The Friends of the Blue Hills and over 50 other organizations endorsed a letter to support our state parks. The letter was distributed to all legislators, incumbent and recently elected, as well as the current administration, governor, and commissioners of several state agencies.
Despite significant progress during the FY2023 budget process and the recently passed economic development bill, our parks remain in crisis due to a decade of underfunding and understaffing. During this period, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) lost some 300 positions and accumulated a $1.0 billion deferred maintenance backlog.
Thanks to our members, we could work with Massachusetts Conservation Voters and many other organizations to work to reverse the shockingly sad fact that Massachusetts is ranked 50th in the U.S. in per capita spending on state and municipal parks.
We look forward to continuing to work to bring our parks into the 21st Century.
Photo: Thomas McCaffery
