Texas State Parks struggle with lowered visitation due to weather

Texas had a rough year, and the state park visitation rate showed it. Weather problems depleted lakes and rivers that are popular visitor destinations, burn bans outlawed building campfires, devastating wildfires swept across much of the parched land, and long stretches of 100-degree days all combined to discourage visitors from venturing outside.

The problem was compounded since 50% of the state park budget comes from visitor fees, and as the visitor traffic and entry fees nose-dived, the budget gap widened.

The numbers tell the story. The popular 5,926-acre Bastrop State Park near Austin, for example, showed an 88% drop in revenue in October after it was ravaged by a wildfire. Wildfires devastated the equally popular Possum Kingdom park hugging the rocky shore of a lake west of Fort Worth and the Davis Mountain Park in West Texas known for having the state's most extensive mountain range.

Heat and the drought forced the closure of ramps used by boaters and fishermen on Sheldon Lake park's 400-acre reservoir for several weeks, and children's fishing programs were cancelled when fishing ponds shrank to less than a foot of water.

How to help

A fundraising drive was announced Tuesday and if enough revenue is not raised, the state will be forced to make some tough decisions such as shortening park hours, cutting staff and even possibly closing parks.

The three ways Texans can help their state parks as part of the fundraising effort include:

Make a tax-deductible donation at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/helpparks.

Make a donation when renewing motor vehicle registrations starting Jan. 1.

Visit state parks to increase usage and entry fees.

Get out and visit

Officials encouraged visiting Sheldon Lake Park, a biological island surrounded by an industrial area, 2 miles east of Beltway 8 in Houston, which is home to 250 species of birds, alligators, bobcats, foxes and other wildlife.

In addition, the park recently opened a $1.3 million 75-foot observation tower (photo) from which tourists can view wildlife as well as the downtown Houston skyline.

Bastrop just backdrop for Texas park woes

After being seriously charred by wildfires earlier this year, Bastrop State Park is trying hard to rise from the ashes, Phoenix-style. Early this month, as rangers re-opened park gates, they probably gazed longingly up a distant--and empty--road. As bad as it is for Bastrop, it's just a 6,000 acre example of what's happening to many of Texas' parks. Now the agency's executive director has taken up the tin cup.

"We need to raise $4.6 million to keep state parks operating," says Carter Smith, and adds this plea, "We can't do it without you." Earlier this week, Smith went before media cameras at Government Canyon State Natural Area. Like scores of other state park agencies across the country, Texas State Parks are cash-starved, and looking for relief among state lawmakers is like a fruitless rain dance.

Bucking the trend of other states, however, Texas has yet to resort to closing park gates for lack of funding. Not yet, anyway. But after lengthy drought and vociferous wildfires, natural attractions at many parks have been dried up or burnt up. The resulting drop-off in visitation rates is killing the park system budget. Park generated revenues from gate receipts and activity fees account for half the system's budget are drying up.

With nearly 96% of the park charred by wildfire and closed to the public for months, it isn't surprising that revenues from the park have nosedived by almost 90%. With the park re-opening, will the revenue begin to rebound? It's a big question. Meanwhile, park land management isn't taking time off to see. Log onto any Texas State Park website and you'll find a picture of Carter Smith, begging for help. What's to be done? Give. Outright donations. Increase your visits.