County of Santa Barbara Community Services Department

10/16/2026

County Parks Rangers at the 3rd Annual SMPD Cops and Cars Show 🚗🚨

North County Park Rangers of Santa Barbara had a wonderful time connecting with their community by being present at the 3rd Annual Cops and Cars event this past Saturday, October 10, 2026. Adults and kids, boys and girls showed up at the Park Ranger booth to learn about their parks and what it takes to become a Park Ranger. Kids were also given a chance to sit in a Park Ranger truck to get a first hand experience of what it feels like to be a Park Ranger.

09/23/2026

Park Rangers connecting with the Community at the Santa Maria BBQ & B**r Festival 🎶🍭

This past weekend, the North County Santa Barbara Park Rangers hosted an interpretive booth at the Santa Maria BBQ & B**r Festival, welcoming visitors of all ages-from toddlers and children to teenagers and adults.

Attendees enjoyed an engaging, hands-on experience that included a spinning prize wheel, viewing local flora and fauna through colorful field guides, and watching a live demonstration on how to safely start a chainless chainsaw. The Rangers also handed out lots of free goodies to festival-goers throughout the weekend 🎊

Central to the booth’s mission was building strong relationships within the community. Rangers spent time answering questions, sharing details about visiting various county parks, and assisting individuals in potential employment opportunities with the department.

The Park Rangers had a fantastic time connecting with everyone and look forward to returning to the festival next year!

For questions regarding booking the Park Rangers for an educational or interpretive program, please contact Dominic May, Park Ranger III at: [email protected].

09/11/2026

The next Parks Commission Site Visit is on Thursday, September 17. We will be visiting the Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Park.

Check out the link in our bio or scan the QR code to view the agenda and meeting information!

08/14/2026

The next Parks Commission Regular Meeting is on Thursday, August 20. Check out the link in our bio or scan the QR code to view the agenda and meeting information.

06/26/2026

The Draft Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been published for the Revised Draft Santa Barbara County Recreation Master Plan Project!

Check out the link in our bio to visit the project website.

Public comments accepted until August 10, 2026, at 5:00 PM. Email comments to [email protected]

06/04/2026

County Parks promotes the conservation of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes ecosystem, to include the Endangered Snowy Plover, through education in hopes to foster empathy and respect for how animals live and the challenges they face on a daily basis.

Ranger Araceli is pictured, teaching the students to treat all living things with respect and kindness. During her talk with the students, she encourages students to build critical thinking skills by asking questions about why animals might become endangered or go extinct. This hopefully sharpens their problem-solving skills as they learn to address real-world environmental issues at a very basic level.

Most importantly, Parks hopes that these field trips encourage the students to become environmental stewards, protecting natural resources and teaching others what they have learned, and why it’s important.

This is essential because while improving their connection to the natural world, it is also improving their physical and mental well-being through outdoor engagement.

Thank you to the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center and our pictured North County elementary students!

If you are a school or youth-serving organization interested in presentations, please reach out to Dominic May or Araceli Dominguez in the Parks department.

02/20/2026

Apply to become a Santa Barbara County Lifeguard! Application deadline is Tuesday, February 24th at 4:59pm PST

-Application must be submitted before attending a tryout.

Tryouts are scheduled for March 7 and March 14 at Arroyo Burro Beach County Park (Hendry’s Beach).

See application for details.

Applicants must complete a 1000 meter ocean swim in under 20 minutes to receive an interview. Wetsuits, goggles and swim caps ARE allowed.
Interviews will be held SAME DAY as tryout swim.

01/30/2026

12/11/2025

12/02/2025

The Revised Draft Santa Barbara County Recreation Master Plan is now here!

Visit www.sbcrecplan.com to view the plan.

On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, the County Planning Department and County Parks Division will conduct a workshop with the County Planning Commission regarding the upcoming Comprehensive Plan and Ordinance Amendments related to the Recreation Master Plan.