Park Advocacy Day Bears Fruit

On Monday March 2, outdoor enthusiasts and advocates joined together for the 14th annual Park Advocacy Day. This year, the event welcomed 77 participants, from 23 Friends groups and 12 partner organizations. These representatives volunteered their time and energy to protect New York’s parks and shared natural and cultural treasures.

Parks & Trails New York, in partnership with the Open Space Institute, organized Park Advocacy Day to ensure that state parks are protected and enhanced during budget negotiations. Attendees conducted 47 legislative visits at which they communicated their thoughts on the importance of state parks and historic sites. They specifically urged elected officials to support:

• $110 million capital investment in state parks to address the backlog in infrastructure and safety repairs. There are more than 700 park improvement and enhancement projects underway at parks and historic sites in every region of the state. As park visitation continues to increase, improvements to park infrastructure is crucially important for public health and safety.
• $300 million Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). The EPF provides state parks and historic sites with funding for stewardship, public access, open space protection, and municipal parks. This ask includes $1 million for Park and Trail Partnership Grants and an increase in funding to $2 million for the Connect Kids to Parks Grant program. An additional ask was for legislators to reject language in the Executive Budget that allowed EPF funds to be used for state agency staffing.
• $1 million Park and Trail Partnership Grants in the Environmental Protection Fund. This competitive grant program, administered by Parks & Trails New York in partnership with State Parks, recognizes the important role of volunteers and Friends groups which support the state’s parks, trails, historic sites and other public lands.
• Support the Restore Mother Nature Bond Act which would help preserve open space, conserve park lands, and create new outdoor recreational opportunities. Additionally, Bond Act funding will restore wetlands and increase resilience to flooding.

The hard work of park advocates proved to be worthwhile. In late March, the passed FY20-21 budget. included all the points advocated for on Park advocacy Day.

Parks & Trails New York commends Governor Cuomo and the Legislature for their support of state parks and public lands in the budget.

There is still an opportunity to speak out for parks. During this public health crisis, we need to make sure that parks and trails remain open and safe. Take the #ParksPledge and encourage your family and friends to do the same. Share why parks are especially important to you during this time on social media using #ParksPledge. Don’t forget to tag Governor Cuomo (@nygovcuomo on all platforms) as well.

Pictured on left: State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid and Senator José Serrano, at Park Advocacy Day.