1 of 7
Sydney Cromwell.
Oak Mountain Budget Rally
Members of the Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers attend a rally to oppose cuts to the state parks budget.
2 of 7
Sydney Cromwell
Oak Mountain Budget Rally
DCNR Director Greg Lein speaks to a crowd of Oak Mountain State Park users at a rally against park budget cuts.
3 of 7
Sydney Cromwell
Oak Mountain Budget Rally
Rally attendees promised to contact their legislators to express concerns about cutting the state parks budget.
4 of 7
Sydney Cromwell
Oak Mountain Budget Rally
Many park users feel the cuts to state parks are unfair because much of the park system’s funding is taken from entrance and other user fees.
5 of 7
Sydney Cromwell
Oak Mountain Budget Rally
Scottie Jackson (left) and Katie Stubblefield of the Alabama Wildlife Center attend the rally with one of their center’s education birds, a great horned owl.
6 of 7
Sydney Cromwell
Oak Mountain Budget Rally
At the end of the rally, the AWC released a raptor that they had been rehabilitating since May. The red-tailed hawk was found as a baby, after its nest had been destroyed and it was attacked by dogs.
7 of 7
Sydney Cromwell
Oak Mountain Budget Rally
Pelham Mayor Gary Waters helped to release the red-tailed hawk.
After the State House passed a proposed budget on Sept. 11, Oak Mountain State Park users and government officials rallied to oppose budget cuts to state parks and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
Those at the Sept. 12 rally included DCNR State Parks Division Director Greg Lein, Pelham Mayor Gary Waters, representatives from the Alabama Wildlife Center, the Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers (BUMP) and other park users.
AWC Director Doug Adair said OMSP is an “amazing space” for the center’s work and allows people to experience native wildlife, making it important to keep the parks funded and open. Rick Hawkins of BUMP talked about the biking trails in the park that bring visitors from across the nation and world, bringing revenue to the local economy.
“The park is truly a crown jewel for the state,” Hawkins said. “We feel like it is very important to see this park continue.”
Lein encouraged all in attendance to contact their legislators immediately, before the budget was considered in the Senate and by the governor. The House’s proposal includes a $3 million cut to the DCNR, which is less than previous proposals but still enough to be concerning, Lein said.
“This is absolutely real,” he said.
The $3 million cut would leave the park with a tighter operating margin, especially in the winter months when there are fewer visitors paying entrance and amenity fees. This leaves the potential for some or all of the parks to close temporarily during part of the 2016 fiscal year, incurring greater costs if they are able to reopen later.
Lein said his staff is currently calculating the absolute minimum amount of funds they can have in the bank before they are forced to close. This is a position he never thought he would be in.
“There is no pattern contrary to the fears we’re expressing,” Lein said of the legislature’s previous budget proposals, which have all included significant cuts to the DCNR. The legislature is in special session because it has been unable to create an approved budget.
Lein said that in each of the other budgets proposed for this fiscal year, the Senate has always increased the amount transferred from the DCNR to the state general fund, as compared to the House proposals. This makes him believe the $3 million amount will increase before it makes its way to the governor’s desk.
He hopes, however, that those present at the rally and others will contact their legislators and have an influence on budgetary decisions.
“The public being here with us is great,” he said.
At the end of the rally, Waters helped to release a red-tailed hawk into the park. It had been injured as a baby and cared for by the Alabama Wildlife Center over the summer in preparation for its release.
To contact your legislator and share your opinion on DCNR funding or the budget as a whole, the full list of Alabama state senators and representatives can be found at legislature.state.al.us.