P1 1WHEREAS, On June 4, 2016, the Backbone Trail, a spectacular
267-mile route among the canyons and mountains of the Santa
3Monicabegin delete Mountainsend deletebegin insert Mountains,end insert officially opened; and
4WHEREAS, The Backbone Trail began as a dream in 1944 with
5the establishment of Will Rogers State Historicbegin delete Parkend deletebegin insert Park,end insert which
6is now the eastern end of the Backbone Trail. Over the decades,
7the Department of Parks and Recreation established Topanga State
8Park, Malibu Creek State Park, and Point Mugu State Park; and
9WHEREAS, In 1978, the United States Congress established
10the Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area to be
11managed by the National Park Service in partnership with state
12and local governments. Additionally, the Santa Monica Mountains
13Conservancy, the Mountain Recreation and Conservation
14Authority, and the National Park Service acquired numerous
15properties for the Backbone Trail; and
16WHEREAS, An essential contribution to the trail came from
17volunteers whose work began long before the trail was pieced
18together by public agencies and whose volunteer contributions are
19an unsung success story that made it possible for the trail to open
20to the public this year; and
21WHEREAS, Financial grants from local governments, such as
22the City of Los Angeles, and property grants from private donors,
P2 1including a donation of one of the final parcels by former California
2Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and fitness pioneer Betty
3Weider, completed the acquisitions necessary to complete the trail;
4and
5WHEREAS, Trails and greenways have a beneficial impact on
6the quality of life in California, including the environment,
7economy, health, education, and community livability; and
8WHEREAS, The recognition and completion of the Backbone
9Trail, which has been designated as an official California trail
10corridor in the California State Recreation Trails Plan, and which
11the National Park Servicebegin delete may designateend deletebegin insert designatedend insert as a National
12Recreation Trail, is an integral part of government’s responsibility
13to provide public access to parklands; now, therefore, be it
14Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate
15recognizes the California Department of Parks and Recreation for
16its contribution of integral parts of the Backbone Trail in the Santa
17Monica Mountains, declares the Backbone Trail an official
18interagency and state trail, and urges all affected public agencies
19to work collaboratively on the successful management of the trail
20for the perpetual use and enjoyment of the public; and be it further
21Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
22this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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