California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 96

Introduced by Assembly Member Olsen

February 12, 2014

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 96—Relative to the 150th anniversary of the California State Park System.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 96, as introduced, Olsen. The 150th anniversary of the California State Park System.

This measure would recognize the 150th anniversary of the California State Park System and would urge all Californians to join in celebrating this important anniversary of our state park system.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, The first state park was conceived in California in
1862. Captain Israel Ward Raymond and California’s United States
Senator John Conness wanted to have natural land areas at
Yosemite set aside purely for the purpose of preservation and
public enjoyment. At Raymond’s request, Senator Conness
introduced a bill that quickly passed though both Congressional
houses. President Abraham Lincoln signed The Yosemite Grant
Act on June 30, 1864, which granted the Yosemite Valley, and the
Mariposa Big Tree Grove to the State of California. Governor
Frederick Low accepted the grant in September of that year; and

WHEREAS, The first state historic monument was a statute of
James Marshall erected in 1890 near his gold discovery site in
Coloma, and other historic sites have since been preserved,
including Fort Ross, Sonoma Mission, Pio Pico’s home, and
Sutter’s Fort; and

WHEREAS, In recent years, the state park system has expanded
to include off-highway vehicle parks and underwater parks; and

WHEREAS, California state parks maintain not only the natural
beauty of the state, but provide valuable spaces for recreation,
escape, history, and a special place for contemplation; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Parks and Recreation currently
manages 280 park units, which contain the finest and most diverse
collection of natural, cultural, and recreational resources to be
found within California. These treasures are as diverse as California
and include (1): the last stands of primeval redwood forests and
vast expanses of fragile desert; (2) the lofty Sierra Nevada and the
broad sandy beaches of our southern coast; and (3) the opulence
of Hearst Castle and the vestiges of colonial Russia; and

WHEREAS, California’s state parks contain the largest and
most diverse natural and cultural heritage holdings of any state
agency in the nation. State park units include underwater preserves,
reserves, and parks; redwood, rhododendron, and wildlife reserves;
state beaches, recreation areas, wilderness areas, and reservoirs;
state historic parks, historic homes, Spanish era adobe buildings,
including museums, visitor centers, cultural reserves, and preserves;
as well as lighthouses, ghost towns, waterslides, conference centers,
and off-highway vehicle parks. These parks protect and preserve
an unparalleled collection of culturally and environmentally
sensitive structures and habitats, threatened plant and animal
species, ancient Native American sites, historic structures and
artifacts, and demonstrate the best of California’s natural and
cultural history; and

WHEREAS, The California state park system is responsible for
almost one-third of California’s scenic coastline, which includes
nearly 300 parks, beaches, trails, wildlife areas, open spaces,
off-highway vehicle areas, and historic sites. It consists of
approximately 1.59 million acres, including over 339 miles of
coastline, 974 miles of lake, reservoir and river frontage,
approximately 15,000 campsites and alternative camping facilities,
and 4,456 miles of nonmotorized trails; and

WHEREAS, Since 1864, grassroots activism and legislation
have made it possible for all Californians to take pride and
ownership of their unique and diverse landscapes. Parks maintain
not only the natural beauty of California, but provide recreation,
escape, history and a special place for contemplation and reflection;
and

WHEREAS, The California state park system continues as a
national and world leader in conservation and today, and into the
future, our state parks preserve land, biosystems, and historic sites
for public use; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes the 150th
anniversary of the California state park system and urges all
Californians to join in celebrating this important anniversary of
our state park system; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.