Guest opinion

California’s state parks are in peril. The system, at 277 strong and the largest in the nation, is the country’s crown jewel of parks.

But over the past two years the California Department of Parks and Recreation has had to implement a series of budget cuts amounting to about a 20 percent reduction in its operating budget. Those cuts have had an even greater impact as park visitation increased to more than 80 million people last year and more than 45,000 acres were added to the system. This occurred with no increase in the department’s support budget to cover the costs of opening these areas.

As a result, 180 positions have been eliminated, hours of operation curtailed, with maintenance reduced and historic areas and natural habitats in jeopardy. Most recently, the wildfires in Southern California, the most devastating in the state parks’ 139-year history, destroyed more than 30,000 acres of parkland.

Our magnificent state parks continue to offer millions of citizens and visitors from around the world access to California’s most remarkable natural and cultural treasures. In the last two years, visitor spending in local communities has generated more than $2.6 billion annually.

Currently, there’s a cap on fee revenue State Parks is allowed keep in its budget for the support, enhancement and health of its system. If they were allowed to operate in a more businesslike fashion and revenues from fees are earmarked for the department’s core programs areas, State Parks can address its facilities, program and maintenance shortfalls. Right now, the funding for facilities maintenance is at just 30 percent of its actual need.

As State Parks’ deferred maintenance backlog rises (currently it’s more than half a billion dollars), a dedicated fund source needs to be created that would keep parks operating and healthy in good and bad economic times.

In addition to funding challenges within the system, California’s parks are subjected to a variety of external threats from the infrastructure needs of growing communities. Proposals for toll roads, rail lines, trailer parks and habitat fragmentation are just a few of the examples.

What can one person do? A lot. We can write our elected officials, telling them to protect funding for parks through organizations such as the California State Parks Foundation. And we can also increase personal donations. Now is the time (for state legislators) to step forward and provide appropriate permanent funding that meets the needs of our state parks.

Parks provide adventure, renewal and inspiration, education, historical and cultural awareness and recreation to all. Californians must protect the countless treasures found within our parks, or they will cease to be the places where cherished memories are made.

To volunteer or make a donation to help state parks, visit the California State Parks Foundation at www.calparks.org.

Barbara Hill is acting director of the California State Parks Foundation.

This story was provided by the North American Precis Syndicate.