A proposal for increasing access to nature for underserved communities in Santa Barbara County
The Need in Our Community
Many residents of Santa Barbara County have limited access to trails, parks, open spaces, and community wellness programs. Regular physical activity is crucial for preventing obesity and chronic diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, and arthritis. Unfortunately, individuals in underserved and environmental justice communities often lack the experience, resources, or support needed to benefit from spending time in nature and engaging in physical activity, such as walking and hiking.
Local leaders anticipate shifts in statewide and federal public health funding, including educational programs such as CalFresh Healthy Living, which have historically supported access to nature and healthy living activities. As these changes unfold, Santa Barbara County will need community-based strategies that ensure residents continue to receive nature-focused health and wellness support. More than 55,000 county residents meet SNAP eligibility — about one in seven people — living in communities across Santa Barbara County. Future programming must be designed to reach these community members with consistent, locally supported opportunities for active living and access to nature.
Why It Matters
If local support is not established, the county will lose a proven system that helps residents build healthy habits and connect with nature. This loss would deepen inequities in health outcomes, especially for communities already burdened by poverty and limited access to green spaces. As people spend more time indoors and online, they become disconnected from both the natural world and each other, contributing to declines in physical activity, mental health, and community engagement.
Making it easier for people to spend time outdoors can reverse these trends by improving overall health while building awareness of local ecosystems and a sense of responsibility to care for them. Outdoor experiences help people learn through all their senses instead of through screens, creating lasting personal connections to nature and community.
Our Vision for Health and Access
By positioning Connect With Nature as a forward-looking program rather than a replacement for any specific funding source, Santa Barbara County can proactively build a sustainable model for nature-based wellness, leadership development, and equitable access to outdoor recreation. The County Health model has shown that outdoor activity programs can reach people effectively, but continued leadership, coordination, and local training are required to sustain the effort.
By supporting the Healthy People Healthy Trails partnership, local organizations can ensure that health education, trail access, and stewardship opportunities remain available to the people who need them most.
Program Overview
The Healthy People Healthy Trails program, with support from Trails Council and other partners, is expanding to train and certify local university students as Connect With Nature Stewards. These environmental stewards will lead community hikes, educational walks, and outdoor wellness activities in both English and Spanish. Through their outreach efforts, they will be educating the public about stewardship and sustainability.
The stewards will help residents form local walking and hiking groups that promote health, social connection, and environmental stewardship. In the first year, the program will host about 50 community events, reaching 500 to 1,000 participants. The Healthy People Healthy Trails program partners will provide an array of activities that are also available to community members.
Participants will complete basic first aid and hike leader preparation to ensure safe, inclusive, and meaningful experiences for all. They will also connect with healthcare providers and local organizations to maintain long-term engagement in healthy living and environmental stewardship.
The program builds on existing frameworks such as CalFresh Healthy Living’s walking and wellness training programs and aligns with the county’s public health priorities.
This program directly supports the County's Environmental Justice Element by turning its goals into real outcomes. Policy 1 emphasizes making facilities, such as parks, open spaces, and trails, easier to access, while Policy 3 focuses on increasing physical activity through safe, welcoming outdoor spaces. Connect With Nature delivers on both by offering guided activities that help residents feel comfortable on local trails, build confidence through group support, and create regular opportunities for movement and connection.
Community Impact
The initiative will increase participation in activities, strengthen partnerships with County Public Health, and improve access to outdoor recreation for underserved communities. Consistent outdoor activity helps reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and depression while strengthening community ties.
Research from the Trust for Public Land shows that access to parks and trails improves physical and mental health, builds social cohesion, and supports resilience in communities. By creating opportunities for active engagement in nature, this initiative strengthens both individual wellbeing and the health of the environment.
Our Partners
This initiative promotes health and creates a foundation for environmental stewardship and leadership within EJ communities. By linking outdoor activity to community identity, participants develop a stronger sense of belonging and purpose. Stewardship becomes a form of health engagement that connects personal wellbeing with collective care for the environment.
Few programs combine these elements of health promotion, leadership development, and environmental awareness within a single, community-driven framework. Healthy People Healthy Trails’s proven structure and partnerships make it uniquely positioned to sustain and expand this work at the local level.
Building Lasting Change
The program will track the number of trained leaders, community events, and participants reached, along with feedback and self-reported health improvements. Collaboration outcomes with County Health and partner organizations will be measured to assess reach and impact.
Over time, these community-led programs will create a ripple effect across Santa Barbara County. By building a network of trained leaders and engaged participants, the initiative will increase trail use, improve physical and mental health outcomes, and strengthen environmental stewardship. These ongoing activities will foster long-term leadership capacity in Environmental Justice communities and inspire more residents to identify as environmental stewards who advocate for the wellbeing of people, animals, and the natural world.
This program functions as a local prescription for wellness, using nature, trails, and community leadership to address physical and mental health challenges while advancing Environmental Justice Element priorities.
Learn More →
Healthy People Healthy Trails | Let's Get Movin'
Trust of Public Land Report | The Power of Parks to Promote Health
