Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites announces economic impact of State Park system

ATLANTA, Ga., (March 17, 2010) - In connection with the annual State Parks Day at the Capitol, the Friends of Georgia State Parks and Historic sites today announced the statewide economic impact of Georgia’s state parks and historic sites. 

“Tourism is the second largest industry in Georgia,” notes Andy Fleming, executive director of Friends of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites, the key volunteer support organization for Georgia’s State Parks and Historic Sites. “According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, last year alone, more than 10 million people visited Georgia’s state parks and historic sites, generating more than $769 million per year for our state and local economies. For every $1 appropriated to the Parks Division of the Department of Natural Resources, the state and local economy gets $33 in return. ”

“That statewide economic impact translates into more than 7,600 jobs, many of which are in Georgia’s most economically challenged counties,” notes Fleming. “And we must also recognize that our parks and historic sites exist to protect precious environments and historic and cultural resources while providing healthy outdoor recreation for our families.”
“We are concerned that the substantial reductions in funding for state parks and historic sites in FY 2009 and FY 2010 – some 39% over FY 2008 appropriations – have already taken a toll on staffing, programming, repairs and maintenance at every site. We fear that further reductions will result in site closures across the state and the loss of important economic resources in some of our most economically challenged communities.” 

“We’re helping bridge the gaps created by the loss of funding -- last year, volunteers in the fifty chapters of Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites provided more than 54,000 hours of service in our state parks and historic sites,” notes Fleming. “That translates into well over $1.2 million worth of service.”