Reclaiming Nature: State Agencies Partner with Black-Led Groups Aiming to Expand Access, Belonging

Black-led organizations across California are reclaiming outdoor spaces and challenging the historical erasure of Black Americans from environmental narratives through community programs, leadership development, and land stewardship initiatives. Groups like Outdoor Afro and Black Girls Hike are creating welcoming outdoor experiences that reconnect Black communities with nature while emphasizing that this relationship has always existed, rooted in traditions of fishing, hunting, camping, and gardening. California state agencies are supporting these efforts by building career pathways into public land management and working to ensure diverse representation among park staff and decision-makers.