Gov. Jerry Brown's January budget plan proposed reducing the state parks budget by $22 million. In March, the legislature approved $11 million in cuts to state parks and $10 million in cuts to off highway vehicle parks in the next fiscal year, with $22 million in cuts to state parks in future years.
Photo: Mono Lake State Nature Reserve. Just one of 70 parks to be closed.
The California State Parks System was directed to identify which parks would close based on attendance rates and historical significance. The department operates more than 270 state park units.
"We regret closing any park," Ruth Coleman, director of California State Parks, said in a statement. "But with the proposed budget reductions over the next two years, we can no longer afford to operate all parks within the system."
The department said service reductions will begin over the summer and closures will begin in September. All parks on the list are to be padlocked by July 1, 2012 under the current budget proposal. The cuts have not yet been signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, so a final list could grow or shrink based on the actions the legislature takes to close the budget deficit.
Parks officials said they tried to protect the most significant cultural and natural resources, while maintaining the parks that provided the most public access and state revenue. In addition, the department intends to seek partnership agreements with local governments and non-profits in attempt to keep some of the parks open. They said 92 percent of total park attendance will be retained and 94 percent of existing revenues even with the closures.
Besides the recently renovated Stanford Mansion and the Governor's Mansion state historic parks, both in downtown Sacramento, the list includes Brannan Island State Recreation Area in Sacramento County and Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park and South Yuba River State Park in Nevada County.
Here's a complete list of the closures:
Anderson Marsh SHP
Annadel SP
Antelope Valley Indian Museum
Austin Creek SRA
Bale Grist Mill SHP
Benbow Lake SRA
Benicia Capitol SHP
Benicia SRA
Bidwell Mansion SHP
Bothe-Napa Valley SP
Brannan Island SRA
California Mining & Mineral Museum
Candlestick Point SRA
Castle Crags SP
Castle Rock SP
China Camp SP
Colusa-Sacramento River SRA
Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP
Fort Humboldt SHP
Fort Tejon SHP
Garrapata SP
George J. Hatfield SRA
Governor's Mansion SHP
Gray Whale Cove SB
Greenwood SB
Grizzly Creek Redwoods SP
Hendy Woods SP
Henry W. Coe SP
Jack London SHP
Jug Handle SNR
Leland Stanford Mansion SHP
Limekiln SP
Los Encinos SHP
Malakoff Diggins SHP
Manchester SP
McConnell SRA
McGrath SB
Mono Lake Tufa SNR
Morro Strand SB
Moss Landing SB
Olompali SHP
Palomar Mountain SP
Petaluma Adobe SHP
Picacho SRA
Pio Pico SHP
Plumas-Eureka SP
Point Cabrillo Light Station
Portola Redwoods SP
Providence Mountains SRA
Railtown 1897 SHP
Russian Gulch SP
Saddleback Butte SP
Salton Sea SRA
Samuel P. Taylor SP
San Pasqual Battlefield SHP
Santa Cruz Mission SHP
Santa Susana Pass SHP
Shasta SHP
South Yuba River SP
Standish-Hickey SRA
Sugarloaf Ridge SP
Tomales Bay SP
Tule Elk SNR
Turlock Lake SRA
Twin Lakes SB
Weaverville Joss House SHP
Westport-Union Landing SB
William B. Ide Adobe SHP
Woodson Bridge SRA
Zmudowski SB
Source: Sacramento Bee and others.
So sad. It's a shame regular folks can't take them over.
ReplyDeleteSo very, very sad...
ReplyDeleteWhy don't they do what they did in the parks in BC. The government tendered out the maintenance of the parks to private contractors and shares the profits with the company that runs it. All parks are still run as BC Parks. Doesn't work for all the parks, poorly used ones still closed down cause no one wanted them but saved alot from closing.
ReplyDeleteWhy not get RV'ers to work the parks in exchange for a free campsite? I believe many full timers would jump at the chance, and everyone would benefit.
ReplyDeleteWith all the help they get from Host campers I sure like to see the accounting of each park.
ReplyDeleteIs it online somewhere I wonder?
Perhaps,if the State of California would have lowered the camping costs, to it's state parks instead of raising them, they might have made money or at least, not lost as much money. By raising camping fees, I believe, they just drove people away! Too bad. Even before this current budget crunch, most of California's State Parks were too high priced. Raising these camping fees was not the way to go. Now they are closing all these parks!
ReplyDeleteWhy didnt the state even consider workkamper programs. You know where people with RV's live at the park and maintain the place, mow the grass, paint the buildings, pick up trash etc. The state didnt even look at that prospect so I am told. Damn shame they just close it with out seeing if there is another way to run it and not cost them anything like that would have.
ReplyDeleteSure will miss Point Cabrillo Lighthouse near San Diego. I fell in love with it, my first time.Very sad!
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame that Calif is losing so many parks. It will affect a lot of families who use them. I agree with the person who suggested they do like BC Parks,
ReplyDelete