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ILLINOIS LEADING THE WAY

Illinois is a leading state in the current nationwide trend toward parklands expansion, a comprehensive survey conducted by the National Conference on State Parks reveals.

The National Conference on State Parks is a branch of the National Recreation and Parks Association, with membership composed of the nation's state park administrators. The period covered by the survey approximates calendar year 1970.

Forty two recreational areas, involving 17,185 acres, were acquired in Illinois during this period. Second was the state of Washington, with 14 areas which included 715 acres. Alaska and Colorado also acquired large acreages.

"High percentage of urban population in Illinois is a large factor in the necessity for park recreational acreages to be designated and set aside now, before land values go any higher," commented Governor Richard B. Ogilvie. "I am especially pleased to note that the thrust of our parklands acquisition program is now starting to show up in published national statistics."

Illinois has an urban population of 83 percent of its total 11,113,976 population; New York 81 percent of 37,152,813, Indiana 64.9 percent of 5,193,669 and Ohio 74.8 percent of 10,652,017.

Total park acreages for these states are listed: Illinois 280,078 (includes some Shawnee Forest areas), Indiana 62,944, Ohio 138,020 and New York 274,887.

Budget figures listed were: Illinois $25,707,570, Indiana $2,766,481, Ohio $26,708,635 and New York $52,388,846.

No fees are charged for entrance to Illinois' state parks and memorials; many states, however, charge both entrance and parking fees.

Nation-wide trends in state park use were included in the study, such as tent and trailer camping which has increased by 43.6 percent since 1967, while hotel, motel and cabin use rose by only seven percent. Awareness of this item is demonstrated in Illinois by campground development and improvement in the state parks currently underway.

Total attendance at state parks increased 23.4 percent from 1967 to 1970, the survey showed.

Commenting at a meeting of Illinois' parks district land managers, Director Henry N. Barkhausen of the Department of Conservation paid tribute to the professionalism that has produced this state's parks system upgrading.

"Whatever success we have is not just due to today's efforts, but also to those past dedicated conservationists who have done the 'spade-work' in Illinois. There are many dedicated people who have worked in the conseravtion Department for some time, and now the opportunity has come to show our successes," said Barkhausen.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 13 November/December, 1972


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