Over the past several years, I’ve tried to speak out on the lack of
stewardship and law enforcement in my state’s most heavily visited state park.
Despite my best efforts, this has been an experience of ever-increasing
frustration, as I’ve come up against the institutional dishonesty of a natural
resources agency with no commitment to accountability.
Recently a friend who shares my concerns has opened my eyes to a new
dimension of abuse in this park—a variety of issues which are more often seen
in urban parks, including handguns, drug dealing, bonfires, and an atmosphere
of intimidation. Residents whose homes are adjacent to the park don’t feel
safe walking there alone, and some longtime residents have stopped visiting the
park altogether because of safety concerns.
For years I’ve tried to raise attention to the park’s issues from an
ecological standpoint—habitat degradation, invasive plants, the loss of
threatened species and the steady encroachment of sea-level rise. But my
friend has convinced me that in many ways, this state park has become an urban
park, surrounded by dense residential development and increasingly subject to
urban issues.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone, in the US or around the world, who
has dealt with similar concerns—and I would especially appreciate hearing how
local communities have responded to this kind of multilayered abuse of public
lands, which all too often seem “protected” in name only. I am trying my
utmost to find some sort of workable solution, and I’m open to constructive
suggestions.
Thank you,
J. A.
