Friday, April 11, 2025

$4.25 Million RESTORE Program Launches to Rebuild Parks and Trails After January Wildfires

In the aftermath of the devastating January 2025 wildfires, the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District (RPOSD) is proud to announce the launch of the RESTORE Program (Recovery and Emergency Support for Trails, Open Space, and Recreation), a $4.25 million initiative to support the recovery and rebuilding of public parks, trails, and open spaces in the hardest-hit communities across Los Angeles County.

RESTORE provides targeted, non-competitive grants to cities, agencies, and nonprofit landowners to help restore damaged recreation infrastructure, repair trails, reforest open spaces, and implement best practices in wildfire resilience. The funding also supports planning and technical assistance that will help these jurisdictions compete for future Measure A grants and catalyze investment.

“The January wildfires were devastating. Our communities lost homes, businesses, places of worship, schools—and alongside those, we lost parks, trees, trails, and cherished open spaces,” said Norma E. García-González, Director of the LA County Department of Parks and Recreation and Director of RPOSD. “RESTORE is about helping to rebuild these vital public spaces as the broader recovery of homes and communities moves forward. Parks and trails are part of the healing process—and they must be part of the community’s recovery.”

The program directs funding to jurisdictions most impacted by the fires, including the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, and the Cities of Malibu, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre. A separate category of funding is available for nonprofit landowners and impacted jurisdictions when they partner with nonprofits or certified Conservation Corps.

“In the Fifth District, the damage from the January wildfires wasn’t just environmental—it was deeply personal,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger. “Our parks, trails, and open spaces are where communities gather, connect, and heal. RESTORE grants are a powerful step toward renewal. I welcome these timely investments that will help our communities and nonprofit partners pivot from crisis response to long-term recovery. By working together and leveraging funding, we can deliver resilient, accessible public spaces for the future.”

“The RESTORE Program is a vital step forward for communities that have lost treasured natural spaces,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath who represents the Third District. “With this new funding, we’re doing more than rebuilding—we’re revitalizing ecosystems, renewing access to nature, and reinforcing our resilience against future wildfires. We’re deeply thankful for the incredible nonprofit partners stepping up to restore the Santa Monica Mountains and our communities so profoundly affected by the Palisades Fire.”

RPOSD designed the program to make the application process simple and responsive to community needs. The funds will be distributed across three tracks:

• $3 million in direct allocations to eligible jurisdictions based on fire impact
• $1 million in partnership allocations for jurisdictions working with nonprofit or conservation partners
• $250,000 for nonprofit landowners who own and maintain publicly accessible open space