News Release

Overnight Program Pilot Partnership Announced

Date: December 7, 2017
Contact: Dana Polk, 415-561-4730

National Park Service News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 6, 2017
Contact: Dana Polk, GGNRA, 415-561-4730

National Park Service Partners with San Francisco State University’s Pacific Leadership Institute (PLI) to Pilot Overnight Programming. The two-year pilot expands outdoor education and leadership training for urban youth.

SAN FRANCISCO - The National Park Service (NPS) is partnering with San Francisco State University’s Pacific Leadership Institute (PLI) to expand the existing environmental education programming at West Fort Miley near Lands End. PLI is a longstanding non-profit park partner that offers outdoor education, personal and professional development, and leadership training for San Francisco youth.

PLI currently delivers over 350 daytime outdoor education programs each year at the Fort Miley ropes course. The overnight program expansion will allow the organization to provide more in-depth outdoor leadership experiences to participants while introducing new audiences to the national park.

The two-year pilot of overnight programming will allow PLI to host up to 35 groups per year with between 10 and 30 campers each trip. Campers will use a small grassy area at West Fort Miley to stage tents and picnic tables, prepare food, and utilize a portable fire pit. All physical camping items will be removed from the site when not in use. This pilot does not open Fort Miley to camping for the general public. Only groups that have existing relationships with PLI will be provided the first opportunities to transition from a day at the ropes course, to an overnight at West Fort Miley.

The proposal was released to the public for a 30-day review and comment period earlier this year. After reviewing and analyzing the comments received, and after further coordination with key stakeholders, the NPS made a number of changes to the program in consideration of the public’s feedback. These changes included requirements for sound level monitoring, strict noise limits, and additional notification of program schedule for adjacent neighbors and stakeholders.

The final Categorical Exclusion (CE) and Special Use Permit (SUP) can be found at the NPS planning website. PLI plans to begin overnight programming later this fall.