California Outdoor Access & Recreation Economy — 2026 Hero
2026 Advocacy Campaign · California Outdoor Access & Recreation Economy

Everyone Belongs in Nature.

Support AB 2578.

A statewide campaign to fund equitable access to California's public lands, invest in the future of outdoor education, support rural gateway communities, and grow the outdoor economy for all communities. Support AB 2578: Outdoor Access and Recreation Economy Act, authored by Assemblymember Chris Rogers!

$87.9B
CA Outdoor Economy
1 in 3
CA youth lack trail access
589,354
Outdoor jobs statewide
AB 2578 Outdoor Access & Recreation Economy Act → 2025–26 Session · Authored by Assemblymember Rogers · Active in Committee
Sign On — AB 2578 Outdoor Access & Recreation Economy Act
Add Your Voice
AB 2578 · 2025–2026 Session

Sign On to Support AB 2578

Add your name and organization to the growing coalition supporting the Outdoor Access and Recreation Economy Act — the legislation that will implement California's commitment to equitable outdoor access for all.

Please email your organization's logo to lexie@californiaoutdoor.org after submitting this form.

Your information will be
shared with the AB 2578 campaign team.

🌲

Thank you for standing with us.

Your support for AB 2578 has been recorded. The campaign team will be in touch with updates as the bill moves through committee. Don't forget to send your logo to lexie@californiaoutdoor.org.

Coalition of Support — AB 2578
Coalition of Support
AB 2578 · 2025–2026 Session

Standing Together
for Equitable Access

The following organizations and businesses have officially signed on in support of AB 2578, the Outdoor Access and Recreation Economy Act — California's commitment to implementation of Outdoors for All.

56 Organizational Supporters
Signed On
AB 2578 Section — California Outdoor Access & Recreation Economy
2026 Priority Legislation
AB 2578 · Authored by Assemblymember Rogers · Active 2025–2026 Session

AB 2578 is the bill to implement and stabilize funding for California's commitment to Outdoors for All

AB 2578 would authorize the California Natural Resources Agency to enter a strategic partnership with a new statewide NGO Outdoor Access Support Organization — unlocking funding, expertise, and resources the state cannot access on its own.

Modeled on the Parks California partnership with State Parks, AB 2578 creates a formal framework for a nonprofit ally to work alongside the Natural Resources Agency and its departments to expand equitable access, grow the recreation economy, and connect all Californians — especially underserved communities — to the state's remarkable public lands.

Nearly half of U.S. states have already created dedicated offices or partnerships to capitalize on the economic and public health benefits of outdoor recreation. AB 2578 positions California to lead — not follow.

Bill Number
AB 2578
Author
Assemblymember Rogers
Code Section
Public Resources Code §526+
What AB 2578 Does
01
Creates an Outdoor Access Partnership
Authorizes the Natural Resources Agency to formally partner with a statewide nonprofit Outdoor Access Support Organization — giving the agency access to fundraising and expertise to implement Outdoors for All.
02
Eliminates Barriers to Recreation Access
Defines "outdoor access" broadly and inclusively — from state and federal parks to public land — and charges the support organization with promoting equitable access for hiking, biking, camping, rock climbing, kayaking, surfing, and more.
03
Grows the Recreation Economy
Directs resources toward outdoor and green jobs, expanded federal-state-local collaboration, and transitioning gateway communities from extractive to recreation-based economies.
04
Centers Equity & Youth Access
Aligns with the Governor's Outdoors for All initiative to prioritize communities that have historically lacked meaningful access — delivering on the promise that California's wild places belong to everyone.
05
Coordinates a Fragmented System
Brings dozens of existing stakeholder partners — currently working in silos across government, NGO, and private sector — into a coherent, coordinated structure that multiplies impact and reduces duplication.
06
Builds a Green Workforce Pipeline
Supports outdoor career pathways in rural gateway communities, aligning with the Governor's Jobs First report and California's broader economic resilience goals for regions in transition.

Why this bill matters now

The Legislature has recognized that California's outdoor economy is a powerhouse — but the state's capacity to grow, coordinate, and equitably deliver on that promise has lagged. AB 2578 fixes that.

Read Full Bill Text →
🏕️
Nearly 50% of U.S. states have already created dedicated outdoor recreation offices within state government to capitalize on outdoor recreation — California needs a structural solution to keep pace and lead.
🌿
Multiple state reports — including the Department of Parks and Recreation's Outdoors for All initiative, the Governor's Jobs First report, and the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force's Joint Strategy — all call for exactly this kind of enhanced coordination and access infrastructure.
📍
Gateway communities across California are ready to transition from mining and timber to recreation-based economies — but need the branding, promotion, and partnership infrastructure this bill would provide.
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57% of California's land — over 51 million acres — is federally owned, making it one of the most federally managed states in the nation. Yet California has no dedicated statewide structure to coordinate access, promotion, or economic development across these lands. AB 2578 creates the nonprofit partner needed to fill that gap, ensuring California communities and visitors can fully benefit from the trails, forests, deserts, and coastlines managed by the BLM, U.S. Forest Service, and National Park Service.
🧭
1 in 3 California youth has never accessed a trail. A structural, well-resourced outdoor access organization is essential to close that gap — not just in state parks, but across every public and private landscape in the state.
Stage 1
Introduced
Stage 2
Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife
Stage 3 · Current
Assembly Appropriations
Stage 4
Assembly Floor
Stage 5
Senate Committee on Natural Resources
Stage 6
Senate Appropriations
Stage 7
Senate Floor
Stage 8
Governor's Desk