$6 Million Gift Will Build Big Basin’s New Interpretive Center
By Mary Andersen
Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks announced that the Reyneri family of Los Altos has given $6 million to build the Redwood Ecology Interpretive Center at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, covering the full cost of construction. The Friends describe it as the largest private gift in the park’s history.
“A transformational gift for Big Basin!” the organization wrote in announcing the donation. “This extraordinary gift, made by Barbara Reyneri in memory of her husband, Dr. Cesare Reyneri, will help bring an important new visitor-serving facility to the heart of Big Basin following the devastating CZU Lightning Fire six years ago. The Center will welcome visitors, share the story of Big Basin’s incredible ecology and connect people with the park’s redwoods, wildlife and other natural resources.”
Barbara Reyneri, now 98, made the gift with her three children, Justin, Adriana, and Sue. Big Basin was where the family spent its weekends for decades — walking under the old growth, stopping at the Father of the Forest, watching for birds and whatever else moved in the understory while the children were small.
Barbara Reyneri, foreground, reviews site plans and a design concept for the new Redwood Ecology Interpretive Center during a visit to Big Basin. (Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks)
Dr. Reyneri found these mountains by accident. He grew up in the Italian Alps and came to California looking for somewhere to settle. Headed north out of Los Angeles in search of a homesite, he ran his tank dry on Skyline Boulevard. A passerby saw to it that fuel got up the hill to him. Between the view and the stranger, he decided he had found the place.
He turned out to be an environmentalist before the word was common. He grew the family’s vegetables, rode a bike to work, and went around the house shutting off lights. He also rode from Los Altos to Big Basin on that bike.
The center his family is funding will stand in the main day-use area, the first thing most visitors meet whether they drive in or take the shuttle from the new Saddle Mountain entrance. Current plans put the exhibits outdoors, sheltered by a pavilion, where the Old Growth Loop begins. State Parks interpreters and docents will staff it.
“Since State Parks started the Reimagining Big Basin process more than five years ago, the goal has been to create inclusive and welcoming facilities while prioritizing stewardship of this resilient forest,” said Bonny Hawley, executive director of Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks. “This legacy gift from the Reyneri Family will build a new landmark that will greet park visitors for generations to come.”
The 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire burned 97 percent of Big Basin. Almost nothing built for visitors survived it, and neither did the buildings State Parks ran the place from. In July the State Parks Commission approved a Facilities Management Plan that sets the order of the rebuild — permanent buildings, trails, campgrounds, utilities — in phases. Full reopening is still years out.
“Recovery and rebuilding at Big Basin is a massive undertaking,” said Santa Cruz District Superintendent Chris Spohrer. “The Reyneri family’s incredible generosity will replace critical infrastructure while creating a new, meaningful experience for park visitors. We also hope their impactful gift will inspire others to support the Reimagining Big Basin effort.”
Friends launched its Fire Recovery Fund within days of the fire and has been working on Big Basin ever since. The organization calls the Reyneri gift foundational to the fundraising ahead.
As Friends put it: “For the Reyneri family, Big Basin has been a special place for generations… Now, thanks to their incredible generosity, future park visitors will have the opportunity to create those same kinds of memories.”
Donations toward Big Basin recovery can be made at thatsmypark.org/donate by selecting the Fire Recovery Fund.
Featured photo at top of page: Barbara Reyneri, front row, third from left, with staff from California State Parks and Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks at Big Basin Redwoods State Park. (Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks)
The San Lorenzo Valley Post is your essential guide to life in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We're dedicated to delivering the latest news, events, and stories that matter to our community. From local government to schools, from environmental issues to the arts, we're committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased coverage. We believe in the power of community journalism and strive to be a platform for diverse voices.
