2 Land Trust Deals Means New State Park In Santa Cruz Mountains
SAN JOSE (AP) -- Two land trusts have sold a 535-acre tract of redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains to the state parks system, under a deal that they also provide staff and maintenance to help the cash-strapped department.
Palo Alto-based Peninsula Open Space Trust and the Sempervirens Fund have created a $1.3 million endowment for improvements and maintenance at the park, called Little Basin Redwoods State Park.
Little Basin used to be a retreat for Hewlett Packard employees.
A nonprofit company will take reservations and staff the park, meaning the state will not have to hire new rangers.
There are 36 camp sites, 14 cabins and a fishing lake at the park.
The deal is a new economic model for the state parks system, which has reduced hours and has a $1.2 million maintenance backlog.
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