Campfire Cookery: Banana Boats

Zach Hunter

An introduction dessert recipe for getting started with campfire cooking. (read more...)

NASPD Meets to Promote America's State Parks

Heather Gladden

A recap on my recent visit to the NASPD Board of Directors Meeting (read more...)

Celebrate Earth Day in a State Park

America's State Parks

Celebrate Earth Day in a State Park (read more...)

3 National Organizations Join the NGA in Calling for Full, Permanent and Equal Funding for the LWCF State Assistance Program

by America's State Parks

As President Obama launches a vision for America's Great Outdoors, the National Association of State Park Directors, the National Recreation and Park Association and the National Association of State Outdoor Recreation Liaison Officers urges the President to support full, permanent and equal funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

Just as Laurance S. Rockefeller, Chairman of the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission (ORRRC), said in 1962 that states should "play a pivotal role" in providing outdoor recreation in encouraging President John F. Kennedy to support establishment of the Land and Water Conservation Act, so too are the nations' governors now encouraging the federal government to honor the original intent and spirit of LWCF.

Now, nearly 50 years after the Commission's call for states to provide recreation resources and conservation benefits to the American public, the undersigned organizations join the call of the National Governors Association to provide full and equal funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund State Assistance Program as originally intended by Congress.

The stateside portion of the Land and Water Conservation Fund provides 50% matching grant funds to every state and eligible U.S. Territory from a "conservation royalty" derived from the sale of offshore oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) to acquire lands for parks and conservation, to provide outdoor recreation resources and facilities which are available to the public in perpetuity.

The LWCF State Assistance Program supports local and state parks which provide close-to-home, affordable, outdoor recreation resources open to all Americans. Hundreds of millions of Americans make billions of visits to state and local parks each year proving that these parks are an essential part of American life and in great demand by all citizens. With the growing costs and health consequences of the national obesity epidemic affecting both children and adults, the need for matching federal funding to acquire and develop outdoor recreation facilities is even more important now than when the LWCF Act was passed forty-five years ago.

Our local and state parks play a critical role in the physical, mental, spiritual and economic health of the nation. With the fifty states investing $1.3 billion annually in taxpayer funded operating support for America's State Parks; the nation reaps $20 billion in economic benefits - a 15 fold return on investment. In addition to providing recreational opportunities, building local and state parks creates jobs and sustains outdoor recreation and tourism spending that fuels local economies.

We support our nation's governors in their effort to revitalize the Land and Water Conservation State Assistance Program and urge President Obama and all the members of the United States Congress to support full and dedicated funding of the LWCF and to equally fund the State Assistance and federal programs.

Joe Elton, President, National Association of State Park Directors - joe.elton@dcr.virginia.gov

Barbara Tulipane, CEO, National Recreation and Park Association - btulipane@nrpa.org

Tim Hogsett, President, National Association of Outdoor Recreation Liaison - tim.hogsett@tpwd.state.tx.us

------------------------------------------------------

14.3 Funding

Governors believe that Congress should encourage the provision of adequate and predictable funding for the nation's outdoor recreation resources from both private and public sources. Given the diversity of states, Governors are best positioned to play a vital role in reinvesting these proceeds wisely. Therefore, governors recommend that Congress fully fund the state-side portion of the LWCF for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities in a manner that provides a balanced and equitable appropriation of stateside funding in comparison to the federal side of the program while honoring the original intent and spirit of LWCF. Governors encourage Congress to authorize changes to the state-side LWCF to allow for a match of 75 percent federal/25 percent state as a means of increasing opportunity to use these funds in small communities.