Month: September 2011

Arizona Nonprofits Help Rescue State Parks

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[Source: Nancy Knoche, The NonProfit Quarterly] – Arizona’s shimmering sun, sweeping sunsets and sacred sites of Sedona draw millions of tourists to its state parks and historic sites. Community leaders recognize that parks are economic drivers in Arizona, having a $266.4 million dollar impact in fiscal 2007. When the 2009 state legislature slashed the state park budget, civic-minded individuals knew it was up to them throw a “financial lifeline” to these state treasures. Today 26 of the 27 state parks are open, but their long-range future remains in question.

Fourteen Arizona parks are remaining open thanks to partnerships developed by state agencies, nonprofits, and local communities. For example, when civic leaders of Payson and Star Valley learned that neighboring Tonto Natural Bridge State Park was scheduled to shut down, they knew they had to act fast in order to preserve the park’s $3.56-million economic impact on the local economy. Despite the fact that both communities faced their own financial challenges, they teamed up with the Friends of theTonto Natural Bridge State Park to cover the park’s operating shortfall by holding fundraising events and engaging citizens in saving the park. Today, the park is expected to be in the black by fiscal 2012.

Elsewhere, a fundraiser for the Yuma Territorial Prison Museum brought in over $70,000 kept the site open while it gathered more support.Red Rock State Park in Sedona is being aided by the Benefactors of Red Rock State Park. Nonprofits are increasingly part of a larger network of agencies, cities, and state parks that have drafted new written agreements regarding park funding and operations. Park managers have shortened hours, raised fees, and closed parks during low seasons. Today, 13 of the 14 state parks with these agreements are operating in the black. Statewide, nonprofit and civic leaders have raised more than $820,000 to keep the parks going.

Critics warn that this is just a “Band-Aid” approach. Several of these agreements expire in a year and future funding is uncertain. Cities and counties continue to be strapped for money. The good news is that the parks are open and continue to generate money for local economies. But how long will visitors be able to enjoy these Arizona treasures? Right now, no one has an answer.

Arizona Forward supports parks and open space, as do most state residents

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[Source: Bonnie Bariola, Special to the Florence Reminder] – Arizona Forward was formed for the purpose of enhancing the state’s environmental quality. The initial step in this process was to develop a parks and open space primer entitled Why Parks and Open Space Matter – The Economics of Arizona’s Natural Assets. This document provides unbiased facts, background information, and answers to frequently asked questions on this topic.

With a mission to promote cooperative efforts to improve the livability, sustainability, and economic vitality of cities and towns throughout the state, Arizona Forward was recently formed by Valley Forward, a 42-year old nonprofit public interest organization. Arizona Forward’s organizing members include Freeport McMoran /Copper and Gold, National Bank of Arizona, Sundt Construction, The Nature Conservancy, Fennemore Craig, Gammage and Burnham, Arizona Public Service Co., and the Arizona Heritage Alliance.

Surveys for the parks and open space primer revealed the fact that Arizonans overwhelmingly support state parks and open spaces and believe such areas contribute to a region’s economic health, but few people understand how the state pays for its parks. This lack of knowledge could imperil a parks system already weakened by budget cuts if lawmakers don’t hear from enough voters who want open spaces protected. Voters are encouraged to tell their state legislators to stop raiding the park system’s budget and support a dedicated and secure funding source for parks and wildlife protection.

To download a copy of the parks and open space primer go to arizonaforward.org. Research to prepare the primer revealed nearly 5.5 million Arizonans participate in active outdoor recreation, generating approximately $350 million in annual state tax revenue, producing nearly $5 billion in retail services and supports 83,000 jobs. Designed to enhance awareness of and interest in solving Arizona’s park’s issues, the primer is among Arizona Forward’s first projects toward its mission to promote cooperative efforts to improve the livability, sustainability, and economic vitality of cities and towns across Arizona. The user-friendly reference guide is described as “parks and open space 101.”

The primer covers not only facts about state parks but includes information about federal parks and lands, county and municipal parks, and other forms of trails and open space.

One section in the primer summarizes the Heritage Fund which was approved by Arizona’s voters in 1990 to protect our natural and cultural heritage. This initiative allocated $10 million per year from the state lottery monies to the Arizona Game and Fish Department and another $10 million to Arizona State Parks, both of which would provide grants to protect natural and cultural resources.

In 2010 the $10 million Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund was swept by the Arizona Legislature and completely eliminated with Budget Reconciliation Bill HB 2012 that repealed distributions to the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund and redirected the money to the state General Fund.

The members of Arizona Forward believe that to move Arizona forward, everyone must find common ground rather than faulting our differences. We must also work together to protect Arizona’s natural assets and ensure our state’s long-term economic prosperity. Everyone is encouraged to contact their legislators to let them know you want them to support and fund parks, open space and the Heritage Fund.

Oracle State Park could reopen part time

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[Source: Doug Kreutz, Arizona Daily Star] – Oracle State Park – closed for nearly two years by budget cuts – will reopen part-time next year if a new funding plan works out. “It’s not final yet, but I’m confident we’ll make this work,” said Renée Bahl, executive director of Arizona State Parks.”We’ve been working very closely with the Friends of Oracle State Park, which is a fantastic advocacy group, on a plan” to reopen the park near the town of Oracle, Bahl said.

The tentative plan would open the park three days a week to environmental education programs for students and on Saturdays to the public. Students and park visitors would have access to the park’s high-desert landscapes, hiking trails and the historic Kannally Ranch House.

Those sites have been off limits since the park was closed in October 2009 along with some other state parks. Oracle is the only one that remains closed. The key element in the reopening plan, Bahl said, is a fundraising effort by the Friends of Oracle State Park. “Right now, we’re looking at $20,000 to $25,000, and I have confidence that they will be able to raise the money,” Bahl said. If the money can be raised, the reopening plans would go into effect next spring or fall. Bahl said the timing depends on coordinating plans with school districts that would send students to the park.

Cindy Krupicka, president of the Friends group, called the planned reopening “a great start.” “We’re excited, and we hope to make this work,” Krupicka said. “In addition to raising money, we’ll also have to get volunteers to run the educational programs.” Bahl said State Parks expenditures for a reopening would be about $40,000. “We would move one ranger to the park to help put together the curriculum and help train the volunteers,” she said.

Push to protect Arizona’s parks from budget cuts gains steam

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[Source: Shaun McKinnon, AZ Republic, Page 1] –  Arizonans overwhelmingly support state parks and open spaces and believe such areas contribute to a region’s economic health, but few people understand how the state pays for its parks, a new survey says. That lack of knowledge could imperil a parks system already weakened by budget cuts if lawmakers don’t hear from enough voters who want open spaces protected, according to Arizona Forward, a newly organized group that commissioned the survey.

“Nothing is stronger than grass roots, with people calling their elected officials saying, ‘This is important to me, I want my parks to be open,’ ” said Diane Brossart, acting director of the group. “But I think we take these things for granted, and until there’s a crisis, people are not engaged with the issues.” [to read the full article click here].