Crystal Cove Conservancy

Programs: Field trip:crystal cove conservancy (the conservancy) develops partnerships, raises funds for direct support, recruits and manages volunteers and interns, and develops innovative citizen science programming that supports protection of the parks 2,700 acres terrestrial and 1,100 acres marine protected area habitat. The conservancys high school marine protected area citizen science cruise allows over 2,000 students to contribute to research activities at university of california, irvine (uci), california department of health, and crystal cove state park. Students using digital fishing rods, for example, conduct vertical video transects of kelp forests as part of a uci study on kelp forest fish abundance and diversity. The conservancy also manages a working marine field lab - the park & marine research facility by coordinating research partnerships with over a dozen university and research agencies. In january 2014, the the conservancy-funded berns environmental study loop opened at moro canyon offering a new amphitheater, fire pit, student staging pavilion, and mile ada-approved trail with 8 citizen science teaching stations. For the berns environmental study loop, the conservancy has developed a suite of innovative citizen science programs, exhibits, social media campaigns, and volunteer programs for k-12, public, and after school audiences.

park education:the conservancy supports the development, testing, and dissemination of innovative educational programs, exhibits, brochures, online resources for k-12, public and after-school audiences. The conservancy offers more than 20 education programs, which are divided into three themes: a) snap! (science and nature in the park) which connects visitors to research in the park; b) arts in the park which builds on the 90-year tradition of plein-air artists celebrating the beauty of the landscapes and seascapes; and c) living history which offers visitors the opportunity to re-live a part of crystal coves colorful past. Our education and outreach programs celebrate both the serious and the fun side of crystal cove and are all directed at building a new generation of informed citizens that will value and protect our coastal environment. The conservancy also focuses on bringing both underserved and non-traditional audiences to crystal cove and to support the broad educational goals of the california state park system. The conservancy operates an interpretive store with materials and goods that support the parks interpretive plan. The conservancy's educational programs impact 2 million park visitors, 135,000, of which, participate directly in programs or services; the conservancy and california state parks annually hosts over 15,000 k-12 students in educational programs.

restoration and preservation:the conservancy supports restoration efforts for 46 historic beach cottage structures listed on the national historic registry - within the crystal cove state park historic district. Restoration will significantly expand public access to one of orange countys premier coastal destinations, annually hosting over 1,000,000 visitors per year. Phase i, completed in 2006, successfully restored, preserved, and made available for public use, 22 historic buildings. The successful project was awarded the prestigious 2007 governors award for historic preservation. In early 2010, the conservancy successfully completed a $6. 7m campaign to fund phase ii restoration. The conservancy managed architectural and engineering drawings, permits, and fiscal oversight of the restoration project that opened on-time and on-budget in the fall of 2011. Phase ii restoration includes a new education commons, beaches film and media center, additional public overnight rentals, additional park operations space, new public restrooms, and six re-constructed historic garages. The conservancy has begun design development and permitting activities and is in the quiet phase of fund-raising for phase iii restoration, the final 17 historic structures within the historic district. The conservancy oversees the concession operation that hosts over 25,000 visitors per year in mid-century overnight experiences in restored historic cottages.