Texans love state parks so much that we need more
To my wife’s dismay, I was going to cook the Thanksgiving turkey over a campfire at Tyler State Park with the guidance of my son’s most recent Boy’s Life magazine.
We have a big map of Texas on the wall of our family room. We’re on a mission to visit all 90 or so state parks, and about 30 push pins show the ones we’ve visited so far.
At Monahans Sandhills State Park, we rode sleds down rolling dunes of sand, looking out to the horizon, where brilliant blue sky meets the white sand and yellow sunflowers of West Texas. At Goliad State Park and Historic Site, my son tried on a replica of the chain mail armor worn by conquistadors in the 1700s. At Garner, we captained paddle boats on the Frio River, and at Balmorhea State Park, we swam in its crystal clear, spring-fed swimming pool. Why not add a cooking adventure? Unfortunately, there’s still no push pin for Tyler State Park. Heavy rains canceled our trip, so I cannot tell you how campfireroasted turkey tastes. Worse, now we may have to wait a long time to get a spot again given the ever-increasing demand for state parks.
That’s due in part to the fact that parks are valued by everyone. We’ve met all kinds of people in our parks. Country folk and city people, Democrats and Republicans, Scout troops and bohemians jamming around the campfire. It seems that no matter what kind of Texan you are, state parks bring us all together.
The recent landslide victory for Proposition 5 backs that up. Prop 5, a constitutional amendment to guarantee sales taxes on sporting goods go to our state and local parks and historic sites, passed with 88 percent of the vote and majorities in every county. That’s right: every county. According to the Trust for Public Land, that margin of victory is the highest of any statewide ballot measure for parks or conservation in the history of the United States.
The new sales-tax guarantee can’t kick in too soon. Prop 5 will allow the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to tackle the huge backlog of needed repairs, including emergency pool repairs at Balmorhea State Park and replacing the wastewater treatment plant at Garner State Park, and to finally open up parks like Powderhorn Ranch and the Palo Pinto Mountains to the public. With Prop 5, the parks department will be able to plan ahead without waiting to see what budget the legislature negotiates every other year.
But fixing parks and opening a few new ones is not enough. Demand for parks is skyrocketing. Our existing parks are overcrowded, with visitors sometimes facing long lines to enter or even being turned away.To camp, you often have to book a spot for popular parks months in advance.
Our population has been booming, but the park system has not. Too many Texans aren't getting to experience the great outdoors, and the scarcity of parks will only get worse.
Texas is defined by our big landscape, big ideas, big everything — except our parks system. Twenty years ago, the state predicted we’d need to add 1.2 million acres of park lands by the year 2030 in order to keep up with Texas’ growing population. So far, Texas has added just under 200,000 acres. We are way behind, and we face similar demands for new city and county parks, too.
Prop 5 will help protect and maintain our current lands. But it is not enough. We need to actively expand our state and local parks for future generations. That begins with you, the voters, and that desire is reflected in the landslide support for Prop 5.
One day, I hope that big Texas map in our family room is covered in push pins — many more than the 90 or so current parks. I’m also hoping we can find a spot to get back out there to see if the Boy’s Life recipe is worth a darn. Here’s hoping to see you around a campfire.