Ohio State Park Attendance Up in 2009
- Image by lcthulou via Flickr
COLUMBUS, OH- In this economic recession, more families turned to Ohio State Parks for affordable vacation and recreational opportunities in 2009. In fact, state park overnight stays increased by nearly 10 percent. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) responded to this significant increase in attendance and reduced budget by adopting new management strategies designed to create the best experience for the majority of visitors.
“If it is government’s responsibility, during a recession, to provide more services to more citizens using a smaller budget and reduced staff, then Ohio State Parks are a note-worthy example of government working the way it should,” said ODNR Director Sean Logan.
In a time when many state parks across the country have closed due to economic impacts, all 74 Ohio state parks remain open and free to the public.
“Ohio is a beautiful state with endless opportunities to enjoy nature and the outdoors. Despite unprecedented economic challenges, we have worked hard to protect our parks so that Ohio families on tight budgets have close-to-home vacation and recreational opportunities,” said Governor Ted Strickland.
There are a number of examples below of how Ohio State Parks have demonstrated their commitment to service during these difficult economic times. These statistics reflect the success of the adaptive management tools utilized by staff.
* Increased Usage – Usage of state park overnight facilities (January 1 – November 30, 2009) was 632,533 overnight stays. This is an increase of 8 percent over the same period last year and approximately 50,000 more visitors using state park overnight facilities. The average length of stay was also up by nearly 14 percent.
* National Comparison – Ohio remains one of only seven states that do not charge a fee for park admission. All 74 Ohio State Parks remain open and free to all. States which recently closed parks due to economic pressure include California, Illinois, Arizona, Arkansas and New Jersey. In a number of other states, state park systems managed with temporary or partial closures, or were operating under emergency provisions. With the exception of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, parks in states adjacent to Ohio charge admission. By remaining open and free, Ohio State Parks create a constant in-flow of visitors and tourism dollars.
* Decreased Staff and Budget – This biennium budget is a 19 percent reduction from the previous biennium (The 2010–2011 biennium Ohio State Parks General Revenue Fund (GRF) appropriation is $64,500,709. The 2008–2009 biennium Ohio State Parks GRF appropriation was $79,749,682). Staff levels have been reduced by 32 positions, or 7 percent, from July 2007 to July 2009.
* Adaptive Management – Fifty-four “Friends” groups now assist their local parks with improvement projects including shelter houses, dog parks, disc golf courses, playgrounds etc. The stimulus-funded Recovery Conservation Corps (RCC) put 358 young workers in the field this summer, improving parklands, clearing trails, fighting invasive species, painting, repairing and upgrading park facilities.
* Improved Performance – Ohio State Parks’ on-going consumer satisfaction survey program, ‘Write Right to the Chief,’ increased 1.5 percent (now 4.613 on scale of 5) in satisfaction over 2008.
The Ohio State Parks manage 74 state parks in 60 counties with over 174,000 acres of land and water resources. Facilities include nine resort lodges, two dining lodges, six golf courses, more than 9,000 campsites in 57 family campgrounds, 518 cottages, 40 visitor/nature centers, 80 swimming beaches and 19 swimming pools, 186 boat ramps and 7,583 boat docks, 464 picnic areas, and 1,208 miles of trails. Ohio State Parks host about 50 million visitor occasions each year.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at www.ohiodnr.com.
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