Cindy Adams Dunn: Growing outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania meets public demand
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The Tribune-Review editorial board recently posed the question, “How many state parks is enough?” (Oct. 3, TribLIVE) as it addressed the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) adding three new state parks to its system. Obvious bias notwithstanding, we believe this new investment is badly needed and hopefully is just the beginning.
For starters, there was a tremendous increase in visitors to the 121 state parks, now 124, during the covid-19 pandemic. People continue to “vote with their feet” (a term we like to use at DCNR) by visiting parks, forests and trails of all kinds, proving that the interest in the health and wellness benefits of the outdoors isn’t going anywhere.
As noted in the editorial, for every $1 invested in state parks, more than $12 is returned to the local economy, for about $1 billion in direct economic impact. But there is more to the story. Outdoor recreation adds about $12 billion in value to Pennsylvania’s economy and supports 150,000 full-time jobs.
Equally important, survey after survey tells us that creating new outdoor recreation opportunities is a high priority for Pennsylvania residents. In order to meet the needs and wants of the evolving outdoor user, we need to continue to invest in improving infrastructure like connecting trails and updating campgrounds to accommodate everyone from small groups to big families.
With the addition of three new state parks, Pennsylvania has the opportunity to respond to public demand by providing new outdoor recreation opportunities in areas of critical need.
State parks in the eastern half of Pennsylvania are typically smaller with less capacity than in the west and often have to close to visitors at our busiest times because of overcrowding.
Wyoming County now has its first state park in Vosburg Neck State Park. It is within driving distance of high-population areas in the northeast corridor of the commonwealth, where we see overcrowding and sometimes have to turn people away on weekends.
Chester County is one of the fastest growing areas in the nation, and it is facing tremendous development pressures to meet that growth. Conserving land in this region and establishing Big Elk Creek State Park is critical for conservation and putting the land to use in a way that benefits those who live nearby or are traveling within the Philadelphia region.
York County similarly faces significant development pressures to accommodate population growth and warehouse and industrial development in the area. Adding Susquehanna Riverlands conserves valuable space along the mighty Susquehanna River and, with a short drive, connects users in the Harrisburg, Lancaster, York metropolitan area, while also expanding access to the river though Codorus Creek.
So, the answer is a resounding yes! Conserving 3,500 acres and making it open for public use is a strategic step at the right time. We also will continue to work with communities to grow outdoor recreation opportunities in the commonwealth through grants and partnerships and continuing to listen to people seeking outdoors for refuge from the daily pressures of life. Now is the time to transform outdoor recreation and put public lands to use for the people.
State parks support local economies, are in high demand, and are free and welcoming to all. We’re proud to make this addition to our system for the benefit of all Pennsylvanians.
Cindy Adams Dunn is secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.