Think about the time you and other tourists — who play an important role in our economy — have enjoyed these areas.

Although we are surrounded by natural beauty in California, Gov. Jerry Brown recently announced the possible closure of 70 of our 278 state parks due to budget cuts. 

There is more that goes into making a community desirable than jobs and school — what is offered to the community through natural areas cannot be replaced by great restaurants or shopping malls.

One of the reasons the Bay Area is so popular is because we are spoiled.  We have access to just about everything we want — culture, arts, nature — within a short drive.  Many of those short drives lead us to state parks.

While we may not use them daily, state parks are important for a healthy lifestyle and environment, and are used by everyone no matter what age. 

Silicon Valley is a high-stress area on its own, ignoring the other stressors of daily life like school, family, and bills. One of the greatest ways to relieve stress is walking and being in nature. 

Our state parks provide a release from all the tension, providing tranquility and allowing visitors to get away from the hubbub of daily life.

Castle Rock State Park, located along the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, is one of my favorite local parks and has received a temporary closure reprieve for one year thanks to the Sempervirens Fund land trust. 

Twelve additional parks so far have received these temporary reprieves. While this is great news, the key word here is “temporary.”  

Fifty-seven out of 278 state parks are technically still at risk.  Not only is our own personal enjoyment and sense of calm at stake, so are the jobs of the many workers employed at these parks, according to SF Gate.

I appreciate Brown’s attempt to fix the state.  He is proactive and diligent in his efforts.  But he may have lost his marbles thinking that cutting parks would have any real benefit to Californians in the end.

Most people are not aware of the ins and outs of the state budget and figuring out how to handle the deficit can be tricky business. 

I don’t believe, however, that the closure of state parks is going to save us any significant amount of money in the long run when compared with the actual deficit.  

State parks are vital to what California is all about. 

I have to wonder if there are other areas that can be examined and if cutting funding to state parks is just a stupid decision with ramifications far greater than what most would anticipate.