Laura Davick
Laura’s parents met as campers at Crystal Cove in 1937, and moved into Cottage #2 in 1961 when Laura was a year old. A third generation “Coveite,” she has dedicated her life to protecting and preserving this unique place. In 1999, using the leadership skills and entrepreneurial spirit she had developed as a business owner, she founded the non-profit Alliance to Rescue Crystal Cove, now Crystal Cove Conservancy. Laura has been a formidable force on many fronts at the Cove, including both environmental protection and historic preservation. She has crawled through pipes to prove that runoff from a nearby development was polluting the waters of the Cove, and she led the fight to prevent the historic cottages from becoming a luxury resort.
The original Alliance to Rescue Crystal Cove played a pivotal role in persuading the State to abandon the luxury resort plan by raising public awareness through an alliance of State Parks officials, community leaders and other interested groups. After four years of work, the California State Park Commission and the California Coastal Commission adopted the Preservation and Public Use Plan in 2003 that preserves the historic cottages in the Historic District for interpretive and overnight public uses. When this plan was adopted, the Alliance to Rescue Crystal Cove transitioned into the organization that preceded The Conservancy, Crystal Cove Alliance, and efforts shifted from rescue to restoration, education, and interpretation. In 2003, through Laura’s efforts, the organization was named “the official Cooperating Association benefiting the Crystal Cove State Park Historic District.” This contractual relationship, (extended an additional 30 years to 2056) allows The Conservancy to work diligently with State Parks as their public benefit partner in the Historic District.