Parks around the US face economic stress this Memorial Day

[jason]

As Memorial Day vacationers head out to national and state parks across the country this weekend, looking for respite from urban woes, many will see signs of parks feeling economic stress.

In California, Governor Jerry Brown’s $22 million budget cut will close 70 of the state’s 278 state parks including beaches. In Colorado, the legislature has completely eliminated general tax funding for the state parks. And in Georgia, the state park’s allocation shrank by 40 percent.

The first changes people are going to see are reduced park hours, fewer rangers available for guidance and maintenance, not to mention closed facilities such as toilets and museum exhibits, says Philip McKnelly, executive director of the National Association of State Park Directors.

more Parks around the US face economic stress this Memorial Day - CSMonitor.com