Getting outdoors may be getting harder
Around 80% of California state parks are targeted for closure to solve the budget deficit.
Since graduating back in May, I have made a concerted effort to get outside and see the natural world on foot as opposed to satellite images on the computer screen. I rediscovered the Duke Forest, a short distance from the Duke campus and ideal place for a morning walk or run. Coming back to California, my family and I made it out to Big Sur, a stretch of coast with majestic oceanside cliffs and coastal forests. During the trip, we visited three state parks, which I would later learn are on a list of parks set for closure in the Fall. Here are some pictures I snapped from the three parks that may soon be off limits:
View seen from the Bluffs Trail, Andrew Molera State Park
Butterfly on trail leading to Andrew Molera State Beach
Pfeiffer State Beach
Coastal Redwood Tree framing a hill covered in Redwood Sorrel, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
In California, it is hard to avoid the controversy that the Governator is proposing to close 220 of the 279 state parks to help remedy the budget crisis. People are livid that the state would ban access to these natural areas that provide valuable recreation opportunities and generate income for communities located nearby. Some argue that economically it just doesn't make sense given the little money that will be saved and the potential risks the closures could have on the safety of our parks. While there will still be a dozen national parks and countless county parks, these areas will now likely experience a surge in visitors unlike ever before. It is hard to imagine how the extra tourism will impact the local ecology and the feel of the parks. The solitude that people seek by getting outdoors will be harder to come by, a public good we often take for granted.
Given the economic conditions, these decisions come at a time when families are looking for cheaper and more local vacations. I am left wondering how the closure will affect people's travel decisions and greenhouse gas emissions. Will people stick to their local county parks or drive farther to access the nearest national park? The environmental consequences will likely extend farther than individual parks and the state of California.
