Open Space In the News

Chris Coons has been going to Brendan T. Byrne State Forest for 48 years, since she was 12 years old.

As a child, she swam in the lake and cooked on the grill with her parents and siblings. Later, she brought her own children to ride their bikes. These days, she goes alone to read and watch the geese and other wildlife.

So when Coons heard the news yesterday that the park could be closed by this summer, the victim of a tight state budget, the New Hope resident was not happy.

"Oh my god, that's awful," Coons said, sitting in front of the roaring fireplace in her cabin. "Where are people going to go? We have so many kids today that sit in front of the computer and don't go out to places like this."

Eight other parks, including Washington Crossing State Park, are also slated to be closed under Gov. Corzine's proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Three other parks would see their services dramatically reduced, and offseason hours would be trimmed at all of the state's 42 sites, if the Legislature goes along with the proposal.

If the parks are closed, residents would be discouraged from visiting them and could be asked to leave if found in them. According to the state constitution, a budget must be approved by July 1, which means the parks could be shut down in mid-summer.

About two million people visit the dozen parks that would be most affected.

The closures should save the state about $4.5 million in salaries and maintenance. Overall, Corzine wants to cut $8.8 million from the state's park management fund, from a budget of $34 million.

Corzine has proposed a budget of $32.97 billion for the state in the forthcoming year, about $500 million below the current spending plan. He has suggested closing the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce and Personnel and reducing the state workforce by 3,000 workers, through a combination of early retirements and layoffs to help resolve the state's fiscal problems.

"My feelings about cuts to state parks are similar to my feelings about cuts to the Department of Agriculture and a whole host of other choices that are painful through and through," Corzine said through his spokeswoman, Lilo Stainton. "This is not something that we choose to do, but something that is required because of a falloff in revenues and failed financial policies historically."

State Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa Jackson said the department could not weather the budget cuts proposed by the governor without closing some parks.

"These cuts are very significant," said Jackson. "I wouldn't want to minimize the impact on families who have used the parks, sometimes for a generation, and workers who care about the parks. These are painful decisions."

Jackson said the decisions on which parks to close were based on factors including the number of visitors, revenues generated, and whether similar services are offered at nearby sites.

Carla Katz, president of Communications Workers of America Local 1034, said union leaders learned yesterday morning that 80 park employees could be laid off.

"The proposed Corzine cuts to environmental protection will continue to damage the already weakened agency, potentially endanger the public health, and prevent the DEP from truly functioning as it should to protect our environment and our state's citizens," Katz said.

Environmentalists, who had predicted the closures when Corzine announced his budget proposal, were nevertheless disappointed.

"I think it's going to have a tremendous impact on the people of New Jersey," said Jeff Tittel, executive director of the state Sierra Club.

Tittel said the state should work harder on finding ways to pay for the state parks, such as negotiating better contracts with utilities who pay to lay utility lines, and a small tax on outdoor recreation equipment such as ATVs.

"This is the worst April Fool's joke of the year," said Dena Mottola Jaborska, executive director of Environment New Jersey. "But it's no joke - if Gov. Corzine doesn't lift these draconian budget cuts, New Jersey residents will be locked out of enjoying some of New Jersey's state park jewels."

State Sen. Philip Haines (R., Burlington) called the move "another threat in an attempt to inflict pain on residents instead of cutting in a responsible manner."

Haines said he disagreed with the governor's proposals to close state parks and the Department of Agriculture and trim aid to smaller municipalities. Instead, he said, the state should limit funding increases to the poorest school districts to inflation, cut the public advocate's position, and investigate the aid to distressed cities.

Haines said state parks would be especially important to residents this summer. "I would certainly vote against it at this point in time," he said. "Think about the cost of gasoline - you can get down to some of these parks in 20 minutes, as opposed to traveling hours to get somewhere."

At this point, whether the parks will actually be shut down is uncertain. Haines noted that several governors have proposed closing parks as a negotiating tool for the budget. In politics, the tactic is known as the Washington Monument ploy, in which an administration proposes cuts it knows the Legislature will not accept, as a bargaining tactic.

Sharon Page of Manahawkin was another visitor at Brendan T. Byrne State Forest yesterday. She said she likes to go there to escape the Manahawkin crowds and used to take her two children there.

Both Coons and Page were renting cabins - each for less than $50 a night - on the first day they were available at the park.

"It would be a shame to close this down," said Page. "I would be so upset."

 

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Imperiled N.J. Parks

The list of nine New Jersey state parks that would close under Gov. Corzine's proposed budget:

Monmouth Battlefield State Park, 2,928 acres, Monmouth County. Visitor center, restrooms closed.

Stephens State Park, 805 acres, Warren County. Camping area closed.

High Point State Park, 15,827 acres, Sussex County. Swimming, camping, interpretive center, office closed. Trail access limited.

Brendan T. Byrne State Forest (formerly Lebanon State Forest), 36,647 acres, Burlington County. Camping, group picnic area, Indian King Tavern, office closed. Trail access limited.

Round Valley Recreation Area, 3,684 acres, Hunterdon County. Swimming, camping, Wallace House, office closed.

Parvin State Park, 1,952 acres, Salem County. Swimming, camping, interpretive center, office closed.

Jenny Jump State Forest, 4,288 acres, Warren County. Camping and office, closed. Trail access limited.

Worthington State Forest, 6,584 acres, Warren County. Camping and office closed. Trail access limited.

Fort Mott State Park, 104 acres, Salem County. Hancock House, historic sites, office, closed. Access to ferry service, open.

The three New Jersey state parks that would partially close under the proposed budget:

Ringwood State Park, 4,044 acres, Bergen and Passaic Counties. Shepherd Lake swimming area closed; Ringwood Manor, reduced hours. State Botanical Gardens and Skylands Manor, open.

D&R Canal State Park, 5,379 acres, central New Jersey. Bulls Island Recreation Area closed to campers. Rockingham Historic Site and towpath, open.

Washington Crossing State Park, 3,126 acres, Mercer and Hunterdon Counties. Significantly reduced hours at Clark House, Johnson Ferry House and the museum.

Winter hours at all remaining parks would be reduced. All but Liberty and Island Beach State Parks would be closed Mondays and Tuesdays from Nov. 1 through March 31.