HARRISBURG — In an ironic twist, Pennsylvania’s state park system — imperiled by 2009-2010 budget proposals — is one of four finalists for the 2009 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management.
Even as the park system receives national praise, state legislators are wrangling over a proposed budget that could slash funding for parks and result in the closing of 35 of the state’s 117 parks — including Raymond B. Winter, near Mifflinburg.
The state’s parks have become pawns in the give and take between political parties, the Legislature and the governor to produce a budget.
The state House Appropriations Committee on Monday rejected a $27.3 billion Senate Republican budget proposal that — like spending plan proposals from Democrats, including Gov. Ed Rendell — included deep cuts to programs. The budget deadline is June 30.
On Thursday, Rep. Russell Fairchild, R-85, of Lewisburg, said the state House and Senate are waiting for the governor to announce his cuts to balance his budget.
“Our hands are tied until he takes that step,” Fairchild said. “Once that’s in place, the process can begin.”
Fairchild said the Legislature will look over the governor’s proposed list of additions and deletions from his February budget proposal and negotiate for services such as state parks.
Fairchild was skeptical that the governor would close state parks.
“It’s running its course and backfiring on the governor,” he said of the uproar over the proposal to close a third of the state parks.
Despite the political maneuvering under way, state park and state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources employees are pleased that their work has received national attention.
“We’re doing innovative things,” said Chris Novak, DCNR spokeswoman. “We’re reaching out to young people, to people in the cities.
“Our staff is excellent. We owe a debt to the conservation leaders and visionaries who have gone on before us. We want to maintain and improve our parks. We want them to have a future.”
Novak said a video highlighting Pennsylvania’s programs is being prepared for submission to the National Recreation and Parks Association in advance of the award presentation next fall.
The Gold Medal Award is given by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and the National Recreation and Park Association.
The winner will be announced at the association’s annual meeting in Utah in October. The other finalists are the state park systems in Georgia, Michigan and North Carolina.
The award honors excellence in long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development and professional development.
Pennsylvania has 117 state parks and three conservation areas. The system’s nearly 300,000 acres and 1,800 full- and part-time employees play host to more than 35 million visitors each year.
Some of DCNR’s new state park programs include the Get Outdoors PA program that offers hundreds of activities annually for people to learn about outdoor recreation such as kayaking, fishing and hiking, and learn about how we protect our natural resources, their role and why they should care.
To increase exposure to natural experiences for children in urban areas, the Bureau of State Parks teamed up with city parks and recreation programs and youth organizations to create the Adventure Camp program for teens. More than 150 kids attended camp in eight metropolitan areas last summer.
DCNR launched a green parks initiative in 2007 to address climate change and energy consumption in parks. The goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of parks by 20 percent over the next five years.
Construction is under way on the system’s first nature inn at Bald Eagle State Park, to expand overnight accommodations and attract new visitors.
“We see ourselves not only as land protectors and recreation providers, but also as a model of best practices, conservation advocates, and educators of our future stewards,” John Quigley, acting secretary of DCNR, said Thursday.
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