Preserving Texas In the News

The "State Parks Express" RV rolled through Austin Tuesday morning, on a mission to spread the word about the state park funding crisis.

They carried the team from Environment Texas, who are echoing the same message coming from lawmakers.

With the House set to debate a state budget proposal later this week, environmentalists called for lawmakers to keep a pledge to boost funding for the state's decrepit state parks system, but to halt a plan to move some parks to the Texas Historical Commission.

"We have not been putting our money behind this for years," said Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin. "We need more money for our parks system."

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has pressed for a bigger budget, but legislators have voiced disappointment after a state audit found that the agency fails to accurately estimate and justify repair costs.

Parks advocacy groups expressed their concern over the future of state parks, especially with the rapid growth some areas of Texas are experiencing.

"Already, we have too few parks to serve public demand. As our population is growing, sensitive, natural areas are being destroyed. And there is a huge need to create new parkland," Luke Metzger of Environment Texas said.