News: Texas travel industry briefs

Texas TraveLog, the state's official travel industry newsletter, is published monthly by the Texas Department of Transportation. Click the link below to download the latest issue.

JANUARY 2012 TEXAS TRAVELOG (pdf)

In this month's issue:

Texas Parks and Wildlife Executive Director Carter Smith appealed to the public to visit state parks and make donations to help offset revenue loss caused by heat, drought, wildfires and a resulting drop in park visitor revenue. (Photo courtesy of TPWD/Chase Fountain)

Budget Shortfall for Parks

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has launched a $4.6 million appeal for help to recover from a “triple whammy” caused by record heat and drought, wildfires, and the corresponding decline in visitation and revenue.

“We’re reaching out for help,” says Carter Smith, TPWD executive director, who says visitor fees have generated about half of the $69 million operating budget. Until this year, those visitation numbers were growing. But with unconventional heat, burn bans affecting campfires, receding lakes and rivers, and wildfire damage to three popular state parks—Bastrop, Davis Mountains and Possum Kingdom—revenue decreased by 25 percent compared with last year.

 “The bottom line is we have a $4.6 million gap in our 2012 park system operating budget,” Smith says. “This is the amount we need to raise to help keep state parks open. We want to alert people now while there is still time to help.”

 “The bottom line is we have a $4.6 million gap in our 2012 park system operating budget.” – Carter Smith

TPWD offers a three-pronged call-to-action: visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us/helpparks to make a tax-deductible, year-end donation; make a donation when renewing a motor vehicle registration; and visit state parks. 

“Cooler weather makes fall and winter a fine time to visit state parks, which are great places for holiday outings and gatherings,” says Brent Leisure, TPWD state parks director. “Also, recent rains are allowing many of our parks to lift burn bans. That’s making campfires possible once again –– an important tradition for many park visitors.”

At present, burns bans affect state parks mainly in the Texas Hill Country, West Texas, the Panhandle and South Texas. However, there are exceptions to the ban such as Colorado Bend, Franklin Mountains, Garner and South Llano River state parks. Also, many state parks in burn-ban counties still allow charcoal grilling. For information on burn bans in Texas state parks, visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us/faq/spdest/state_parks/#fir.

Leisure says state parks protect unique places, provide settings for healthy outdoor recreation and serve as economic engines for nature tourism.

The Texas Legislature passed a new option that allows people to make a donation when they renew their motor vehicle registration, estimating that would raise at least $1.6 million per year. Starting Jan. 1, drivers can donate $5 or more when renewing their registration.

For more information, call (800) 792-1112, option 3 or visit www.texasstateparks.org.

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