The Iowa Parks Foundation commends Sen. Bill Dotzler for supporting additional Green Ribbon Commission parks regions aimed at identifying regional park needs and bringing together public-private partnerships to support the projects.
In 2014 the Governor's Green Ribbon Parks Commission, along with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Parks Foundation released "Vision: Parks to People," a 100-year sustainability plan focused on Iowa's state, county and city parks. The plan called for increased collaboration of state and county parks, increased connectivity of trails and waterways, identifying dependable funding strategies, and a new era of parks cooperation and coordination among public and private entities.
Last year a $2 million state grant was awarded to the Dubuque, Jackson and Jones county region to fund a pilot project under the Green Ribbon Commission. The grant requires the counties to match the $2 million in state funds with $10 million in private cash, grants and in-kind contributions.
"We applaud Sen. Dotzler for his leadership and support for a healthy Iowa Parks and Trails system and additional resources for the Green Ribbon Parks Commission," said Mark Ackelson, member of the Iowa Parks Foundation and the Green Ribbon Parks Commission. "Sen. Dotzler has always been a champion for economic development and preserving our state's natural resources, and he understands that strengthening our Iowa parks is critically important for our kids, our health and our state's economy."
"We have a proud history in the state of Iowa of bringing people together towards a common goal, and the years of strategic parks planning by local communities and the Iowa Parks Foundation truly embodies this spirit," said Sen. Bill Dotzler (D-Black Hawk). "Employers take quality of life seriously when determining where to open a business, so those of us who want to attract new businesses and jobs to our state understand the importance of a strong, vibrant parks system. We must protect Iowa's parks and natural resources for future generations, and funding additional Green Ribbon Commission regions across the state is a wise investment for our economy and overall quality of life of our citizens."
The non-partisan Iowa Parks Foundation recommends $6 million in state funding in 2015 to identify three additional regions across the state for Green Ribbon Parks Commission grants. Similar to 2014, each region would be required to match each $2 million grant with $10 million in private cash, grants and in-kind contributions.
"We have all crossed party lines to come up with a strategic plan that will improve our state parks system for generations to come," continued Ackelson. "This plan will strengthen local and far-flung communities of people, stimulate improvements in public health, raise the bar for park experiences and tourism spending, and become showcases for managing water, natural resources, and energy use. Over the past decade the number of park visits by Iowans has increased dramatically, so we thank Sen. Dotzler and leaders on both sides of the aisle for making investing in our parks a priority."
