State Parks

Already understaffed and underfunded, the agencies that manage state and national parks are struggling to keep up with the spike in demand for outdoor recreation over the past year.

July 4, 2021 - High Country News

When lean times hit, money for state parks is some of the first to get diverted to other purposes. A package of legislation proposed in the Texas State legislature would change that.

May 4, 2019 - Houston Chronicle

A state park in the Colorado Springs area tried allowing dogs on trails over the summer, but too many people complained about the impact of the canines on the wilderness experience.

September 22, 2017 - The Denver Post

A pair of legislative proposals in the Pennsylvania State Legislature would open the door to private development in the state park system.

June 27, 2016 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A controversial and unprecedented deal that would have privatized 280 acres of state-owned Bandon State Natural Area have fizzled out thanks to new requirements from the Bureau of Land Management.

October 1, 2015 - The Oregonian

California's Department of Parks and Recreation is getting into the app business. It is hoped that CaliParks will help improve access to the state's parks for young people and minorities.

March 21, 2015 - The Bold Italic

Doyle Redland reports on the accidental new construction, which has galvanized both sides of the preservation vs. access argument.

October 7, 2011 - The Onion

Solar Drive, deep in the Hollywood Hills, is a ritzy block of expensive homes. But over the past year, an empty mansion was overrun by squatters and partiers. Permission for the gate is temporary, but hikers are upset by blocked routes.

September 18, 2011 - The Los Angeles Times

The National Trust for Historic Preservation presents its annual list of the most endangered places in the U.S. This year, natural landscapes take some of the spotlight away from architecture and the built environment.

May 21, 2010 - National Trust For Historic Preservation

Solar-powered trash compactors, while not cheap, pay for themselves relatively quickly. With state and city budgets more liquid thanks to stimulus money, municipalities are snapping them up.

September 11, 2009 - Slate.com

With the new California budget slashing state park funding, as many as 100 parks and beaches could close. Park officials are seeking funding to keep parks open, including corporate sponsorship opportunities.

July 31, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

With California facing a $24.3 billion deficit, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has released a budget that eliminates $70 million in funding for the state's parks system.

June 2, 2009 - Yahoo! News

The federal government has blocked plans to build a 16-mile road through a Southern California state park, mainly over environmental concerns.

December 23, 2008 - San Francisco Chronicle

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is pushing forward with plans to run a power line through the middle of one of the state's parks -- much to the chagrin of environmentalists.

April 30, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

In a classic Hollywood showdown that could only happen in California politics, Gov. Schwarzenegger axed actor-director-former Carmel, CA mayor Clint Eastwood from the Parks Commission at the expiration of his term after his 'no-vote' on a toll road.

March 21, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle