State Parks: Help Now
This is Passport to Texas
Record drought, heat, wildfires and a drop in visitation and revenue have led to a critical situation for your state parks. Texas Parks and Wildlife Executive Director Carter Smith is reaching out to Texans to help save these natural treasures.
:10—We depend upon our state park visitors to help keep our state parks open so that all Texans can use and enjoy them. But, if we’re going to do that, we’ve got to raise $4.6 million dollars, and we need to do it very quickly if we’re going to keep these special places open for all Texans to enjoy.
There are three simple ways Texans can help to keep your parks open.
:18—You can go to our website and make a tax deductible contribution to help support your state parks. Coming January when you go to renew your vehicle registration, you’re going to be given an opportunity to make a $5 or more contribution to support your state parks. And also, most importantly, take your family out and go visit one of your state parks and do it as often as you can.
Smith adds that unlike some other states, Texas depends on visitor fees to fund park operations.
12—So by the simple act of all of us going out and visiting a state park you’re helping to keep your parks well stewarded and well cared for. So go out and have fun and take your family out and enjoy your state parks. It will help all of them.
Go to texasstateparks.org/helpnow to find out how you can help save your state parks. That’s texasstateparks.org/helpnow. Thank you.
For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.