By Jazzari Taylor
Nature is a necessity for human health and well-being; access to the outdoors should be a right, but in California – and in Santa Cruz County – it’s more often a luxury. That’s why, on behalf of Latino Outdoors, a national organization that advocates for outdoor equity and access, I urge the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to support and pass the county’s proposed low impact camping areas ordinance.
Santa Cruz County is an internationally recognized destination for outdoor recreation, drawing visitors from all over the world. But the low availability of local campsites means that reservations at popular destinations fill up many months in advance (often within seconds of becoming available) and hotels and vacation rentals often price visitors, especially families and low-income households, out of the opportunity to access our state’s coastline, trail systems, and redwood forests.
For too many Californians, the opportunity to experience nature is out of reach.
As a child, I cherished the moments spent exploring local parks and schoolyards, but exploration of nature beyond that felt like a luxury reserved for rare outings or through organized programming by community groups. My ventures to beaches, public lands and open spaces, though infrequent due to costliness, ignited my passion for the outdoors. Now as an adult, I spend my career working to create affordable ways to reconnect all people with nature.
However, in Santa Cruz County and across California, outdoor access remains a privilege rather than a right.
That’s why I urge the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to support the low impact camping areas ordinance.
By increasing access to affordable campsites, we can bridge the nature gap, expand outdoor equity, and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience the rejuvenating power of the outdoors. We need more campsites, and allowing private landowners to host a small number of them would create new places where locals and visitors alike can get outside in a safe and responsible way while creating a financial incentive for landowners to conserve their lands. It’s not just about recreation; it’s about fostering lifelong connections with nature and the many wonders it inspires to promote environmental stewardship for generations to come.
I am proud to fight for the right of every person to enjoy the benefits of nature, and I urge the Board of Supervisors to pass this ordinance to do the same.
Jazzari Taylor, M.P.A is a Policy Advocate, Equity and the Outdoors, Latino Outdoors.