California’s parks and protected lands are places where nature, culture and community come together. Through the Arts in California Parks grants program, community and nonprofit organizations bring creative experiences into outdoor spaces, helping people build deeper relationships with the land and with stewardship.
One 2024 grantee, American River Conservancy, demonstrates how art and conservation can work hand in hand.
About American River Conservancy
American River Conservancyprotects healthy ecosystems in the upper American River and Cosumnes River watersheds on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. As a land trust, the organization has protected more than 30,000 acres of watershed lands.
They also manage trails, hosts environmental education programs and steward culturally significant places like Wakamatsu Farm, a 272-acre state and national historic landmark and the site of the first Japanese Colony in America. Each year, they connect thousands of people of all ages to nature and history through environmental education, hands-on stewardship and numerous public events.
All American River Conservancy lands are located within the ancestral homelands of the Miwok, Nisenan and Washoe peoples. American River Conservancy actively works with tribal partners to support land stewardship, cultural access and education rooted in respect and collaboration. The organization completed the first successful transfer of ancestral lands in El Dorado County to the Native-led conservation nonprofit Cosumnes Culture and WaterWays in 2025.
RIPE AREA: Art of Native Plants Festival
With support from Arts in California Parks, American River Conservancy partnered with Myrtle Tree Arts to host RIPE AREA: Art of Native Plants Festival at Wakamatsu Farm. The event brought together more than 1,100 visitors for a day that celebrated native plants through creative expression and shared learning.
More than 100 artists, educators, performers, volunteers and partners shared music, dance, storytelling, demonstrations and workshops inspired by California’s native flora and riparian ecosystems. Throughout the day, visitors explored Wakamatsu Farm’s gardens and trails while learning about the importance of native plants. More than 1,000 native plants and countless seeds were shared to help these lessons take root beyond the festival.
A Community Effort
The festival builds on a long-standing partnership between American River Conservancy and Myrtle Tree Arts. Together, they use arts to engage people in environmental learning and strengthen connections between community and land.
As part of the grant program, Arts in California Parks supported artist stipends, operations, materials and free public admission for the festival, ensuring it was accessible to all.
Participants shared that the event strengthened their sense of stewardship and creating a deeper appreciation for native plants and local landscapes.
Support Arts in Our Parks
American River Conservancy reflects what Arts in California Parks is designed to support — creative projects that connect people to place while honoring culture and environmental knowledge.
Find out how through partnerships like this, American River Conservancy and Arts in California Parks are helping ensure California’s public lands remain places of learning, connection and care — now and for generations to come.