As you may know, more than a dozen redwood state parks this summer are to close because of devastating government budget cuts. Most of these extraordinary places were protected with the support of generations of Save the Redwoods League members. We are working on ways to continue to secure these forests.
Recently, Ruskin K. Hartley, League Executive Director, testified before California state lawmakers about the crisis.
I love California’s state parks. For me they are both my vocation and a special place for my family – in fact my two sons learnt to walk in state parks. These parks are not there by accident. They are there by design and through the dedication of countless citizens who helped create them and have put their faith in government to protect these places for all to enjoy.
Today as we face the first indefinite reduction in our park system’s history, I wanted to share with you some of the League’s history, our assessment of the redwood parks on the closure list, and initial thoughts about how we can dig out of this hole.
Since 1918, my organization, Save the Redwoods League, has dedicated itself to protecting ancient redwoods and building parks for all to enjoy. The League has protected 630 properties in 40 state parks covering almost 154,000 acres. The League purchased these lands for State Parks using money donated by our members. They donate to us expecting that we are permanently protecting the redwood lands that we acquire and transfer to the state.
On June 30, 2012, the gates will slam shut in 70 parks. The Governor’s office is calling these “permanent reductions.” Of these, almost one quarter are redwood parks. When the gates close, law-abiding citizens will be locked out, but you can’t simply lock out the law breakers. I cannot tell you what will happen in these closed parks – the State has never done this before. But I can tell you what is happening today in some of our open and underfunded parks:
When we close parks I can expect that these impacts will only be magnified. To quote a park superintendent, “The best deterrent is having the law abiding public around.” It is these law-abiding citizens who will be excluded.
I have been thinking a lot about parks in the past months. Not only do they protect special places, but the whole institution and system is special. Few other parts of state government have such a deep history of philanthropic support. What other part of state government is equal part museum, classroom, wildlife habitat, provider of clean air and water, engine of local economic development, and world class tourist attraction? State Parks are not like Highway Patrol or schools or prisons – this difference should be recognized and inform the State as it identifies new ways to effectively operate State Parks.
The good news is people still value their parks and want to help.
When I talk to our members about what the League should do to help the parks, here is what they are telling me:
This work is different and more challenging than at any point in the long history of state parks. But our focus at the League remains the same – ensuring the state’s magical redwood groves are protected and made accessible to the public. We know we cannot do this work alone. It’s going to take strong leadership and a willingness to do things differently from within the administration, the unwavering support of the Legislature, and the willingness to let the legion of park supporters in as full partners. Let’s get going.
See The First 70, a short film about Californians banding together to enact change and develop solutions to the parks closures crisis.
October 6, 2011: A new California law allows nonprofit organizations to help operate state parks that might otherwise close because of budget cuts. Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 42 into law this month. The law could help 14 state redwood parks slated to close by July 1, 2012. Meanwhile, Save the Redwoods League is developing plans to help state redwood parks.
Two state redwood parks that were on the closure list will be kept open through an agreement between the National Park Service (NPS) and California State Parks. The parks are Samuel P. Taylor State Park, in Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park in Redwood National Park. Check each park's official webpage for service reduction information.
The key to this arrangement is that the state parks are in the legislative boundaries of National Parks where joint federal/state agreements have existed for years for the sharing of staffing, resource protection and park operations.
The NPS will support normal day-to-day operations needed to keep the parks open. However, no additional federal funding will be available and no major or long-term infrastructure repairs will be completed. Operations managed by the NPS for California State Parks will depend on existing NPS funds and regular state park fees collected at the respective parks.
This trial agreement is for one year and renewable as long as both the National Park Service and California State Parks desire to continue the arrangement.
Visitors planning next year’s trip to these parks can be assured that the facilities, including day-use areas and campgrounds, will be open beginning at least one week before Memorial Day weekend until at least one week following Labor Day weekend. The existing reservation system, ReserveAmerica will still be used for all reservations. All California State Parks as well as all federal passes will be honored.
September 13, 2011: Service Reduced in 8 Redwood State Parks
May 13, 2011: California State Parks announced a plan to close up to 70 of its 278 parks because of state budget cuts. Fourteen redwood parks are now on the closure list; selected parks are slated to close by July 1, 2012. Save the Redwoods League has protected land in 11 of these parks.
The future of California state parks is a League priority because more than 150,000 acres of redwoods live in these sanctuaries created with gifts from generations of our members.
“We will continue our work with California State Parks and our partners to find solutions that will sustain parks in the future,” said Ruskin K. Hartley, League Executive Director.
Possible solutions include those in a joint report by Save the Redwoods League and California State Parks Foundation, A Vision for Excellence for California's State Parks, released last February. This report calls for private, public and nonprofit entities to cooperate in new and different ways to support the system.
"With this announcement, we can begin to seek additional partnership agreements to keep open as many parks as possible," said Ruth Coleman, Director of California State Parks. "We already have 32 operating agreements with our partners – cities, counties and nonprofits – to operate state parks, and will be working statewide to expand that successful template."
The challenges to excellence in our state parks are clear, but so are the ways in which progress can be made in addressing and overcoming those challenges. Together, the strategies and recommendations in the joint report make clear the way forward for a comprehensive, statewide effort for excellence.
Save the Redwoods League and California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) on February 11, 2011, released their new joint report, A Vision for Excellence for California's State Parks, which calls for a new approach to maintain, protect and improve state parks.
Please tell us your vision for an excellent California state parks system.
