The institution and jurisdiction of the Natural Resources Agency is provided for in California Government Code sections 12800 and 12805, et seq.

The current Secretary for Natural Resources is Wade Crowfoot, a member of Governor Gavin Newsom's cabinet.

[1] During this same period, federal and state leaders began to set aside land for preservation and public access.

President Abraham Lincoln signed a federal law in 1864 that granted Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Big Tree Grove to create California's first state park.

[1] The Natural Resources Agency is the parent department to a number of other departments: Also included within its jurisdiction are a number of study and regulatory commissions, boards and councils: William E. Warne, 1961–1962 Hugo Fisher, 1963–1965 Norman B. Livermore, 1967–1974 Claire T. Dedrick, 1975–1976 Huey D. Johnson, 1977–1982 Gordon K. Van Vleck, 1983–1990 Douglas P. Wheeler, 1991–1999 Mary D. Nichols, 1999–2003 Mike Chrisman, 2003–2010 Lester A.