California May Close 48 State Parks

 

State Parks in California Endangered by Budget Cuts

The state of California may close 48 state parks - affecting 17% of the California State Parks system - through budget cuts in the 2008-09 Fiscal Year proposal.

In response to the governor's call for a 10% budget reduction in all state agencies, the Department of Parks and Recreation proposed a shocking action: Close 48 state parks and reduce lifeguards at some beaches to cut $8.8 million from the 2008-09 state budget. The proposed closures are intended to help offset the current state budget deficit of $14.5 billion in California. 

The Facts

  • 48 state parks have been proposed for closure, including (see the full list here):  18 state parks, 16 state historic parks and museums, 3 state beaches, 9 state recreation areas and 2 state reserves.
  • 16 state beaches in Santa Cruz, Orange and San Diego Counties have also been slated to have significantly reduced lifeguard staffing.
  • Proposed budget cuts would close 17% of California's state parks, including 15 historic parks, which are overrepresented on the list of parks closures.
  • 3 National Historic Landmark Designations would be closed as a result of these budget cuts: La Purisima Mission State Historic Park, Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park, and Sutter's Fort State Historic Park.
  • Closing the 48 state parks would create a 6.5 million reduction in visitors and represents more than $4.8 million in lost revenue.
  • Last year alone, the California Department of Parks and Recreation tallied more than 77 million visits to state parks, including historic landmarks, beaches, recreation areas and reserves.
  • California parks suffer from chronic underfunding and deferred maintenance.

Representing a critical piece of California's natural, cultural and historic treasures, the 48 parks are an important link to the history and identity of the state.  Most importantly, the closures would break the promise that the state park system be open and accessible for all Californians. The proposed cuts would leave the parks to deteriorate without maintenance,  subject them to vandalism and disrepair, and revoke an educational and recreational resource for thousands of park visitors.

The situation presents an immediate call to action for concerned visitors, California residents, advocates and preservationists. Your response can not only affect this urgent situation, but can also keep this type of threat at bay by encouraging the development of sustainable funding surces for the state park system.

What You Can Do

Additional Information

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