The Legislature finds that there is need for a program to enable the children of the state to better comprehend the outdoors, particularly the social and economic importance of the study, conservation, protection, and utilization of natural resources. The Legislature further finds that the location and facilities of the Mendocino Woodlands Outdoor Center are especially well suited to serve primarily as an outdoor education center under the control and management of the Department of Parks and Recreation, as a unit of the state park system.