SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS TRAIL STEWARDSHIP BEGINS TRAIL RESTORATION WORK IN BIG BASIN REDWOODS STATE PARK
Santa Cruz, CA - Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship (SCMTS), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit trail stewardship organization, today announced that it has begun trail repairs in Big Basin Redwoods State Park alongside California State Parks. This work is being completed by SCMTS’ professional Trail Crew, and will include community volunteer support as the project progresses. This is the final stage of work before a beloved trail can be reopened to the public following 2020’s CZU wildfires.
The project builds on SCMTS’ 2023 effort managing fuels in the Big Basin leading up to a prescribed burn that happened earlier this year. Now that the burn has taken place, the SCMTS Trail Crew can safely get back out to rebuild and restore Hollow Tree Trail so it is more resilient than ever before.
This trail restoration work exemplifies the future of fire management in public forests. Restored trails will double as fire breaks to reduce combustible fuels in the park, prevent uncontrolled spread of any future wildfires, and improve access for emergency needs.
“We’re proud to be a part of this fire-conscious approach to park management, and stand alongside California State Parks as they improve the outdoor access and safety in this historic area,” said Matt De Young, Executive Director of Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship. “We look forward to reopening these trails so that community members can return to the natural landscapes they love.”
Strong partnerships like the one between California State Parks and SCMTS combine trail and forest restoration work into one initiative to stack multiple benefits for both nature and local communities:
Encourage healthy ecosystems: low-intensity fire improves forest health and restores diversity to treatment areas
Support resilient forests: ongoing fuels management and trails utilized as fire breaks improves forest preparedness for wildfire events
Improve recreation and education: visitors can return to the park to enjoy the renewed trails, and volunteer events encourage responsible stewardship in the long-term
“We’ve worked with the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship team for over 20 years, and are proud to have their trail experts lead the rebuilding of Hollow Tree Trail,” said Chris
Pereira, Roads and Trails Manager for the Santa Cruz District of California State Parks. “Their staff’s superb trail building skills and volunteer coordination will not only help restore this trail, but also inspire hundreds of community members to take an active role in local stewardship.”
Funding for this project comes from the California State Parks, and expands on SCMTS’ donor-funded fire relief work throughout local parks and open spaces. Since the CZU Lightning Fire Complex charred nearly 90,000 acres of the Santa Cruz Mountains in August of 2020, SCMTS’ community has raised over $300,000 to support trail remediation projects in Fall Creek Unit of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and Bonny Doon Ecological Reserve. Following a decade of successful collaboration, this project is the first time that the California State Parks team is financially supporting SCMTS’ trail work to stretch every donor’s dollar.
Following initial work from SCMTS’ professional Trail Crew, SCMTS will begin to host ongoing volunteer events to involve community members in the trail recovery efforts. Events will be open to the public, free to enjoy, and open to all ages and abilities. Interested parties can hear about upcoming events first by subscribing to the organization’s weekly newsletter.
Additional public support is needed to continue the important work of rehabilitating and opening resilient trails for public use. Making a donation via SCMTS’ fire restoration webpage is the best way for members of the public to ensure forests like Big Basin remain resilient and accessible for generations to come.
