The New York Times rans a great piece this week that discussed the difficulties California State Parks have in serving Californians these days:

Parks have long been a political football in California, whose current economic mess includes a $19 billion deficit and whose populace tends to be the outdoorsy type. Budget cuts last year forced reduced hours, closed campsites and fewer trash pickups at more than half of the state’s 278 parks, and advocates remain worried about the coming negotiations.

This is why Audubon California supports the State Parks Initiative, which would provide permanent funding for this vital state resource.