyline Boulevard. PCRF is working with Sempervirens Fund and California State Parks to determine how we may best support this valuable project. The new entrance is expected to be completed in the next two years and is largely funded by Sempervirens Fund. b. Derelict home removal For many years there was a residence for Rangers in the Castle Rock State Park. It is located adjacent to the Trail Camp. The structure ceased being used many years ago. Demolition of the building was postponed due to the discovery of asbestos in the residence and increased costs associated with its removal. This derelict home is a nuisance and potential hazard to campers nearby. PCRF paid to demolish the home and restore the area as native habitat. Completed in 2012. c. Tire Dump Removal Before the establishment of Castle Rock State Park in 1969, the properties that were to become the park were owned by various individuals including a parcel owned by the Smead Family. For approximately 20 years, continuing into the 1960s, but prior to the establishment of the park, t