A Russian billionaire has pledged up to $1 million a year to prop up Fort Ross State Historic Park, which has been hard hit by California's budget crisis.
"We are committed to keep it running, but the most important thing is to work in close connection with state parks and the Fort Ross Interpretive Association and find the best possible long-standing solution to keep it afloat," said Olga Miller, a spokeswoman for Renova USA.
The pledge came from Renova president Viktor Vekselberg, who flew by helicopter to Fort Ross on Tuesday afternoon, a day the fort was closed to the public because of budget cuts.
"It's a very important part of U.S.-Russia history. It's the first settlement where the Russians brought all kinds of new things," Miller said. "A very important part of this is friendship with all sorts of people there: the Russians, the Americans, the Kashia (Pomo)."
Vekselberg was in San Francisco with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is visiting to establish closer ties between the countries' high-tech industries.
The billionaire's show of support also comes as preparations are under way for the 200th anniversary of the Russian outpost, which was founded in 1812 and occupied for almost three decades.
"We have shared goals; Renova would like to see the same projects we would like to see," said Sarah Sweedler, president of the fort's interpretive association. "It is also, politically speaking, common ground between our two countries. It is a goodwill gesture on the Russian side."
The Russian-American Co., the Russian state trading firm, established Fort Ross as an outpost for the hunting of sea otters for the pelts and for agriculture to supply food for its outposts in Alaska.
In 1841, with sea otters hunted to virtual extinction and little success in farming, the Russians sold the fort to John Sutter and it later became part of the 15,000-acre Call ranch.
It has been a California Historical Landmark since 1903 and a state park since 1906. It now encompasses 3,386 acres and draws 230,000 visitors a year.
Vekselberg is the majority owner of Renova Group, a Russian conglomerate with interests in aluminium, oil, energy and telecommunications.
In an agreement with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Tuesday night, Vekselberg is committed to helping Fort Ross through the newly formed Renova Fort Ross Foundation.
The funding could be as much as $1 million a year, the cost of keeping California from closing Fort Ross altogether, an action that was threatened last year.
"Right now its costs $1 million to keep it running a year; we are committed to that," Mil-ler said. "Depending on how that develops, we are conceptually ready to support the fort."
The state is promising to restore $1.4 million in cuts to state parks, beginning July 1, allowing Fort Ross and other parks to be open all week. However, there is not enough money for maintenance and new projects.
That is where Renova can step in, said Jenny Donovan, public safety supervisor for the state's Sonoma Coast parks. "It could be from a roofing project to putting in a different building or working on new furniture," Donovan said. "We could use funding for the Environmental Living Program, anything they can help us with."
Bob Norberg at 521-5206 or bob.norberg@pressdemocrat.com.
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