Show s STATE p YS s ss sY Y s W Tal f G Ol OlI J n I I II I EDITORIAL I A Tree Gro Grows ors in Utah Despite a late start Utah has been acquiring and developing state tate parks at a steady pace since establishment of the State Park and Recreation Commission Commis Commis- Commission sion in in 1957 Since we are not nota a rich state legislative appropriations appropriations appropriations have necessarily been low Those appropriations have totalled just since 1957 but for that sum the state has acquired and at least partially partially partially par par- developed 29 prime areas of striking variety and Dead Horse Point with its stunning view across Canyon- Canyon lands the Natural History Museum Museum Mu Mu- seum mum at Vernal with its model dinosaurs Bear Lake Marina with its up the minute accommodations accommodations ac ac- ac are s simples samples ples of park operations of which any state would be proud The accomplishments ac ac- are the more remarkable remarkable remarkable re re- re- re since almost a million dollars has had to be programmed programmed program program- med for land acquisition and development at Wasatch Mountain Mountain Mountain Moun Moun- tain State Park where due to population proximity rising land values threatened to preclude preclude preclude pre pre- clude this vital park Important Role of Tourism During an election campaign in the wake of defense industry cutbacks began to realize realize realize real real- ize the important role tourism can play in the states state's economic economic economic eco eco- eco eco- health Statistics make dry reading but are sometimes sometimes some- some times tunes instructive Despite lack of a paved road fully visitors have been registered at Dead Horse Point since 1962 Approximately 20 20 cars made a mile fifty round roundtrip roundtrip trip consuming perhaps gallons of gasoline costing on the junket State taxes on gasoline alone amounted amount amount- ed to approximately Travel experts tell us each visitor visit visit- or spent half a vacation day in the Moab area as a result of the availability of Dead Horse Point Fully half those visitors spent 10 a day for meals lodgings and incidentals I or approximately in the same area of Grand and San SanJuan SanJuan I Juan Counties All this because of a park at which just i in state park funds has been I spent for land and improve improve- ments And these visitors in no way i reduced a natural resource the spectacular view at Dead Horse Point and its park facilities faelli- faelli facilities ties remain for next seasons season's visitors next decades decade's visitors and for their grandchildren I This single illustration of what the state park system can cando cando cando do to enhance Utah's economic well well being being is of special importance import import- ance at a time when legislators must study the worthy budget requests of hundred half state agencies Nationwide Program Set Up It is of vital importance too since the Federal Bureau of Outdoor Recreation has established established established a nationwide program in which during the next twenty twenty- five years almost billion 5 will become to federal state and local subdivisions on a matching fund basis Fully million may be passed on onto onto onto to agencies with firm programs in hand for 1965 including seventeen seventeen sev sev- sev enteen states that have already passed bond issues of from 5 million to million for recreation recreation recreation needs Utah's State Park and Recreation Recreation Recreation Commission has drawn a realistic budget request of 4 for the next biennium inc including a request for for water recreation The request re request request re- re quest for the forthcoming bi biennium biennium bi- bi biennium takes i into n t to o account matching fund availability It is hoped Utah citizens Increasingly Increasingly increasingly in In- aware of recreational needs and the economic potential potential potential poten poten- inherent in this growing industry industry industry in in- will support legislative adherents rents of a sound vigorous looking forward state park pro pro- gram |