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San Francisco Chronicle
12 hours ago
- General
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘Prepare to be blown away': New national monument near Santa Cruz to open with trails for hiking, biking
Almost a decade ago, former President Barack Obama recognized a 'spectacular' stretch of coastal mountains and prairie near the Santa Cruz County community of Davenport with the prestigious designation of national monument. The public, however, was never allowed in. That will change this summer. After years of unexpected delays preparing the site for visitors, the Bureau of Land Management has scheduled the opening of the 5,800-acre Cotoni-Coast Dairies monument for the afternoon of Aug. 15, a Friday. About a 15-minute drive north of the city of Santa Cruz on Highway 1, the onetime ranch and adjacent lands will debut with its northern reaches opened for hiking, biking and sightseeing. This includes nine of 27 miles of planned multi-use trails. The public will be able to access the full range of landscapes that the site is celebrated for, from broad marine terraces overlooking the Pacific Ocean to steep slopes spanning oak-dotted ridges, stream-lined canyons and redwood forest. Salmon and steelhead swim in the creeks, and jackrabbits, foxes and mountain lions roam the hills. 'When I get out there, I just feel like the place gives me a big hug,' said Zachary Ormsby, Central Coast field manager for the Bureau of Land Management. 'Visitors are going to feel that, too.' The site's name pays homage to both the native Ohlone people, specifically a subgroup called the Cotoni, and its early 1900s history as a Swiss dairy farm. The opening of the national monument to the public marks the end of a decades-long fight to keep the lands free of development. Sitting in the shadow of Davenport's shuttered cement plant, the site was spared from being absorbed by the factory. It also escaped unrelated proposals for oil drilling and a nuclear power plant. Protection came in the late 1990s after plans emerged for the area's bluffs to be lined with luxury estates. The San Francisco-based Trust for Public Land and Save the Redwoods League, among others, raised money to coordinate a roughly $45 million acquisition before any homes were built. About 500 of the original 7,000 acres that were purchased for conservation were conveyed to California State Parks while another portion was retained for agriculture. But the bulk of the property remained idle until a long-term caretaker could be secured. In 2014, 5,843 acres were transferred to the Bureau of Land Management. Shortly after that, the environmental community launched a campaign to upgrade the federal site to a national monument, a status that brings greater safeguards for natural and historical features as well as a higher public profile for the area. 'We see the property as having these superlative conservation and recreation values,' said Sara Barth, executive director of the Sempervirens Fund, the Los Altos-based land trust that helped lead the effort to make the lands a monument. 'It's larger than some of the other protected areas in the region. It's also more ecologically distinct. It has a rich history to it, too.' In January 2017, as one of Obama's final acts in office, the former president designated the federal site part of the California Coastal National Monument. Cotoni-Coast Dairies became the biggest onshore property within the existing monument, which includes a handful of distinguished spots along the Pacific. The Bureau of Land Management had hoped to open Cotoni-Coast Dairies years ago, but concerns about potential crowds caused delay. Neighboring communities worried there was too little parking and too few toilets, while scientists and conservation groups wanted to make sure that sensitive habitat, areas for wildlife and historical points would be preserved. Federal officials worked to address the issues. They've partnered with outside organizations to begin restoring watersheds for endangered coho salmon. Indigenous groups have surveyed culturally important plants on the property. Plans to rebuild an old 'cheese barn' are in the works. Perhaps most visible, the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship and its many volunteers have taken the lead on constructing the monument's growing trail network, having recently completed three interconnecting 3-mile loops. The trails will be accessible from a new parking lot just north of Davenport near the junction of Warrenella and Cement Plant roads. Beyond serving hikers and bicyclists, parts of the multi-use trail system are designed for people using adaptive bikes accommodating mobility issues. The Bureau of Land Management hopes to open a second lot south of Davenport, with more trails, in the next few years. More details on the Aug. 15 opening will be provided closer to the date on the Bureau of Land Management's website for the monument. 'We've all been driving by this place for years and years and years,' said Matt De Young, executive director of the Trail Stewardship. 'Prepare to be blown away.'
