Budget Cuts Could Mean Taller Grass For State Parks
Visitor Center Hours May Change
Updated: 1:22 pm CDT June 8, 2009
MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin's 99 state parks, forests and trails held an open house over the weekend, welcoming guests for free.The state Department of Natural Resources said 14 million people each year visit state parks, but some proposed state budget cuts may cut into park service."It just depends on the card that we're dealt as far as the aspects of the budget that we get," said park ranger Rene Lee.DNR officials said it's too early to tell where the cuts will be made."Hopefully, we won't be laying off any people, but I can confidently say that there will be some reductions in services," said DNR spokesman Greg Matthews."The more reductions there are the less work we can continue," said Lee.Lee said she's most concerned about the impact on Governor Nelson State Park. The park, which sits on Lake Mendota's north side, has five employees, one of which is full-time."I know that if it's another 5 percent cut there will be more reduced guest services in the office and less maintenance out there," she said.The park has adapted in the past, reducing visitor center hours and reorganizing maintenance chores."We try to make adjustments so that the public itself doesn't see it but at some point they're going to start seeing it," said Lee.The DNR said parks will not close, but the grass may be a little longer this summer."In the major parks, I don't think anyone's going to notice any drop in service," said Matthews. "In some of the minor smaller ones, yes maybe we won't cut the grass as much, less maintenance."Governor Nelson State Park employees also said they're worried that budget cuts could mean they'll have to abandon a project to control invasive species in the area. They said doing so could be devastating for native plants.
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