2022
Annual Report
Everyone & everything has a story. Crystal Cove State Park is no different.
From the stories that have been passed down by former residents of the Historic District and those before us who trekked through the 2,400 acres of backcountry, stories live deep within the roots of these lands. As Crystal Cove Conservancy moves forward with the mission of protecting and preserving Crystal Cove State Park, we’ll continue to not only build on these stories, but add to them by creating opportunities for the present and future generations.
Parks are meant to be enjoyed by all people, no matter their background, and we’ve made it our mission to give everyone a chance to see themselves as part of the Crystal Cove story. Through special events like the Speaker Series bringing incredible voices to the historic Japanese Language School, the Natural Resource Summer Internship for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and first-generation college students paving the way for students interested in environmental careers, K-12 STEM education programs that help serve under-resourced Title 1 schools, and the North Beach Restoration Project breathing new life into the Historic Cottages of Crystal Cove, we’ve been able to reach more individuals of all ages than ever before.
Land Acknowledgement
The place we call Crystal Cove State Park is located on the traditional and unceded lands and waters of the Acjachemen and Tongva Tribal Nations. Public lands carry with them a problematic history. Orange County’s began with the forced removal of these Indigenous Tribal Nations from their rightful land. As we work in partnership with Tribal members today, we hope that our collaborative work will uplift the voices and spirits of everyone dedicated to the protection of this place.
2022 by the Numbers
Protect
park visitors in 2022.
3 North Beach Cottages restored, 5 underway, and 9 to go.
6 natural resource summer interns monitoring recovery from the Emerald Fire.
Preserve
11,000 students participating in Crystal Cove Conservancy’s field trips and virtual programs.
170 stewardship volunteers restoring 2 sites in the backcountry and planting 1 native plant garden at Crystal Cove.
641 insects counted by fifth grade students at the Bowl restoration site.
176 butterflies of 22 different species counted by volunteers.
Owl limpets measured by
Orange Coast College students.
Letter from the CEO
I’ve spent a lot of time listening to stories around campfires in my life – drifting off to sleep with four friends in a two-person tent, as we tried to listen to our teachers’ stories. Fighting to stay awake in front of the campfire as my dad read from the paperback he kept in his saddlebag. Exhausted from parenting in the wild, telling stories in hushed tones with friends to keep sleeping children asleep.
I don’t spend as much time listening to stories around campfires anymore, but I’m not sure it was ever really about the campfires – it was about the place. Places like Crystal Cove State Park. Stories have defined Crystal Cove for years, centuries, eons. The stories passed down by the Acjachemen and Tongva people – in Moro Canyon, along Los Trancos Creek. Stories told around campfires made by ranchers – as cowboys warm their coffee before sunup. Summer tent campers – sharing dinners, stories – life – around the fire. The portable campfires dotting the beach as I write this, half-ringed with people creating memories that will become their stories.
Sometimes I struggle to describe our work because parks have countless possibilities – countless ways for people to untether. The simple act of freeing yourself from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and allowing yourself to be swept away into a uniquely beautiful landscape. Parks are a fantastic universe in themselves. Somewhere, someplace, they offer something for everyone.
So, why does the Conservancy’s work matter?
It depends on who you ask – a hiker, a beachgoer, a tribal member, a student – they would all tell you something different. For over two decades, we’ve been dedicated to preserving Crystal Cove’s storied past to honor those who came before us, working to create a welcoming place that allows everyone who visits today to connect with the park, and providing educational opportunities that are cultivating the park people of tomorrow.
The next time you find yourself in the park, look around at what you’ve done. It’s what I do – seeing a student’s face light up at the tidepools or volunteers heading out on the trails for a stewardship event – I think about how your support made this happen and it means the world.
See you around the park,
Kate Wheeler
President & CEO
OUR MISSION
Together with our State Park partners, our mission is to restore the park, educate our future environmental leaders, and protect Crystal Cove, and places like it, for generations to come.
North Beach Cottages
Preserving the historic coastal treasures found in the Crystal Cove Historic District.
There’s no doubt that the Historic District’s Beach Cottages are some of Crystal Cove’s most iconic attractions. Whether you’ve rented a cottage for the weekend, knew someone who owned a cottage, or if you were one of the lucky individuals to live in a cottage, each beachside retreat has its own story. The North Beach Restoration Project continues to restore the last 17 unrestored cottages in the park, providing more opportunities for visitors to add to their Crystal Cove story.
