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Land adjacent to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, known as Texas’ “Grand Canyon,” would be purchased and protected by the state if the Legislature appropriates funds for land acquisition.
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Over the last year, thanks in part to our advocacy, Texas leaders have made steps to repair our parks. Environment Texas is pushing to go one step farther—and buy new parkland to offset the rapid loss of open space.
Public outcry over the crisis in parks funding has spurred legislators to increase funds to rehire laid-off park rangers and repair decrepit equipment and facilities. While these are very important steps to restoring the honor of our parks, Environment Texas is pushing the Legislature to appropriate at least $15 million per year to acquire and develop new state parks and to expand existing parks.
Losing our natural heritage
With more than 20 acres of natural areas lost every hour in Texas due to development, our state parks play a critical role in keeping some of our most beautiful and ecologically important areas wild.
In 2001, Texas Tech University researchers found that “the current acreage available for outdoor recreation does not meet demand,” a situation that would only worsen as our population continues its dramatic growth. They also warned that “efforts to conserve and restore biologically sustainable habitats in each of the ecoregions of Texas remain inadequate.”
In 2002, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department laid out a 10 year plan to create new 5,000-acre parks within 90 minutes of each of the state’s major cities (Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston) and the lower Rio Grande Valley. The Department further recommended expanding 14 existing state parks, including Enchanted Rock, Bastrop and Palo Duro Canyon State Parks.
Stuck in neutral
Pedernales Falls
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The Department is already half-way into its 10 year plan, yet none of the new parks have been created, nor have any parks been expanded. In fact, according to the State Parks Advisory Panel of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, while Texas’ population is growing at a rapid pace, “there has not been a major acquisition and development program for state parks since 1967.”
With development immediately threatening some of Texas’ most endangered natural areas, including the Gulf Coast prairies (near Houston), the forests of the cross-timbers region (near Dallas-Fort Worth), and the Edwards plateau (near San Antonio), a significant parkland acquisition appropriation is critical to protecting Texas’ natural heritage. “Indeed, with land prices expected to rise well above the rate of inflation in coming years, putting off such an investment is penny wise, but pound foolish.” said Luke Metzger, Legislative Director of Environment Texas. |