Axios
10-06-2025
- General
- Axios
2025 ParkScore: San Antonio slips in national ranking
San Antonio's standing in the ParkScore rankings has slipped this year, falling to 57th place — down four spots from last year. Why it matters: City parks serve as community meeting spots and civic spaces, offer room for exercise and fresh air, and can draw in new residents — but they require investment, attention and protection. The big picture: The 2025 ParkScore index, an annual report from the Trust for Public Land (TPL), ranks the 100 most populous U.S. cities' park systems relative to one another based on five categories: acreage, access, amenities, investment and equity. What they found: San Antonio earned a total ParkScore of 51, below the national median of 53.6. The city ranks near the bottom in access — 47% of San Antonio residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park — with a score of 26. For comparison, top-ranked Washington, D.C., scored 99 in this category. San Antonio did improve from 2024 in terms of equity and amenities, jumping 4 and 5 points, respectively. Stunning stats: Among the cities analyzed, $12.2 billion was invested in park and recreation systems in 2024, and 76% of residents now live within a 10-minute walk of a park.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Cutting the ribbon for new Scranton playground
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — It's a brand new place to play in Scranton, and it's much more than just a playground. After two years in the making, students, city leaders, and the Trust for Public Land cut the ribbon on a fully transformed schoolyard at John F. Kennedy Elementary. The upgraded space features ADA-accessible equipment, a running track, a basketball court, and an outdoor classroom. When school's out, the space will stay open to the neighborhood. Students also played a big role in the design process. 3 pounds of meth found in car under 6-year-old 'Now that my sister's coming to this school, she's actually in Kindergarten, she could play in this playground, like to know that her sister designed it will be really nice to know,' Helped Design Playground Natalie Ganzalez stated. 'A park and an open space are a unique opportunity for people to find common ground. And in today's environment, what we need more than anything else is the opportunity to meet and know each other,' Trust for Public Land Field Programs Managing Director Owen Franklin said. The schoolyard project is part of a nationwide push by the Trust for Public Land to close the equitable park access gap, working with more than 300 cities. This is the first of three planned schoolyard projects in Scranton. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time Out
30-05-2025
- General
- Time Out
L.A. was ranked one of the worst cities in the U.S. for public parks
The City of Angels' park score? Let's just say it's no walk in the park. According to a new report by the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit organization that makes it their mission to connect people to the outdoors, Los Angeles plummeted to the 90th spot out of 100 major metropolitan areas throughout the U.S. for its park system. This is as astonishing stat, given that Los Angeles netted the 49th spot on the very same ranking just five years prior. What has changed so much in the city to necessitate such poor marks? Well, firstly, let's get into the report's methodology: Trust for Public Land looks at five important categories in determining which cities come out on top and which fall short: equity, access, investment, amenities, and acreage. The ranking for each city, including Los Angeles, is determined by comparison to all of the other 100 major metropolitan areas, considering the park system's features. This national Park Score index is published each year, hopefully sparking not only dialogue, but also an action plan for leaders to achieve more resources for improving a city's park systems. Washington D.C. earned the number one spot and it's easy to see why—99-percent of residents live near a green space and over 21-percent of public land is used for parks. Other cities earning a top spot in all of the five categories include: Minneapolis, Minnesota; Cincinnati, Ohio; St. Paul, Minnesota; and the nearby Irvine, California. Los Angeles could, in fact, take a page out of San Francisco's play book—its northern sibling earned a sixth-place spot, edging out L.A. in all five categories. (Fun fact: 100-percent of residents in The Golden City live within a ten-minute walk to a park.) While Los Angeles scored above average on acreage (or the city's overall land dedicated to parkland) and average for access to green spaces, the investment score was low. 'In Los Angeles, a total of $111 per capita is spent each year on publicly accessible parks and recreation, below average for this category,' the report says. Los Angeles also scored below average for amenities and equity, which indicates "the fairness in the distribution of parks and park space between neighborhoods by race and income'—in L.A., residents living in lower-income neighborhoods have access to 79-percent less nearby park space than those in higher income neighborhoods, while people of color had 33-percent less park space per person than their white counterparts. Silver lining: The Trust for Public Land report also highlights the areas in Los Angeles that could use the most help. The mapping platform helps leaders determine where to pinpoint their efforts to make the greatest gains because everyone deserves access to the outdoors, regardless of race, income or location.
Axios
28-05-2025
- General
- Axios
Detroit's parks rating rises in annual ranking
Detroit's parks system climbed in a national ranking this year, but greater investment in our green spaces and better amenities are needed to compete with higher-ranking cities. Why it matters: Detroit has more than 300 parks that serve as community meetup spots, offer space for exercise, and can attract new residents. The city is investing more into its parks now, but there's still work to do. Driving the news: We're No. 58 on the Trust for Public Land's 2025 ParkScore index of park systems in the 100 most populous cities in the country, up from No. 65 last year. The ranking is based on five categories: acreage, access, amenities, investment and equity. The analysis includes data from public and private organizations that manage or support publicly accessible parks. Zoom in: Detroit received high marks this year for park access, with 84% of Detroiters living within a 10-minute walk of a park. The parks scored well for amenities like basketball courts and sports fields, but a dearth of permanent restrooms and dog parks hurt the ranking. Per person, $118 was spent on the city's parks system — more than last year's $80 average but below the national average of $133. Zoom out: Washington, D.C., had the country's best park system this year, followed by Irvine, California. What they're saying: Detroit's parks have improved significantly in recent years, Sigal Hemy Spiegel, executive director of the Detroit Parks Coalition, tells Axios. "If you go out on a summer day to any of our regional parks, they're slammed with people. It's awesome," Spiegel says. Context: The city has 14 regional parks of at least 50 acres, including Belle Isle, Balduck and Palmer parks. Yes, but: Spiegel says the city's parks could improve with more regular trash pickups at all 300-plus parks. She also suggested starting regular park maintenance well before Memorial Day because many people use the parks in April. The coalition partners with the city, philanthropic organizations and community groups to support the city's parks. Flashback: Detroit's ParkScore ranked 88th in 2018. The city contemplated closing 77 parks in 2010 when it was on a path to bankruptcy. Between the lines: Detroit's sheer size — nearly 140 square miles — hinders its acreage score, which measures the percentage of the city's overall area that's dedicated to parkland.