Anyone who has visited Crystal Cove, or even read about it, knows the cottages are the perfect beachside getaway, but that’s just one reason why the restoration project is so special. Protecting and preserving these cottages also means we are bringing memories back to life for those who hold them near and dear.
Bud Carter and his family were once the owners of Cottage #7. The Carter family story begins in 1939 when Bud’s mother and father bought the lease and since then, four generations called that cottage and Crystal Cove home.
Over the course of about 60 years, the Carter family enjoyed idyllic beachside gatherings, raising families at the Cove, and even hosting the wedding of Bud’s daughter Diane when she married John Adamson, who is currently one of the friendly faces seen at Cottage Check-in. Diane and John would go on to raise their son Tristen in the same cottage, where his growth measurements are still marked on the interior of the bedroom door.
Bud passed away in December, but seeing the work on Cottage #7 take place during his lifetime and knowing North Beach will one day reopen brought Bud comfort in his last days, and reminded his family of memories they deeply cherish.
It’s stories like these that make Crystal Cove a special place that is worth protecting and preserving. With a new coat of red paint, Cottage #7 is shining brighter than ever and one step closer to becoming a new cherished memory for more families.
Throughout 2022, the North Beach Restoration Project has continued to make significant progress, and we are preparing to open the first three cottages adding five new overnight rental units for public use. The Conservancy is working to finalize the last tranche of funding needed to complete the project, bringing to completion a unique funding structure that combines community support with foundation grants, philanthropic pledges, earned revenue, and significant investments from California State Parks.
Educate
PreservING 4,000 acres of unique habitat by inspiring future environmental stewards.
As The Conservancy continues working to preserve the historic, natural and cultural resources of Crystal Cove State Park, we often find ourselves looking towards the future and the stories that are still to be written. With a growing slate of education programs, our goal is to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards, as they form their own personal stories and connections with the natural world.
Our K-12 STEM education programs give students the opportunity to fall in love with the natural world while building the science skills they need. Over 10,000 students participated in Crystal Cove education programs in 2022. Whether they head out to sea aboard a fishing vessel to monitor the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area or work alongside scientists to investigate the best way to help native seedlings grow, students are learning science by doing science.
Our programs provide a gateway into the world of environmental science, but our educational opportunities continue for students even after high school graduation. In 2022, we expanded one of our newest initiatives, the Natural Resource Summer Internship for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and first-generation college students. The Natural Resources Summer Internship was funded by Parks California to open doors and pave career pathways for students with limited resources. These internships help young adults achieve their goals by gaining important experience needed for an environmentally focused career.
This year’s interns participated in a 10-week program where they dedicated approximately 150 hours to working on vegetation monitoring and wildlife trail camera research, all while working with mentors in the environmental field, participating in professional development workshops, and learning about park careers. After the program wrapped, 100% of the interns reported that they felt like they received relevant experience that would allow them to be a competitive candidate in the job market and were interested in pursuing a job in the natural resources field.
Education Programs
BELOW IS A CURRENT LIST OF THE CONSERVANCY’S EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT IMMERSE STUDENTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AT CRYSTAL COVE STATE PARK.
Trouble with Trash
Grade Level: K-2
During the multi-week program, students become trash engineers as they work together to design a solution to keep the Park beaches clean.
Explore at Home
Grade Level: 3-5
These short investigations invite learners to explore the outdoors from home or school by making observations out a window, sketching in a nature journal, or taking a family walk.
Project Crystal
Grade Level: 5
The multi-week program introduces students to plant ecology and ecosystem interactions as they work alongside UC Irvine scientists to investigate restoration strategies.
Project Crystal Code
Grade Level: 7
During this 10-session program, students investigate the role that microbiomes, decomposition, and the carbon cycle play in restoration.
Marine Protected Area Exploration
Grade Level: 7-12
This program allows students to help scientists study the Crystal Cove Marine Protected Area by boat as they anchor off-shore and explore how communities can use science communication to protect our oceans.
