Santa Cruz Rail Trail Climate Justice Mural Project
The Project
The Rail Trail Climate Justice Mural Project in Santa Cruz aims to create a 900-square-foot public artwork raising awareness about climate change and highlighting its disproportionate impact on marginalized communities in our coastal city.
This community-driven mural showcases local environmental concerns while presenting actionable steps Santa Cruz residents can take to combat climate change. The project brings together local artists, environmental advocates, and community members to create meaningful public art.
Funded by the City Arts Recovery Design (CARD) program, the mural will be painted in May/June 2025 along the new Rail Trail segment.
What is
Climate Justice?
Climate justice recognizes how climate change disproportionately affects low-income communities and communities of color—those least responsible for its causes. In Santa Cruz, this includes impacts on our coastal neighborhoods, agricultural workers, and unhoused populations.
This approach advocates for solutions that address not only the environmental aspects of climate change but also the interconnected social, racial, and economic injustices that exacerbate its effects on vulnerable populations.
Art &
Environmental Activism
Art serves as a powerful catalyst in the fight for climate justice and environmental awareness. Through visual storytelling, we can convey complex messages that data alone cannot express, inspiring emotional connections and motivating community action.
While scientific data and statistics inform our understanding, compelling public art stirs emotions, shifts perspectives, and encourages Santa Cruz residents and visitors to reconsider their relationship with our natural environment and adopt more sustainable practices.
Mural Location & Details
The mural will transform a 200-foot wall along a new segment of the Rail Trail near Neary Lagoon, covering approximately 900 square feet of public space.
How to Find It: Start at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center and head north along the train tracks. After a one-minute walk, you'll find the mural on your left, directly below the Westcliff Townhomes.
Location
Significance
The mural's location carries special environmental significance within Santa Cruz's watershed. Situated at a low point in the city near the Wastewater Treatment Facility and Neary Lagoon Park, this area represents the intersection of urban development and natural ecosystems.
The surrounding environment features floating boardwalks, a thriving wildlife refuge, and a vibrant pollinator garden, all providing rich ecological inspiration for the mural's design and storytelling elements.
Project Timeline
Community Engagement Events
Climate Justice Survey Results
Our community survey revealed key insights about Santa Cruz residents' environmental priorities:
Top Climate Change Impacts in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz residents are primarily concerned about wildfire risk (79%), increased heat and extreme weather events (78%), and coastal impacts including sea level rise and erosion (60%) as the top climate change impacts affecting our community.
Key Climate Justice Issues
When asked about key climate justice issues, respondents prioritized Ocean & Coastal Protection (79%), Environmental Resilience (66%), and Agricultural Sustainability & Food Security (63%).
Essential Climate Solutions
For essential climate solutions, the community favors improving public transportation and safe walking routes (64%), promoting environmental education and community engagement (61%), and implementing water conservation measures (61%).
Preferred Mural Themes
Regarding themes for the climate justice mural, respondents showed strongest support for depicting Coastal Resilience & Sea Level Rise (62%) and Community Resilience and Innovation (59%), which align well with their identified concerns and priorities.
Meet the Team
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Sadie Reinhold
Project Coordinator
Sadie brings extensive experience in community organizing and arts administration to the Santa Cruz climate mural, ensuring the project meaningfully engages diverse stakeholders across the city. Her background in environmental education and public outreach helps connect climate science with community action through this environmental art project. -
Taylor Reinhold
Project Lead Artist
Taylor is a Santa Cruz-based muralist with over 15 years of experience creating public climate justice artwork that addresses environmental and social issues. His environmental art projects can be seen throughout Santa Cruz County and beyond, making him a recognized leader in the local climate art movement. -
Erika Rosendale
Artist
Erika is a Santa Cruz-based fine artist and muralist with classical training from Boston University. Her work blends technical precision with environmental themes, specializing in site-specific public art that creates meaningful connections between viewers and spaces. As a member of Made Fresh Crew and contributor to the Sea Walls ocean conservation murals, Erika brings valuable experience in environmental art projects to the climate justice mural.
Project Funding
In collaboration with Arts Council Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz City Arts launched the City Arts Recovery Design (CARD) Pilot Grant Program to support arts-based initiatives that contribute to the city’s recovery efforts.
This project is funded through the CARD program. I want to thank Santa Cruz City Arts and Arts Council Santa Cruz County for making this project possible.