By Kate Harper
It’s budget season in Harrisburg, where the Pennsylvania House and Senate and Gov. Wolf are focused on having a balanced state budget by the June 30 constitutional deadline. This year, revenues are coming in better than expected, and there’s money the Commonwealth did not anticipate when balancing the budget last year. Pennsylvanians have many needs, of course, and the budget is one way to prioritize those needs.
But this year, it’s time to make sure Pennsylvania’s parks and forests get adequate funding. In fact, in a recent poll more than two-thirds (67 percent) of Pennsylvania likely voters support using as much as $125 million of the state’s share of federal American Rescue Plan Act’s funding for maintenance and repairs of state parks and forests.
What is amazing about this poll, which was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, is that this support is broad-based and bipartisan, regardless of age, gender, geography, or ethnicity. When told that state forests serve as a natural filter to remove harmful pollutants from Pennsylvania streams, rivers and lakes, support rose to 79 percent among likely voters for funding to protect clean water and reduce flooding. On what other issues are Americans so well united in their thinking?
Pennsylvania is eligible for $3.8 billion dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funding not designated to a specific fund. The Legislature gets to decide how or if to spend the money, and June is when that decision gets made. A balanced state budget for the next year is due June 30, and funding for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which is responsible for caring for our state parks and forests, is on the table.
During the COVID pandemic, the number of visitors to our state parks and forests rose dramatically as people looked for safe, outdoor spaces for recreation for themselves and their families. They went hiking, camping and just visiting these beautiful outdoor spaces.
In the past two years, record numbers of people sought fresh air, recreation, and mental health at Pennsylvania’s 121 state parks. In 2020, more than 45 million people visited a state park. In 2021, with the pandemic waning, the number dropped a bit but remained well above the pre-pandemic levels. That’s because once they experience them, our state Parks and Forests are well-loved by Pennsylvania residents. Individuals and families return to their favorite park or forest time and again to experience the beauty, peace, and enjoyment of these public lands.
But the new visitors saw something the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation has been warning about for years – taking care of these parks and forests requires resources – staff, funding, and materials. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests face a $1.4 billion backlog of infrastructure renovations and deferred maintenance, including much-needed repairs to visitor centers, restrooms, cabins, water and sewer system, roads, and bridges.
Pennsylvania lawmakers have an historic opportunity to make a start on this with increased funding for state parks and forests from the state’s share of the American Rescue Plan.
Of course, investing in state parks and forests makes good economic sense. Visitors purchase hotel rooms, dinners, souvenirs, and equipment. This tourism spending creates businesses and jobs, which lead to more investment and tax revenues. In fact, Pennsylvanians rank near the top of all states in the nation in terms of consumer spending on outdoor recreation. This generates $29.1 billion in consumer spending annually, supporting 251,000 jobs and creating $1.9 billion in state and local tax revenue.
The economic benefit is in addition to our parks and forests’ contribution to clean air and clean water in a state named for its trees.
This is budget season in Harrisburg. Contact your legislators and tell them to support our parks and forests with adequate funding. The entire House of Representatives and half of the Senate are up for reelection this year. Let them know you care about our parks and you want them to care, too.
Kate Harper is a former state lawmaker and is a board member of the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation.