A Message to Our Members and Friends
Fort Ross Conservancy | October 2026
Dear Members, Friends, and Supporters of Fort Ross Conservancy,
It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that the Sonoma-Mendocino Coast District of California State Parks has decided not to renew its Cooperating Association Agreement with Fort Ross Conservancy, bringing to an end a partnership that has lasted for more than half a century.
For those who have devoted years, and in some cases much of their lives, to the preservation and celebration of Fort Ross, this decision is profoundly disappointing. It marks the end of an extraordinary chapter in the history of a place that has brought together generations of people, cultures, and communities.
Fort Ross Conservancy was born from a shared belief that this remarkable historic site deserved not only to be preserved, but also to be brought to life for future generations. Among the organization's founding figures was John McKenzie, a longtime California State Parks employee whose dedication helped preserve and protect Fort Ross through much of the 20th century. His vision, along with that of other dedicated individuals, helped establish a lasting partnership between State Parks and a community of people who cared deeply about the history and future of Fort Ross.
It is particularly painful that California State Parks has now chosen to end a partnership that was built, in part, upon the dedication and vision of one of its own longtime employees.
More Than Fifty Years of Service, Education, and Community
For over five decades, Fort Ross Conservancy has been much more than a supporting organization for a state park. It has been a community of educators, historians, volunteers, preservationists, artists, cultural representatives, and friends united by their love for this extraordinary place.
Among the Conservancy's proudest accomplishments have been its long-running Environmental Living Program and Marine Ecology Program, which introduced generations of schoolchildren to the natural environment, history, and cultural heritage of the California coast.
Through these and other educational initiatives, hundreds of thousands of students from diverse backgrounds have had the opportunity to experience Fort Ross, many visiting the coast or encountering this history for the very first time.
For countless children, Fort Ross became much more than a destination for a school field trip. It was a place where history came alive, where they learned to work with their hands, discovered the wonders of the marine environment, explored the lives of those who came before them, and formed memories and friendships that would stay with them long after they returned home. Some of those students later returned as adults, bringing their own children to experience the same sense of discovery. These connections between generations are among the most meaningful achievements of the Conservancy and cannot be measured simply in financial reports or administrative agreements.
Over the decades, the Conservancy has also supported historical research, preservation projects, cultural celebrations, educational exhibitions, traditional crafts, community gatherings, and international cultural exchange and conferences. Through festivals, public programs, and partnerships, it has helped keep the remarkable multicultural history of Fort Ross alive.
Our work has always embraced the many communities whose stories intersect at Fort Ross: the Kashia Pomo, whose ancestral homeland this is; the Russian and Alaska Native communities associated with the 19th-century settlement; and the ranching families and coastal communities whose stewardship and determination helped preserve the site through subsequent generations.
We have sought to make Fort Ross a place where these histories are remembered with respect, where traditions are shared, and where people of different backgrounds can find common ground through an appreciation of our shared human heritage.
Our Mission Will Continue
We want to assure our members and friends that Fort Ross Conservancy will not dissolve.
Although our formal association with California State Parks is coming to an end, our organization, our community, and our commitment to the history of Fort Ross remain.
Fort Ross Conservancy will continue as an independent, membership-based nonprofit organization, guided by its members and Board of Directors. We remain dedicated to preserving and interpreting the multicultural history of the 19th-century Fort Ross settlement, protecting its cultural legacy, supporting historical scholarship, and honoring the ranch-era families and communities who helped safeguard this extraordinary place.
The history of Fort Ross is much larger than any single institution or agreement. It lives in the memories of the children who visited, the dedication of the teachers who brought them, the work of the volunteers who gave their time, the knowledge of the descendants who shared their families' stories, and the friendships that have grown across generations and national borders.
An administrative decision cannot erase those contributions, nor can it diminish the value of more than fifty years of service.
We are saddened that California State Parks has chosen this course, particularly in light of the Conservancy's history and the many people who worked tirelessly to support the park. Nevertheless, we remain hopeful that the spirit of cooperation, public service, and mutual respect upon which our organization was founded will continue to guide the future of Fort Ross State Historic Park.
Help Preserve This Partnership: Sign, Share, and Write
We urge you to act NOW! Please sign and share our Change.org petition to help keep Fort Ross Conservancy’s community partnership at Fort Ross State Historic Park alive.
Sign the petition: Renew Fort Ross Conservancy’s Agreement and Protect 50 Years of Partnership
Please share the petition with your friends, family, and community. Each signature helps demonstrate how much this partnership means to the people who visit, support, and cherish Fort Ross.
In addition to signing, please write to California State Parks officials and ask them to reconsider their decision not to renew Fort Ross Conservancy’s Cooperating Association Agreement. If Fort Ross State Historic Park has touched your life—as a student, teacher, volunteer, visitor, member, or supporter—please share that experience. Your voice matters, and every letter of support can help protect this historic partnership.
We encourage you to contact the following officials:
Armando Quintero
Director, California State Parks
Email: armando.quintero@parks.ca.gov
Sedrick Mitchell
Deputy Director of External Affairs, California State Parks
Email: Sedrick.Mitchell@parks.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 653-8380
Jason DeWall
Division Chief, Northern Field Division, California State Parks
Email: Jason.DeWall@parks.ca.gov
With heartfelt appreciation,
Board of Directors
Fort Ross Conservancy