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• Friday, February 10, 2012

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Supporters Launch Campaign for State Parks

Supporters have officially launched the volunteer signature-gathering campaign for the California State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010, a statewide ballot measure to create a stable, reliable, and adequate source of funding to protect state parks, conserve wildlife, and increase public access to these valuable natural resources. The initiative will give California vehicles free admission to state parks in exchange for a new $18 vehicle license fee, which will be specifically dedicated to state parks and wildlife conservation.

Volunteers from the California State Parks Foundation, Sierra Club California, Audubon California, and many other organizations and groups will join paid staff in gathering more than 477,000 valid signatures by mid-April to qualify the measure for the Nov. 2 statewide ballot.

“With persistent underfunding placing our state parks in peril, we are thrilled to see so many volunteers willing to devote their time and energy to gathering the signatures needed to place a measure on the ballot that would create a dedicated source of funding to protect our parks and wildlife,” said Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation. “The outpouring of public support for the ballot measure demonstrates Californians’ commitment to protecting our parks and wildlife for generations to come.”

California’s 278 state parks attract about 80 million visits a year and include vast stretches of sandy beaches, much-needed recreational areas in bustling urban areas, and an abundance of the Golden State’s history and culture. In recent years, budget cuts have starved the state’s parks, causing them to accumulate a backlog of more than $1 billion in needed maintenance and repairs, and leading to partial closures and reductions in operating hours at nearly 60 state parks.

To learn more, visit calparks.org.