Coastal Dynamics
Grade Level: 7-12
High school students step into the shoes of coastal engineers as they determine how the Park’s beaches are changing over time by building computer models to show coastal changes and explore possible solutions.
Environmental Challenges
Grade Level: 7-12
Students dive into ecological monitoring projects and help to analyze recent data through this free series. Students make predictions, collect data, and use various data analysis techniques.
Fire Ecology Internship
Grade Level: 9-12
High schoolers are invited to help researchers, land managers and Conservancy staff to investigate how wildfires are affecting Orange County’s landscapes, while exploring careers in environmental science.
Stewardship Saturdays
Grade Level: Ages 8 & Up
The public is invited to work alongside Conservancy and Park staff on restoration projects throughout Crystal Cove State Park during these monthly events.
Natural Resources Summer Internship
Grade Level: Undergraduate & Graduate
During a 10-week program, interns are assigned to specific monitoring projects throughout the Park, tasked with developing a project proposal, meeting with key stakeholders, and developing a final report.
FINANCIALS
Our supporters help make an impact on the important work we do to protect and preserve Crystal Cove by opening their homes, attending special events and enjoying park amenities.
For any organization, a solid community is a key to success when it comes to reaching goals, and for more than two decades the support from the Cove Community has allowed us to continue our mission of protecting and preserving Crystal Cove.
Earlier this year, Stephanie and Ken Grody generously opened the doors of their home to Conservancy supporters to learn more about The Conservancy’s new engineering programs and the critical need to spark students’ interest in the subject. Conservancy CEO, Kate Wheeler, and Dean of the Samueli School of Engineering at UCI, Magnus Egerstedt, shared their vision for a collaborative approach to the development of a kindergarten – college environmental engineering program to complement The Conservancy’s K-12 environmental science programs.
In 2022, we re-engaged with our community and partners by reigniting in-person programming with events such as our Speaker Series, Holiday Bazaar, Stewardship Saturdays and Plein-Air Art classes. We are grateful for our partners including California State Parks, Sacred Places Institute and University of California, Irvine, all of whom helped us to remember the past and inspire the future.
Our Speaker Series returned with an event hosted on July 14 that shared the rich history of Crystal Cove with impactful speakers including author Janice Munemitsu, California State Parks Historian Blythe Wilson, and special guest Sandra Mendez Duran.
The 20th Annual Birds of a Feather Soirée welcomed over 200 sponsors and supporters, while raising a record $618,000 in support of the Conservancy’s STEM education programs at Crystal Cove State Park.
Because of The Conservancy’s unique role as both the nonprofit partner and concessionaire for the park, revenue earned at Crystal Cove State Park—from cottage rentals, purchases from the Park Store, and meals from the Shake Shack or Beachcomber—isn’t taken out as corporate profits and dividends, but instead benefits Park operations and programs. The unique partnership between Crystal Cove Conservancy, California State Parks and Crystal Cove Management Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Conservancy, ensures the natural resources of Crystal Cove State Park will be preserved for generations to come.
Cove Community
For any organization, a solid community is a key to success when it comes to reaching goals, and for more than two decades the support from the Cove Community has allowed us to continue our mission of protecting and preserving Crystal Cove.
Earlier this year, Stephanie and Ken Grody generously opened the doors of their home to Conservancy supporters to learn more about The Conservancy’s new engineering programs and the critical need to spark students’ interest in the subject. Conservancy CEO, Kate Wheeler, and Dean of the Samueli School of Engineering at UCI, Magnus Egerstedt, shared their vision for a collaborative approach to the development of a kindergarten – college environmental engineering program to complement The Conservancy’s K-12 environmental science programs.
Special Event Support
In 2022, we re-engaged with our community and partners by reigniting in-person programming with events such as our Speaker Series, Holiday Bazaar, Stewardship Saturdays and Plein-Air Art classes. We are grateful for our partners including California State Parks, Sacred Places Institute and University of California, Irvine, all of whom helped us to remember the past and inspire the future.
Our Speaker Series returned with an event hosted on July 14 that shared the rich history of Crystal Cove with impactful speakers including author Janice Munemitsu, California State Parks Historian Blythe Wilson, and special guest Sandra Mendez Duran.
