California Forever: The Story of California State Parks Suggested Station Member Guide Text

“You can’t have a developed society and culture without memory and our state parks preserve the memory: the memory of who we were naturally before we even arrived; the memory of nature; and the memory of our social and cultural experience. We define ourselves as a people, an American people, now a global people and in part, in significant measure through our state parks.” -- Kevin Starr, Professor of History & Author - University of Southern California and Librarian of California (emeritus) California’s memories are captured in its treasured state parks. But who discovered the parks? Who had the foresight to capture these memories resulting in the state park system? How did California’s state parks evolve into the largest state park system in the country? And how will challenges and obstacles today affect the future of California’s state parks and other protected lands across the country? Those answers can be found in the inspiring film California Forever , written and directed by Academy Award-nominee David Vassar. Producers Sally Kaplan and David Vassar conceived the idea for the film while watching the battle between conservationists and developers over the proposed Orange County Toll Road which would have paved over a portion of San Onofre State Beach. David and Sally felt compelled to tell the story of California’s State Parks as a way to remind viewers of these parks and their value. The result is a beautiful, engaging and visually stunning story of California’s state parks. The two-part special highlights the discovery and creation of California’s state parks system and celebrates the individuals and groups whose passion and commitment helped preserve and protect them for future generations. It takes viewers on a scenic, cultural and historical tour of California’s state parks highlighting the people, key events and locales that made California history. The episode begins with the discovery of the giant sequoias in 1852 by Augustus T. Dowd and recounts the establishment of California’s first state park, Yosemite. Included are the coast redwoods, Big Sur, Point Lobos, Hearst Castle, Lake Tahoe and the Anza-Borrego Desert. California Forever presents the very real challenges that state parks are currently facing in California. Among these are habitat destruction by overuse; protection of native species at the expense of recreation; reclaiming industrial brown fields to create new parks in dense urban areas; establishing historic sites that commemorate people and events from diverse cultures; and imminent park closures. The film resonates on a national and international level as California’s State Parks inspired the creation of the National Park Service and the protection of wilderness around the globe. Today, one hundred eighty- seven nations, in addition to the United States have national parks and equivalent reserves totaling twelve and a half percent of the earth. And that lasting legacy can be traced back to Yosemite and California.

An Official Selection at the International Wildlife Film Festival, California Forever received the award for Best Educational Program in 2011. It also was selected for screenings at the 2011 American Conservation Film Festival, the 2012 Wild & Scenic Film Festival and the 2012

Environmental Film Festival of Washington, D.C. Point Lobos State Natural Preserve Frame from PBS documentary - California Forever copyright 2011 - Backcountry Pictures To view the trailer, click here . Please visit http://bit.ly/KQED-CA4 for press photos and additional information.