Redwood Parks' Partners

Our Partners Are Vital

Redwood National and State Parks is a unique partnership between the National Park Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation. In 1994, three state parks—Jedediah Smith, Del Norte Coast, and Prairie Creek—joined with Redwood National Park to co-manage adjacent lands, staffing, and visitor services. Together, we oversee 120,000 acres of forested land, including 45% of the world’s remaining old-growth redwoods.

We collaborate with various organizations, tribes, and private groups that officially partner with us to support day-to-day park operations, management, and long-term preservation for future generations.

How Do Partnerships Help Us?

• Non-Profit Organizations: Some of our not-for-profit partners provide staffing for visitor programs, operate visitor center bookstores, and fund free park publications like the Redwood Visitor Guide and Junior Ranger booklets. Their financial support is essential for maintaining and expanding visitor services in the parks.

• Academic Institutions: Universities and colleges partner with us to offer internships, seasonal employment opportunities, and complete resource projects. They also contribute to a wealth of online resources, making valuable information more accessible to the public.

• Resource Management Agencies and Tribal Governments: We maintain close partnerships with other resource management agencies and tribal governments. These relationships go beyond legal requirements; they bring together expertise, skills, and shared experiences that lead to successful resource management projects and outcomes extending far beyond the park boundaries.

• Environmental Groups: Even before the creation of the redwood parks, environmental groups played a critical role in preserving the redwoods. Since 1918, these groups have purchased tens of thousands of acres of old-growth forests, later donating them to state and federal governments for protection.

• Local Community Collaborations: We work closely with local chambers of commerce, visitor bureaus, schools, museums, and zoos to bring the redwood park experience to communities and events. These partnerships highlight the parks' economic, cultural, and natural value to Del Norte and Humboldt counties.

• Private Sector Involvement: Private businesses, corporations, contractors, and neighboring forestry companies play a crucial role in our forest restoration programs and wildlife reintroduction projects.

These partnerships are essential to the success of Redwood National and State Parks, ensuring that we protect and preserve these remarkable lands for future generations.

More About Our Partners.

Redwood Parks Conservancy (RPC)
RPC is our formal co-operating association. What they do is essential for "keeping our doors open". They are the only fundraising partner we have. RPC operates the parks' book stores and co-ordinates fundraising efforts for many government public-lands sites throughout Northern California. All profits from redwood parks' bookstores goes directly to supporting the parks' educational, interpretive and visitor programs.

An example of their role: each year RPC pays for more than 70,000 visitor guide newspapers and 13,000 junior ranger booklets to be printed and then given out for free at our five visitor centers.

Save The Redwoods League (STRL)
This is a citizens organization that for 100 years has been purchasing old-growth redwood forests and then donating them to the state and federal government. The STRL advocates for redwood conservation across Northern California, provides educational programs for the public, promotes and funds science and redwood ecosystem research, and is a full partner in the 21st century forest / habitat restoration programs within Redwood National and State Parks.

Klamath Network Inventory and Monitoring Program (I&M)
This national park service program is based in Ashland, Oregon and serves seven park units in the Northern California / Southern Oregon region. The Klamath Network collects scientifically credible data that tracks the condition of each park’s most important resources—its “vital signs. Park managers can rely on I&M for both data and expertise in protecting the natural treasures set aside for all of us to enjoy.

Youth Conservation Corps (YCC)
The purpose of the YCC is to introduce young adults to the National Park Service mission and how our cultural and natural resources are managed. Redwood National and State Parks has a proud and long history of working with YCC crews.

Watershed Stewards Program (WSP)
Their mission is to conserve, restore, and enhance salmon and trout watersheds in California. Staff and members of the WSP have collaborated to present education, restoration, and volunteer events at Redwood National and State Parks.

Humboldt State University (HSU)
With the campus in Arcata, CA this university is located in the ideal place to provide a wide range of academic and cultural experiences, skills, talents and connections with the redwood parks. HSU students and faculty work closely with park staff in the academic fields, as well as collaborating with creating interpretive exhibits, on-line products, archival work, field trips, careers and outreach.

Community, Museums, Zoos
In 2018 to help celebrate Redwood National Park's 50th anniversary, we leveraged our time, staff and skills by partnering with different community organizations with related missions. Throughout the year worked with the Morris Graves Museum of Art, Sequoia Park Zoo, Clarke Museum and the Trinidad Museum Society to provide a range of educational and artistic opportunities in our communities. These anniversary events related to the human, artistic, and cultural stories of the park - as much as the park's natural history.

Chambers of Commerce and Local Bureaus.
We have partnerships and park representatives in positions on assorted boards in Del Norte and Humboldt Counties. We all realize that redwood parks are the main driver of the multi-million dollar tourist economy. The parks' seek appropriate ways to help bring visitors to the area by working together with bureaus to create accurate county trip-planning information across a variety of platforms and publications. We work with the bureaus to share the mission and values of the parks' and thus encourage enjoyable, sustainable and frequent visits.

California Coastal Commission (CCC)
With forty miles of coastline, Redwood National and State Parks work alongside the CCC. Also, there are Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) just off-shore from some of our most heavily used visitor centers and campgrounds. We collaborate on management, planning and educational projects with the CA Coastal Commission.