Huffman to be Honored by California State Parks Foundation

The California State Parks Foundation has named Assemblymember Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, as its 2012 Legacy Award honoree in recognition of his longstanding work protecting and advocating for California’s state parks, the organization announced Wednesday.

Huffman, who represents Novato in the state Legislature, will be presented with the award at a reception in Sacramento on March 20 at the culmination of CSPF’s 10th Annual Park Advocacy Day.

As part of Park Advocacy Day, more than 180 park advocates plan to travel to the Capitol to show their support for state parks in the face of unprecedented closures and threats to California’s state parks system. , just north of Novato, is one of the parks slated for closure.

CSPF will host advocates from around the state as they lobby for state parks funding and new revenues, legislation advancing park protection and more. CSPF is committed to engaging Californians in the active protection and advocacy of their state parks.

CSPF is honoring Huffman for his commitment and leadership on state parks issues.  In his four-year tenure chairing the Assembly's Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, he has brought attention to the funding, policy and structural challenges facing California’s state park system.  Huffman has been a proponent of increasing funding for state parks and was a strong supporter of Proposition 21, the State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010. In 2007, Huffman authored Assembly Bill (AB) 1457, which was sponsored by CSPF, to try to protect state parks from destructive road developments.  In 2011, he again worked with CSPF and authored AB 42 to provide a new tool to help try to keep California’s state parks open.  Now law, AB 42 allows nonprofits to keep state parks open and is a vital tool for ensuring continued, appropriate protection of the critical natural, cultural and historic resources contained in our state parks.    

“Assemblymember Huffman has been a constant and unwavering advocate for California’s state park system,” said CSPF President Elizabeth Goldstein. “He came to the Legislature with personal passion and professional expertise in environmental protection, both of which have added great value to the legislative process throughout his tenure.  Assemblymember Huffman clearly understands the legacy at stake in our state park system and, time and again, has stood up to help defend and save our state parks.  On behalf of the entire movement of state park supporters, we are pleased to recognize the achievements of such a strong and stalwart park advocate in Assemblymember Huffman.”   

Previous winners of the California State Parks Foundation Legacy Award include Senator Sheila Kuehl (2003), Senator Tom Torlakson (2004), Senator Denise Ducheny (2005), Assemblymember Fran Pavley (2004), Assemblymember John Laird (2005), Senator Wes Chesbro (2006), Assemblymember Tom Harman (2006), Assemblymember Pedro Nava (2007), Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (2007), Senator Christine Kehoe (2008), the California Legislative Black Caucus (2008), Congresswoman Susan Davis (2008), State Treasurer Bill Lockyer (2009), and Senator Lois Wolk (2009).   In 2010, CSPF honored park advocates across the state with its newly-inaugurated Grassroots Champion Awards, and in 2011 honored the California Travel Industry Association and John Mott with Grassroots Champion Awards.   

Huffman will receive the Legacy Award as part of CSPF’s Legacy Award Reception at the end of Park Advocacy Day on March 20.  As part of the reception’s program, CSPF will also debut a short multi-media presentation about state parks advocacy featuring interviews and quotes from former Legacy Award winners. 

About Park Advocacy Day
On Tuesday, March 20, the California State Parks Foundation will sponsor the Tenth Annual Park Advocacy Day in Sacramento on behalf of state parks. More than 180 participants from across the state will converge at the Capitol to lobby policymakers on critical issues facing the state park system, including park protection, funding and closures.