Kern River Valley Community Park and River Recreation Planning Project (SNC1942-RT)

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy is providing funding to the Kernville Chamber of Commerce to advance planning and environmental studies for the Kern River Valley Community Park and River Recreation Planning Project, which aims to transform the former Kernville Golf Course and adjacent lands under a Sequoia National Forest special-use permit into a shovel-ready public recreation space. The effort will focus on conceptual design and feasibility studies for upland features such as disc golf courses, walking paths, hard-surface recreation courts, and gathering areas, while also conducting a site-specific analysis of riverside and in-stream recreation potential, including early agency consultations and draft aquatic permitting. Additional environmental assessments will evaluate opportunities for habitat restoration, streambank stabilization, floodplain conveyance, and fuel reduction to enhance ecological resilience alongside recreational access. This initiative is designed to foster economic development and community engagement in the Kern River Valley, with particular emphasis on benefiting nearby disadvantaged and severely disadvantaged communities. No physical construction or ground-disturbing activities are authorized under this agreement; all work is strictly limited to planning, design, and environmental study phases to prepare the site for future implementation. The project is formally tracked under SNC1942-RT, with primary contact information provided through the Sierra Nevada Conservancy’s Field Operations & Grants Division Chief and the Kern River Conservancy’s President, and is forecasted for a June 2026 posting date, signaling the next step in a longer-term community-driven development process.