Virginia Association for Parks
                     

VAFP Newsletter
FALL 2002

Prepared by Ann Lipp and Davinder Khanna
Greetings,

Virginia Association for Parks is pleased to bring you VAFP Newsletter. We would welcome your feedback. Thank You!
 

Meeting of VAFP (Virginia Association for Parks)

VAFP is five years old! Celebration of the 5th anniversary of working to assist Friends groups for Virginia's state and national parks will take place at the September 6th and 7th meeting at Hungary Mother State Park in Southwest Virginia. State and National Park Friends, staff and volunteers will be in attendance as well as Friends groups from Virginia's National Wildlife Refuges and National Forests. The goal is for Virginia to become the model for the 'seamless system of parks' that National Park service Director Fran Mainella frequently mentions in her speeches.

Election of officers will take place at this meeting.

For more information about the meeting Email info@virginiaparks.org or visit www.virginiaparks.org
 

Youth Conservation Corps

The new Youth Conservation Corps provided opportunities to learn about natural resources first-hand! The YCC was held July 28 - August 10, 2002, and six State Parks were hosts for teens from 15 to 18 years old.

You can't truly appreciate nature's wonders from a book, computer or television. Such knowledge comes only through first-hand experience. It takes soiled hands, muddy shoes and a strong heart to really get it.

Whether you want to take direct action or help others do so, DCR's new Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) offers an avenue for such learning. The corps program aims to teach young people, through esteem-building hands-on projects, how precious our commonwealth's natural treasures are as well as how to keep them that way.

YCC activities, which take place in Virginia State Parks, enhance our environment as well as employment opportunities for our young people. The program increases the stewardship of public lands, fosters respect for nature's wonders, and improves work skills, teamwork, self-pride and social responsibility. Best of all, those wishing to take part receive cash for their efforts and need no prior experience.

For more on this visit: www.dcr.state.va.us/parks/ycc.htm
 
Parks and Natural Areas Bond Referendum -
Election Day: Tuesday, November 5, 2002

On Election Day, Nov. 5, 2002, Virginians will vote on a $119 million Virginia Parks and Natural Areas bond referendum.

If approved, bond funds will be used to help conserve Virginia's important natural resources and provide more recreational offerings. It will allow for the purchase of land for three new state parks, 11 existing parks, 10 new natural area preserves and eight existing preserves.

Passage of the $119 million bond referendum would provide $30 million to purchase new park and natural area land, $6.5 million for additional land to existing parks, and $4.5 million to protect park land from severe shoreline erosion. The remaining $78 million would be for much-needed construction, improvement and repair projects such as cabins, campgrounds and other offerings throughout Virginia's 34 state parks. Bond funds will be used for specific projects, not operating costs.

Virginia's state park system this year was named the best-run park system in America despite ranking 50th in terms of percentage of state budget spent on parks and 49th in per capita state park spending. Passage of the referendum would allow Virginia State Parks to serve families and visitors more completely.

Virginia's Natural Heritage Programs are among the world's best. State biologists have identified 1,450 critical natural areas. Only 36 have been dedicated Natural Area Preserves. Money from the bond will help protect additional natural areas.

Park visitors, nearly 40 percent from outside the state, contributed $144 million to the state's economy in 2001. Bond money would help stimulate our still sluggish, post-9/11 economy, particularly in rural areas.

The Commonwealth of Virginia Parks and Natural Areas Bond Act of 2002 was overwhelmingly approved by both houses of the Virginia General Assembly and Governor Warner in April 2002.

Please cast your vote on November 5.

Learn more about the bond issue: www.dcr.state.va.us/bond/index.htm
 
National Parks - Competitive Sourcing Issue

Each park is given a target number of people whose jobs must be competitively bid. For example, at Prince William Forest Park, all 23 maintenance workers jobs are being competitively bid. If a contractor can do the job cheaper, all 23-park staff will lose their jobs and a contracting firm will be hired to do the work. The concern is that contractors may be able to save the money on paper, but will they have the knowledge, dedication and commitment that a long-time park employee has?
 
Join VAFP today, or renew your membership for 2003

Your support is needed. Let your voice be heard, and help this organization grow and help support all parks in Virginia. For a membership application go to: www.virginiaparks.org/vap/members1.html
 

This is an E-newsletter! Send in your comments, suggestions and volunteer to help out with this! Send comments to:
info@virginiaparks.org

Copyright 2002 Virginia Association For Parks
http://www.virginiaparks.org