MCV’s 2023 Wish List for Massachusetts State Parks
On December 14, 2022, we published our Wish List for 2023 and asked you to comment and add to our list. Thanks to all of you who sent replies in agreement and encouragement, and especially for your additions.
Here’s our final curated list. Let’s compare notes later this year — here’s to making wishes come true!
The MCV 2023 Wish List for Massachusetts State Parks:
1. An experienced Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Commissioner with vision, and leadership, committed to parks and open spaces, who will serve at least four years.
2. More Public/Private Partnership funding for DCR park improvements.
3. A dollar amount affixed to the Parkways Master Plan and a public planning and construction schedule.
4. A cabinet-level Secretary of Conservation, Recreation, Wildlife Management, and Agriculture reporting directly to the Governor.
5. More public ocean beaches, bike and pedestrian trails, and universal access to these facilities.
6. Clean park bathrooms and staffed park headquarters open all year.
7. A DCR Stewardship Council at full membership.
8. A DCR 311-call line for park users to report issues directly to the agency.
9. Significant progress toward eliminating DCR’s $1.0 billion deferred maintenance backlog outlined in a transparent DCR capital planning, spending, and construction plan.
10. More school trips to state parks and open spaces.
11. Protect ecologically valuable habitats and promote native species.
12. Provide field staff with intensive entry-level training and offer career-long educational opportunities.