Nonprofit Launches PSAs in Effort to Stop State Park Closures

The California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) has launched a series of television public service announcements (PSAs) in an effort to call attention to the planned closure of many California state parks. 

The videos aim to alert the public that state plans to close 25 percent of its state parks, according to a news release from the California State Parks Foundation.

“Park closures aren’t just a possibility, they’re a reality,” said CSPF president Elizabeth Goldstein in a news release. “The state has already closed some parks and is planning to close more. It has taken citizens over 100 years to build this world class system of parks, yet budget cuts are quickly eroding that legacy. The people of California must be informed about this crisis before it’s too late.”  

The PSAs, which carry the tagline ‘Defend What’s Yours’, were shot in three state parks on the closure list: Jug Handle State Natural Reserve, Hendy Woods State Park, and Garrapata State Park.

As the largest nonprofit dedicated to state parks in California, CSPF is fighting to keep them open and available to the public. Through the Defend What’s Yours effort, CSPF has developed a full online campaign, including the launch of a new crowd-funded campaign with IndieGoGo.

The PSAs are the creative brainchild of the team at Nice Advertising and feature cinematography from filmmaker Josh Murphy of Unparalleled Productions, both based in San Francisco. The Spanish version PSAs feature the voice of David Cruz, former television anchor of KNBC-TV in Los Angeles and current syndicated news talk anchor of the David Cruz Show on Clear Channel Radio Network. 

The California State Parks Foundation is asking Californians to watch the videos and then get involved by visiting calparks.org/defend and following these simple steps:

• Be a defender
• Spread the word
• Volunteer in parks
• Join CSPF to support solutions to keep parks open

“These parks belong to each and every one of us and we need all Californians to take this fight on as their own,” said Goldstein.

More information about the Defend What’s Yours public awareness outreach movement can be found on CSPF’s website, calparks.org.