The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors has voted to take on Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park, which was slated for closure, for at least one year.
The Times-Standard reports the county's public works department has a plan to operate the park in partnership with the California Department of Parks and Recreation and the Save the Redwoods League. We are talking virgin redwoods, nearly 460 acres' worth, along State Route 36 between Fortuna and Bridgeville.
State parks' staff will retain some park responsibilities, but county staff would be responsible for conducting day-to-day operations, like trail maintenance and fee collection.
The county will chip in an estimated $95,000. Save the Redwoods is tossing in $20,000, plus $40,000 in settlement funds with the county to develop a plan for keeping the park open beyond 12 months.
You can bet the supervisors were talking about the park's contribution to local tourism (a topic The California Report covered in our special series, "On the Rocks.") In the same meeting last night, the supervisors also approved a proposal to create a Humboldt County Tourism Business Improvement District.