At the end of July, the Parks Forward Commission, an independent state panel, released a draft report with four major recommendations to protect and to advance the California State Parks in the 21st century.<\/p>\n
The panel was created two years ago to review the park\u2019s current operations and make recommendations to establish a vibrant and successful park agency. The report\u2019s recommendations are intended to bolster and strengthen the agency\u2019s survivability as an on-going public service.<\/p>\n
After several public meetings, hours of testimony and research, the commission came to several conclusions, which guided its recommendations: \u201cOur recommendations are rooted in two overarching findings. First, today\u2019s State Park System is debilitated by outdated organizational structures, technologies and business tools, and by a culture that does not adequately reward excellence or innovation. Second, the system does not provide a park experience that serves all Californians or attracts other potential visitors.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur recommendations are not designed to merely tinker around the edges and patch the current system,\u201d noted the press release about the draft report. \u201cInstead, we present a plan to transform state park management and modernize state park operations.\u201d<\/p>\n
The recommendations cover four principal concepts: transform existing operational policies and agency culture; enhance more partnerships with federal, local and private groups; invest and seek to attract a wider spectrum of California\u2019s population; and develop long-term, stable funding.<\/p>\n
Fundamental change within the Department of Parks and Recreation is necessary for the program\u2019s existence and expansion, according to the commission. As an example of changing its corporate culture, the commission recommended a broader search for managers and rejected the concept that management positions need to be occupied by officials with peace officer certification.<\/p>\n
Part of expanding the use of partnerships to sustain park operations was the recommendation to create a California Parks Conservancy \u201c\u2026to provide operational, financial and strategic support for organizations that manage or operate parks and other protected lands, with its first priority being the state parks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Broadening the attraction of state parks would come through the development of new amenities and even transportation options.<\/p>\n
A public meeting on the plan was held in San Diego Aug. 6. The commission\u2019s final plan will be released in late November.<\/p>\n
In June 2013, California Secretary of Natural Resources John Laird and former California State Parks Director Major General Anthony L. Jackson, USMC (Ret.), unveiled \u201cParks Forward,\u201d a collaborative initiative to undertake a top-to-bottom evaluation to improve and sustain California\u2019s State Parks System.<\/p>\n
The effort responded to several issues involving misappropriation of the agency\u2019s funding and a March recommendation from California\u2019s Little Hoover Commission report urging a new operating model.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
At the end of July, the Parks Forward Commission, an independent state panel, released a draft report with four major recommendations to protect and to advance the California State Parks in the 21st century. The panel was created two years ago to review the park\u2019s current operations and make recommendations to establish a vibrant and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":32257,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"amp_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n