Gov. Abbott calls for expansion of Texas State Parks system
Luke Metzger | Environment Texas | February 13, 2023
Great news for the Million Acre Parks Project! Last week, Governor Abbott called for expanding the state parks system, saying “Yes, we want Texas to grow. Yes, we want Texas to prosper. But we can do that while at the very same time conserving the beautiful parks that we have and adding to them to make Texas even more appealing to future generations.”
As I told the Houston Chronicle, I “hope the Legislature heeds the governor’s call and makes a historic investment in expanding the state parks system.”
This is the session to do it. It’s the centennial of the state parks system and our current parks already can’t keep up with demand. With a $33 billion budget surplus, the state has the resources to acquire more land for state parks, protect wildlife habitat, and create more opportunities for our kids to run free in the woods and see the stars at night.
Environment Texas analyzed campsite reservation data from Texas Parks and Wildlife and learned that, during Memorial Day weekend of 2021, 95% of state park campsites were claimed and 86% of all state parks were completely booked. That means many more Texans were turned away when they wanted to spend time in the Great Outdoors. This is an all too frequent occurrence that will only get worse as the population continues to grow.
On Monday, I’ll share our research with the Senate Finance Committee and urge them to set aside $1 billion for state parks – a position (and amount) supported by 68% of Texans.
To read the blog, click here