Hello from Kathy Abbott

Dear Friends,

Greetings from the Conservation and Recreation Campaign! Did you know that Massachusetts ranks 49th out of all 50 states for park funding per capita? Surprised? Our campaign has been working for our state park system and open spaces by educating and asking Gubernatorial candidates to commit to an increase in public operating funding for parks and open space in the 2006 election. As a part of this mission we have developed the "Parks Pledge", which is already being supported by the Forest and Parks Partnership which include

Appalachian Mountain Club
Environmental League of Massachusetts
Mass Audubon
Mass Chapter of the Sierra Club
MASSPIRG

The Pledge is designed to create awareness of the condition of our park system and to gain broad support from organizations, as well as from the gubernatorial candidates themselves. We hope to ensure Massachusetts will have safe, clean and accessible parks and be the #1 funded park system!

You can sign on to the pledge and get updates of the Gubernatorial candidates schedules at http://www.conservationandrecreationcampaign.org/ . We hope you will attend the events being held in your area, stress the importance of parks and maybe even invite candidates to visit the surrounding parks and open spaces.

We look forward to hearing from you soon and hope you will join us in support.

Sincerely,

Kathy Abbott
Director
Conservation and Recreation Campaign