Caledonia Argus

State park to reduce services

Posted: 8/27/02

By Andrew Miller
Argus News Reporter

Beaver Creek Valley State Park, along with 23 other Minnesota state parks, will be reducing services starting September 3. The decision, made by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, comes in the wake of budget retrenchments enacted in the 2002 Minnesota Legislature, which cut the departmentís funds by $13.1 million.

According to DNR Parks and Recreation Director Bill Morrissey, budget cuts were made in nearly all program and administrative areas at Minnesota state parks. As a result, the camping season is being shortened, resource management efforts are being reduced by thirty percent, and winter services in some parks are being curtailed.

ìWeíre going to continue to provide the best possible service to the 8.5 million users of Minnesota State Parks,î Morrissey said. ìUnfortunately, in these tough economic times, weíre going to have to make do with less.î

For Beaver Creek Valley State Park, the budget cutbacks have several effects. Though the park will remain open throughout the year, the camping season has been shortened substantially. There will be no overnight use from September 3 until Memorial Weekend of 2003.

Jane Schiltz, manager of the AmericInn motel in Caledonia and member of the Historic Bluff Country tourism organization, hopes that the shortening of the camping season will have no other negative effects on the park.

ìWe refer a lot of our guests to Beaver Creek Valley State Park for the outdoor adventure- hiking trails, fishing, enjoyment of the great outdoors,î she said. ìLetís hope that the reduction in the camping season is the only reduction that affects this great asset in southeast Minnesota.î

However, the budget cuts which forced the park to reduce the camping season have also forced a reduction in park maintenance and resource management, since the majority of park staff members will have to leave earlier in the Fall, and return back later in the Spring.

Park manager Roger Heimgartner is concerned the budget cutbacks will have adverse effects not just for the park, but for Caledonia merchants as well. ìWe (BCVSP) will be losing some revenue because of having to close early,î he said. ìThis is a business with employees, a business that brings in people from outside the community, people who spend money in the community.î

Heimgartner, who has been park manager since May 2002, is looking forward to making BCVSP a more involved part of the Houston County community. However, he noted, ìitís a little hard to do so with the budget situation weíve found ourselves in.î

He sees the duties of park staff as consisting of a tri-fold agenda: (1) providing opportunities for recreation that are safe, clean, and secure; (2) protecting the parkís natural resources, such as bird habitats and trout streams; and (3) providing education and interpretation in regard to resource conservation and outdoor recreation. The recent budget cutbacks, he believes, will at least partially hinder the park staffís abilities to perform all three of these functions.

Though the decision to close the park to overnight campers beginning September 3 will have immediate effects, Heimgartner believes the biggest impact will be in the spring.

ìIf we canít open for camping until Memorial Day, that means lots of trout fishers and turkey hunters who come to the area wonít be able to camp here overnight.î

In order to maintain the park after the budget cutbacks, volunteers are greatly needed. If you would like to volunteer at BCVSP, call park manager Roger Heimgartner at 724-2107.

Campers who have already made reservations at the park for after Labor Day weekend can change their reservations at no additional charge, and those wishing to cancel their reservations will receive a full refund. To change or cancel reservations, call 1-866-857-2757.

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