The 20th Annual Birds of a Feather Soirée welcomed over 200 sponsors and supporters, while raising a record $618,000 in support of the Conservancy’s STEM education programs at Crystal Cove State Park.
Special Event Support
In 2022, we re-engaged with our community and partners by reigniting in-person programming with events such as our Speaker Series, Holiday Bazaar, Stewardship Saturdays and Plein-Air Art classes. We are grateful for our partners including California State Parks, Sacred Places Institute and University of California, Irvine, all of whom helped us to remember the past and inspire the future.
Our Speaker Series returned with an event hosted on July 14 that shared the rich history of Crystal Cove with impactful speakers including author Janice Munemitsu, California State Parks Historian Blythe Wilson, and special guest Sandra Mendez Duran.
The 20th Annual Birds of a Feather Soirée welcomed over 200 sponsors and supporters, while raising a record $618,000 in support of the Conservancy’s STEM education programs at Crystal Cove State Park.
Cottages and Concessions Revenue
Because of The Conservancy’s unique role as both the nonprofit partner and concessionaire for the park, revenue earned at Crystal Cove State Park—from cottage rentals, purchases from the Park Store, and meals from the Shake Shack or Beachcomber—isn’t taken out as corporate profits and dividends, but instead benefits Park operations and programs. The unique partnership between Crystal Cove Conservancy, California State Parks and Crystal Cove Management Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Conservancy, ensures the natural resources of Crystal Cove State Park will be preserved for generations to come.
Every Dollar Makes A Difference
Program Expenses
0
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Management & General
0
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Fundraising
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Thank You to Our Cove Community
The Historic Beach Cottages at Crystal Cove date back to the 1920s, when a community of visitors built beachside residences that would be enjoyed for generations. In 1979, the land that is now Crystal Cove State Park, then owned by the Irvine Company, was sold to California State Parks and National Register of Historic Places status was secured for the entire Historic District. Today, the Crystal Cove beach cottages are the last remaining intact example of the vernacular architecture style that was prevalent in California’s early 20th century beach communities, allowing visitors to step back into a bygone era. The restoration of the cottages and our work in education and the environment would not be possible without you – the individual supporters, the families and family foundations, our neighbors and our friends. YOU are the catalyst for all of it.
Thanks to our donors who allow us to continue the Crystal Cove story by giving generously throughout the year and believing in our mission of protecting & preserving Crystal Cove.
The Conservancy Team
BOARD
- Teddie Ray, Chair
- Doug Le Bon, Chair
- Richard Swinney, Secretary
- Eric Smyth, Treasurer
- Al Bennett, At-Large Member, Mission Driven
- Sara Lowell, At-Large Member
- Caleb Silsby, At-Large Member
- Anie Aklian Robinson
- Alan Bedekar
- Glenn Bozarth
- Nathan Chiaverini
- Jeffrey Cole
- Laura Davick, Founder
- Gavin Herbert
- Mara Murray
- Stephanie Quesada
- Jerry Scheck
- Shelley B. Thunen
STAFF
- Kate Wheeler, President & CEO
- Dan Gee, President, Crystal Cove Management Company
- Austin Barrow, Chief Operating Officer
- Charlie Van Vechten, Chief Advancement Officer
- John Adamson
- Vera Aslami
- Charley Baker
- Chris Beiro
- Erin Broughton
- Ariel Brown
- Kevin Bugna
- Brent Castanon
- Desi Chalmers
- Janis Cole
- Carlos Collins
- Jordan Diemert
- Georges Edouard
- Holly Fletcher
- Gregory Foulkes
- Randy Gamache
- Carter Ghere
- Charlotte Hauenstein
- Laura Lanzi
- Thanh Le
- Sara Ludovise
- Kaitlin Magliano
- Sabrina Medina
- Omar Mejia
- Jennifer Mendez
- Cindy Otto
- Jesse Perez-Razo
- Tara Peszt
- Charles Rollins
- Andy Schoembs
- Judi Simon
- Tom Taylor
- Angelo Tuble
- Erick Valdez
- Elle Wallstein
- Chelsea Webb
- Christian Williams
- Susan Woodworth
- Matt Yrad
- Melissa Zelaya
STATE PARK REPRESENTATIVE
Kevin Pearsall, Coastal District Superintendent V, Orange Coast District, California State Parks