Southeast Greenway Honored by California State Parks

The Santa Rosa Southeast Greenwayhas been recognized with a prestigious 2025 Acquisition Merit Award from the California Trails & Greenways Awards Program, an honor that highlights the success of a 15-year grassroots effort to transform a long-vacant, 47-acre corridor into a vibrant public green space.

The award acknowledges the collaborative work that led to the City of Santa Rosa’s acquisition of the Greenway property, which connects Spring Lake Park and Farmers Lane, from the California Transportation Commission in 2024. Key partners in this milestone included Sonoma Land Trust, the City of Santa Rosa, and Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District, which contributed $1 million toward the acquisition. More than 30 community organizations and 400 individuals also donated over $800,000.

On April 23, volunteer leaders Mary Pierce and Sue Field accepted the honor on behalf of the Southeast Greenway Campaign at an awards ceremony at the California Trails & Greenways conference in Pomona.

“This award underscores the power of community-led vision and partnership,” said Field. “Southeast Greenway volunteers had a vision of building a more connected, healthy and sustainable Santa Rosa, and their work paid off. With this spotlight, other cities might be inspired by our accomplishment.”

Sponsored by California State Parks, California Trails & Greenways has celebrated trail and greenway achievements for over 40 years. Ten awards were given in categories including planning, development, kids and trails, and innovation designed to engage underserved communities.

The conference featured other successful projects such as the Santa Cruz Coastal Trail, the Tracks at Brea Western Expansion, and planned improvements in Laguna Canyon—all offering innovative ideas and funding strategies that may inform future Southeast Greenway development.