Park Closings

[Bluto]

The RV industry and related companies could shoulder part of the monies need to keep some public parks open. Look at all the money people spend on the RV lifestyle yearly.
I have no idea what that figure is, but I bet it's a lot.

[JFScheck]

It's even harder - everyone is concerned about the parks they use or are near and dear to their heart....

I just wonder what the money is being diverted too - again, a discussion such as that boarders on the political so I'll just say - Good Luck to all our parks... ;(

[eubank]

Originally Posted by JFScheck

It's even harder - everyone is concerned about the parks they use or are near and dear to their heart....

I just wonder what the money is being diverted too - again, a discussion such as that boarders on the political so I'll just say - Good Luck to all our parks... ;(

In states that I'm aware of, the income generated by parks does not cover their costs. Not even by a long shot. If there is diversion of funds, it would likely be from taxpayer funds going from one account (e.g., parks) to another deemed "more important" to the ongoing operations of the state. (The political part is the determination of what's "more important.")


Lynn

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by SilverCottage

I sure hope the government stays in the park business. Every privately owned campground we have stayed in has sites that are way too narrow, are overcrowded and usually in the poorest locations in an area.

We love to boondock if it means backing onto a stream (Smoky Mtns) or getting a great vista at sunrise (Shenandoah), or backing onto the ocean Cavendish (PEI). We have not found a private campground that comes close to providing this environment.

Well said SC

We have been going to the Adirondack St. Park for a long time....It's the reason we got our first Airstream.

Last Season the State DEC closed one of three campgrounds on our favorite lake, it so happened it was the one we liked best.

The surrounding communities suffered, so much so that the tax revenue the State collected suffered. The powers in Albany realizing the folly of their actions....wonder of wonders the it's back open this year.

The State parks are there for all to use...We are lucky here in NY the ASP is the largest and one of the oldest in the Country. "Forever Wild" is stated in it's charter....if it wasn't for some far sighted citizens and politicians we would never have such a great resource.

It's where "Cloudsplitter" was born...

Dock'n Rocks....


1895 Constitutional Protection: "Forever Wild"

At the 1894 Constitutional Convention, a new covenant to achieve meaningful protection of the Forest Preserve was included in the new Constitution. Henceforth, the Adirondack Forest Preserve would be "forever wild."

"For years the State had been acquiring and holding lands, often denuded, to be sure, which lumber interests did not pay the taxes on. It was this nucleus of property that gave the idea for the Park. Curiously enough, in this way, avarice was its own undoing ... In 1885 the Forest Preserve was created, and the popular vote in 1894 set it aside for the use of all the people forever."
-- T. Morris Longstreth, The Adirondacks, 1917

Any relaxation of the total protection offered to today's 2.5-million-acre Forest Preserve requires the approval of a majority of the state's voters and two successive legislatures. It is rarely given. Voters and their representatives have continually resisted major changes, approving only narrowly drafted alterations: the cutting of ski trails on Whiteface Mountain (1940) and construction of the Northway, I-87 (1958) are among the most prominent.

[Denis4x4]

In Colorado there is a move to combine the State Parks and the Department of Wildlife. The DOW is self sustaining based on hunting and fishing license sales. They also get income from the feds based on taxes paid on guns, ammo and fishing gear proportionate to sales. But, and it's a big but, that revnue can only be used for enhancing wildlife habitat, not improving state parks.

On another subject, USFS/NPS Golden age passes offer a 50% discount on camp site fees. When there was talk of dropping that discount to 10% last year so that additional monies could be used to improve USFS/NPS camp sites the howel from the senior set could be heard for miles!

In as much as I beleive in means testing for social security and medicre, I no longer use my Golden Age pass.

[eubank]

Originally Posted by Denis4x4

... On another subject, USFS/NPS Golden age passes offer a 50% discount on camp site fees. When there was talk of dropping that discount to 10% last year so that additional monies could be used to improve USFS/NPS camp sites the howel from the senior set could be heard for miles!

There are restrictions on it. At many of the more major national parks, some or all of the campgrounds -- especially, it seems, those that cater to RVs -- are run by private concessionaires like Xanterra, and these concessionaires may or may not honor the passes.


Lynn

[pappy19]

This is an interesting thread. Do most of you know that the environmental groups across the USA have stopped most or all of the logging industry? You might be surprised that most of the money generated by forest management went to the local communities "in lieu of taxes" for roads, bridges, schools, and RV parks maintenance. In Idaho for example, we had 55 saw mills 25 years ago and now we have 3. Imagine the impact on small communities, employment, and now those forests are burning up or destroyed by insects. My how we have progressed. The RV industry will see more of the park closings nation wide as the environmental groups stop everything on federal and state lands, they just don't like us, we stink.

Pap

[CanoeStream]

This is a different approach to the general problem of states closing parks. In Michigan, campers have started using & are maintaining a park closed back in 2009.

Campground closed in 2009 illegally reopened - MiningJournal.net | News, Sports, Jobs, Marquette Information | The Mining Journal

Don't try this at home... But good going there!

[ROBERT CROSS]

Yep....we in NYS have progressed a LOT..."Forever Wild"
And yes, we do still log the area.

[Denis4x4]

Originally Posted by eubank

There are restrictions on it. At many of the more major national parks, some or all of the campgrounds -- especially, it seems, those that cater to RVs -- are run by private concessionaires like Xanterra, and these concessionaires may or may not honor the passes.


Lynn

While some NFS concessionaires are better than others, their contracts call for them to honor the terms of the Golden Age pass. Again, there was some confusion earlier this year as to how much the discount would be and there have been complaints about some concessionaires that have refused to honor the terms. I know for a fact that when campers have had problems, that a call to the local NFS have resolved the problems quickly.