Sempervirens Fund Celebrates Plan to Expand California’s State Parks by 30,000 Acres
Aerial view of Big Basin State Park’s NoraBella property, the Gateway to Big Basin, a 153-acre redwood forest along Highway 236, added to the park in February 2026.
Photo: Jordan Plotsky
MOUNTAIN VIEW — California is leading on climate, on resilience, and on access to nature for all, and we applaud the Governor’s announcement of a bold new target to expand California’s state park system by 30,000 acres by 2030, extending the ambition of the state’s powerful 30×30 commitment, and recognizing state parks as one of the most powerful tools we have to meet it. This vision builds on the historic announcement of three new state parks and affirms that protecting more land for people and nature is essential to California’s future.
“California’s state parks are our promise in place: land protected for climate resilience, wildlife, and people, today and for generations,” said Sara Barth, Executive Director of Sempervirens Fund. “Expanding California’s state parks by 30,000 acres by 2030 is how we turn 30×30 from a goal into a legacy. Sempervirens Fund is ready to support that goal in the Santa Cruz Mountains.”
Since 1900, Sempervirens Fund has protected more than 36,000 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains, most of which are now state park lands, including most of Big Basin Redwoods State Parks, which was expanded in February 2026 by 153 acres.
California’s state parks are spectacular destinations, and they also form a connected network of public spaces that safeguard biodiversity, store carbon, protect watersheds, and reduce wildfire risk, while offering millions of Californians places to learn, heal, and connect with the landscapes that define our state. As climate impacts accelerate, as temperatures rise, and drought and flooding become more extreme, these lands increasingly serve as a first line of defense: buffering communities from extreme heat, flooding, and fire, while anchoring long term resilience across entire regions.
This moment also reflects years of sustained progress, turning ambition into action. Recent legislation has shown that California can move faster to expand and restore parks without compromising transparency, accountability, or environmental values. In particular, we celebrate Santa Cruz Assemblymember Gail Pellerin’s leadership on legislation (AB 679) that cut unnecessary “green tape,” streamlining land acquisition for critical state parks in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Paired with AB 630 (Allen – El Segundo), both laws sustain public trust with rigorous oversight. That success demonstrates what’s possible when lawmakers align policy with urgency and on the ground reality.
We thank Governor Gavin Newsom, Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, State Parks Director Armando Quintero, and the members of the Legislature who have consistently championed state parks as climate infrastructure, community infrastructure, and generational investments. Their leadership has helped ensure that California’s parks are both preserved and strengthened to meet the challenges ahead.
“As the state looks to 2030, and to a new administration, expanding our state park system is one of the clearest, most unifying ways to carry California’s 30×30 vision forward,” said Barth. “Conserving nature at scale, accelerating climate action, and ensuring every Californian has access to the outdoors sends a powerful signal that California intends to keep leading, by protecting the places that protect us.”
