Redwood parks rated 'fair' in new assessment

The health of the Redwood National and State Parks is rated “fair” in an assessment by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA).

The report released last week found that the parks’ biggest challenge is a lack of funding for continuing work on restoring fish and wildlife habitat and protecting cultural resources.

According to the assessment, the current overall conditions of the parks’ known natural resources rated 69 out of 100, and the parks’ cultural resources received a rating of 66 out of 100.

“The problem is that our National Park System suffers from a $750 million annual funding shortfall, with a backlog of maintenance and preservation projects that exceeds $8.5 billion,” said NPCA media relations manager Lindsay Bartsh.

Bartsh said that half of all the roads in the national parks are in poor condition and require investment.

“At Redwood, $2.4 million is needed to rehabilitate one of the original sections of Highway 101 (Alder Camp Road off Klamath Beach Road) that parallels Richardson Creek,” Bartsh said.
NPCA is an independent, non-profit advocacy organization that focuses on the health of national parks, Bartsh said.

Redwood National and State Park Superintendent Steve Chaney said he generally agreed with NCPA’s assessment.

“These types of reports can help to be able to look at the conditions of resource needs between parks,” Chaney said. “Having one agency do this between parks when it comes down to Congress allocating funds to the park system is a tool in a toolbox to make more objective allocations.”

The assessment lists resource extraction, or logging, on public and private lands as a threat to park resources.

“To protect these resources, funds are needed to continue restorative work,” Bartsh said.

According to information released by NPCA, erosion and sedimentation studies, ecosystem restoration such as riparian work, combating two plant diseases — Port Orford cedar root rot and sudden oak death — and fighting the invasion of non-native plant species are some of the major efforts being threatened by the parks funding problems.

Cultural challenges listed by the report include a need to catalogue 199,971 items currently in the parks’ archives, and to create  historic structure preservation guides. Funding is also needed to collect and compile archival files for each structure to better monitor archaeological sites in an effort to enhance interpretive programs.

Bartsh believes that finding funding sources for the variety of projects in the parks is important to the local economy.

“A study commissioned by the NPCA found that every federal dollar invested in national parks generates at least $4 in economic value to the public,” Bartsh said. “Investments in the parks’ ready-to-go projects will help improve safety and public access, restore our national heritage, and bring immediate economic benefits.”