Nearly every state park in our region may close this fall. This development both confuses and saddens me.
Before I go further, I’ll detail exactly which of the region’s parks are on the hit list:
• Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park
• Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park
• Bidwell-Sacramento River State Park
• Castle Crags State Park
• Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area
• McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
• Shasta State Historic Park
• Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park
• William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park
• Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area
The only state park in our region that would remain open is Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, because it is funded by boating gas tax revenue. You can find the statewide list of park closures here.
Gov. Schwarzenegger last month proposed placing 219 state parks on “caretaker” status to help balance the budget. Last week, legislative Democrats proposed a $15 surcharge on vehicle licenses to raise $300 million and keep parks open. Under the plan, the state would provide free admission to most parks for anyone with a California license plate. Republican lawmakers oppose the plan, as does the governor.
California is in a horrible fiscal situation, and there are no easy answers. None. During more than 20 years of writing about public policy in this state, I have never seen the mood in Sacramento as grim as it is these days.
I’m not going to get into the politics. Instead, I want to talk about the value of parks – especially during difficult economic times.
The state parks department estimates the system’s 278 parks receive about 80 million visits a year. That’s a little more than two visits per resident annually. I consider that a lot, and it brings me back to my confusion and sadness.
How, I wonder, do you close a state park? I suppose that shuttering the Joss House or Ide Adobe is simple. You barricade the parking lot and lock the doors. (Sorry kids, you’ll have to learn about history in the library – if it’s still open.)
But how the heck do you “close” Shasta historic park? You can lock up the buildings that have doors, but much of the park is fully accessible from Highway 299.
Tougher still would be Burney Falls. The state could close the parking lot, lock the restrooms, shut down the campground and turn off the water faucets. But do you really think people won’t visit the natural wonder that is the falls? Unless the state intends to erect a fence, people will simply walk in. Heck, the Pacific Crest Trail goes right through the park. Good luck placing a “keep out” sign on the PCT.
Ahjumawi is a boat-in park that most people reach after launching from the PG&E “Rat Farm” near the Intermountain Fairgrounds. If the state can’t control the boat launch, would armed guards be stationed on the other side of Big Lake warning people not to step onto state park property? I kind of doubt it.
In other words, I think people will continue to use state parks, whether or not they are officially open. Most of these “trespassers” will do nothing more than hike around and see the sites. But others are going to leave behind trash, camp where they shouldn’t and bust up stuff.
It’s sad that our leaders even consider closing our parks. True, no one wants to see their ox gored, and in the face of other budget-balancing proposals – elimination of children’s health care, dramatically reduced assistance to sick and elderly people, termination of worker training programs, cutting foster care – closing the parks may not seem like a big deal. I would argue that parks are essential to the health and well-being of millions of Californians.
As I’m sure you can guess, I spend a lot of time in parks – state parks, national parks, municipal parks, regional parks, you name it. When I visit a new place, one of the first things I do is check out the local parks. I consider them outdoor libraries that store a wealth of information. Whether I’m in a park to run on a trail through tall trees, take a leisurely bike ride, search out birds and wildlife, visit an historic display, or simply sip a cup of coffee at a picnic trail, I always learn something when I’m in a park.
Oftentimes, there is no extra charge for these learning opportunities. Even if you have to pay $5 to park the car, consider all you get. For about the price of one fancy coffee concoction or a mondo energy drink, a family can spend the day hiking, swimming, fishing, picnicking and generally enjoying the outdoors at a place like Burney Falls or Castle Crags. Whether you’re a kid or a geezer, those experiences are truly priceless.
We’re very lucky around here. If the state parks close, we’ve still got Whiskeytown, Lake Shasta, Lassen, Sacramento River Bend and numerous other federal properties. We’ve also got the likes of Anderson River Park, Caldwell Park and Chico’s amazing Bidwell Park. No nature deficit in these parts.
Still, places like Burney Falls, Castle Crags and Ahjumawi are unique. That’s why they are public parks. Is our state – our society, really – so broke that we can’t afford to let people enjoy, recreate in and learn from these places?
Paul Shigley is more thankful than ever that there are numerous trails on federal land within minutes of his Centerville home. You may reach him at paulshigley@sbcglobal.net.
