Parks are priceless: Don’t cut conservation funding
To the Editor,
As a college student completing a remote semester amidst the COVID-19 crisis, I spent many hours hunched at my desk, staring at a screen. When my bedroom walls seemed to be closing in on me, I often took a moment to step outside, breathe, and return to reality. During this isolated time, nature has become a place of peace and refuge not only for me but for countless Pennsylvanians. Visits to local, state, and national parks have soared statewide, and parks are straining to keep up.
Although the value of our open spaces has become especially apparent, the Pennsylvania State House recently passed HB1822, which aims to cut conservation funding until Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 disaster declaration expires. This bill will slash funds for programs like the Growing Greener Program and the Keystone Fund that preserve and maintain our priceless open spaces. Without these funds, these state programs will struggle to maintain the parks, playgrounds, and farmlands near and dear to us.
The bill will soon head to the state senate. For the wellbeing of our communities, please ask our local state senators, Tom Killion and Tim Kearney, as well as all other state senators, to vote against it. I and many others recognize that by protecting Pennsylvanian open spaces, we also preserve health and community — now more than ever.
Maria DiGiovanni
Wallingford