Parks & Trails New York - Advocacy

Campaign for Parks

Protecting, expanding and promoting parks in NYS

Parks & Trails New York’s Parks Campaign is committed to protecting, expanding, and promoting parks in New York State. Every year we work with thousands of volunteers and members who share these goals. We bring together the people who use and love parks, Friends organizations that support our state parks and historic sites, and other environmental organizations to promote and protect parks for future generations.

New York’s parks preserve priceless landscapes and ecosystems, provide opportunities to improve our physical health and mental well-being, and enhance our quality of life. Often overlooked, but equally important, is our parks’ contribution to the economy. Each year about 56 million people visit the 178 state parks and 35 historic sites that comprise the state park system. And, as highlighted in Parks & Trails New York’s report, The NYS Park System: An Economic Asset to the Empire State , our state parks generate nearly $2 billion in economic benefits for the state and local economies and create more than 20,000 jobs in addition to state parks employees.

Often, however, parks get the short shift in the budget process. Years of neglect led to a $650 million backlog in infrastructure needs in our state parks. Crumbling buildings, bridges, and water treatment systems are a few of the many capital projects in need of funding.

The past few years have been especially troublesome for State Parks’ operating funds. From 2008 to December 2009, State Parks’ operating budget was slashed 25%. Services and hours were cut in 2009 at many parks and historic sites.

Ensure that state parks are adequately funded and remain open, clean, safe, and accessible
Build a bigger, unified, and more vocal constituency of parks supporters
Organize parks Friends organizations and other parks supporters into a broad-based, effective force for New York’s parks, mobilized to protect parks’ extraordinary legacy for years to come
Increase federal support of parks through increased funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund
Increase private support of state parks
Continue to educate legislators about the contributions of parks to the health, quality of life and economies of their districts and the entire state

History & Accomplishments of the Campaign for Parks:

Parks & Trails New York is proud of our role as the leading statewide advocate for New York’s parks. Our accomplishments include:

Parks at a Turning Point : In 2006 we published an influential report Parks at a Turning Point which documented how years of neglect had contributed to the crumbling infrastructure at New York State Parks. The report was referenced in a speech by the Governor, and led to an unprecedented commitment by the state to repair and improve the state park system.
Parks Advocacy Day: In 2007, Parks & Trails New York organized the first-ever Parks Advocacy Day, bringing park advocates to Albany to educated legislators about the importance of New York’s parks. We have made Parks Advocacy Day an annual event.
No Turning Back:We released our No Turning Back report, a follow-up to Parks at a Turning Point, which highlighted the progress OPRHP was making in overcoming the capital projects backlog and the need for continued capital funding.
More Capital for Parks: We successfully advocated for increased capital funding for the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in the 2008-2009 state budget. In the budget, OPRHP received $75.5 million, which was the largest infusion of capital in agency history.
The NYS Park System: An Economic Asset to the Empire State:In the spring of 2009 we commissioned the Public Economy Research Institute (PERI) to study the economic impact of State Parks on New York State. The report, The NYS Park System: An Economic Asset to the Empire State, revealed that state parks are economic engines that generate $1.9 billion in economic activity in New York State annually. The findings prove that, for very little investment, parks provide our state with a very large economic return--for every $1 the state invests in them, parks generate $5 in economic activity.
Parkland Alienation: We joined with New Yorkers for Parks to host a forum for state legislators on parkland alienation. Our aim is to make the process of alienating parkland more rigorous and less likely to occur. Parks & Trails New York and New Yorkers for Parks have also published a brochure on the issue.
Save Our State Parks Campaign: In 2010, Governor Paterson proposed drastic cuts to State Parks that would force as many as 91 state parks and historic sites to close. Hundreds of thousands of people responded by participating in the campaign to save parks. Hundreds came to Albany to fight park funding cuts by lobbying legislators, attending a press conference, and rallying outside the capital on Parks Advocacy Day. Hundreds of thousands created Facebook groups, contacted legislators, and held rallies across the state. The grassroots efforts led several legislators to say that they received more correspondence in opposition to park closings than on any other issue during the 2010 legislative session.

In January of 2010 Governor Paterson released an executive budget proposal that included devastating cuts to state parks. If adopted by the legislature, the cuts would result in up to 91 state park and historic site closures (for a full list of proposed closures click here ). Parks & Trails New York reacted by leading statewide efforts to keep all of New York’s state parks and historic sites open in 2010-2011. The campaign to save parks received unprecedented press coverage, and tens of thousands of park advocates participated in actions to save their parks across the state. The grassroots efforts to save state parks has been so effective that multiple legislators said they received more correspondence in opposition to park closings than on any other issue during the 2010 legislative session.

The legislature delivered park advocates some great news in late March. Both houses voted to restore $11.3 million in park operating funds which, if adopted in the final budget, will keep all state parks and historic sites open in 2010-2011.

Parks Need Your Support More Than Ever – Act Now

As of mid-April, the work to save New York Parks is not done. The Senate and Assembly's overall budget proposals are different and need to be reconciled with the Governor's budget.

Until the budget is finalized, parks are still in danger, and 55 will remain closed until a final bill with the $11.3 million in restorations is adopted. Please help us keep the pressure up until the budget is passed and the parks operating budget is restored: click here and contact your legislator today!