For generations, families in our neighborhood have found adventure, peace, and community on the trails of Briones Regional Park—thanks to long-standing public easements that connect us to the land we love.

Marc and Marilyn Kaplan have been among those families hiking the trails for decades. But when a new property owner tried to block the historic easement from Echo Springs Road, the Kaplans did more than protest—they acted.

When barbed wire and threats replaced dialogue, they formed the Briones Access Preservation Association to fight back. Alongside neighbors, they took the case to court. We won—and our legal access to Briones is now protected forever.

But the Kaplans made extraordinary personal sacrifices to get us here. The total legal fees required to preserve our access totaled $505,000.

• Neighbors contributed $120,000

• Marc and Marilyn contributed $150,000 of their savings

• The Kaplans then borrowed another $150,000 to continue the fight

• There are $85,000 in unpaid legal expenses remaining

Marc is 80. While his and Marilyn’s hiking days may be limited, the real beneficiaries will be all of us—and future generations—who will enjoy this trail for decades to come.

Legal debt should not be the "reward" for defending a public right-of-way. We’re raising $85,000 to cover the final legal costs—and anything more will help lighten the debt the Kaplans took on for our shared future.

If you value access to Briones—for yourself, your family, and the generations to come—please consider donating today.

Let’s honor this courageous act and make the Kaplans whole!