By SAM CARPENTER
Guest Columnist
Time spent in our Indiana parks and natural spaces grounds us. It helps us slow down, helps us connect with friends and family and it helps us experience the wonders of the natural world around us.
That excitement we feel when we see a bald eagle, when we with our small children spot a deer, or even the rare glimpse of a bobcat or other shy wildlife, is a feeling that can only be found in nature.
That is why I am thrilled that Governor Holcomb has prioritized land conservation and trails in his proposed budget to the Indiana General Assembly.
Our Indiana parks and natural spaces are a Hoosier treasure. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, outdoor recreation adds nearly $13 billion annually to our Indiana economy and provides employment to 107,000 Hoosiers. Use of our parks has never been higher. In fact, in his recent State of the State address, Governor Holcomb proudly called out that our state park inns have the highest occupancy rate in the country! And yet, habitat for wildlife is shrinking.
According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, only 15 percent of the state’s original wetlands remain, and in recent years, 85 Indiana counties have lost forest acreage.
Any valuable asset requires care and investment in order for that value to be maintained and grow. Please join the Hoosier Environmental Council in asking Rep. Jeff Thompson (R-Lizton), Rep. Chuck Goodrich (R-Noblesville), and their fellow members of the House Ways and Means Committee to approve Governor Holcomb’s budget request for land conservation, trails, and our state parks.
Visit hecweb.org for details and learn how you can get involved.
Sam Carpenter serves as the Executive Director of the Hoosier Environmental Council.