https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20200407a

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AUSTINAt the direction of Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas State Parks will be closed to the public effective at the close of business Tuesday, April 7 in order to maintain the safest environment for visitors, volunteers and staff. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will continue to stay current with the latest public health recommendations and will announce when a definite reopening date has been determined.

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This will limit a lot of fishing access around the state unfortunately. With many local municipalities also restricting ramp access and beach use, I'm not sure how much time I'll put in on the water before this is over.

Also, thread is PFG protected.

jayelbee said:

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Also, thread is PFG protected.

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This is the best part of the whole thing!

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Texas State Parks will be closed to the public effective at the close of business Tuesday, April 7 in order to maintain the safest environment for visitors

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yes, closing them to visitors will certainly ensure that visitors will be safe.

Sadly, I kind of get this.

There's probably a whole lot of parks going without staffing and people are animals so they're likely trashing these parks.

I guess ill be the first to respond to you that it is still a dumb move, there is literally nothing you can say to change that opinion either.

I'll add that this is in reference 100% to the closing of boat ramps.

Doubling down on stupidity even when TPWD doesn't agree with you. Put your big boy pants on and admit you were wrong

cledus6150 said:

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I guess ill be the first to respond to you that it is still a dumb move, there is literally nothing you can say to change that opinion either.

I'll add that this is in reference 100% to the closing of boat ramps.

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Agreed. This "one size fits all" approach is a lazy, dumbed down overreaction. It's insulting.

Most of Texas is not NYC.

Damn.

I just got laid off, so was at least looking forward to doing some kayak fishing down in Galveston or some hiking in Sam Houston State Park to kill some time.

McDadeTXAggie said:

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Doubling down on stupidity even when TPWD doesn't agree with you. Put your big boy pants on and admit you were wrong

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I seriously doubt this decision makes sense to any outdoor loving and logical thinking TPWD employees... high or low up the chain.

To a bean counting bureaucrat/politician.... most likely.

htxag09 said:

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Damn.

I just got laid off, so was at least looking forward to doing some kayak fishing down in Galveston or some hiking in Sam Houston State Park to kill some time.

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If Galveston Island State Park was your only kayak launch option you are doing things really wrong.

A couple of weeks before "social distancing " started we were at Bastrop State park for a couple of hours. This was during Spring Break. Looking back and can see several situations that would help spread this virus.

Their office is small and they had 2 or 3 employees behind the counter. The employees were easily inside 5 feet from one another. There were several members from about 4 or 5 families (me included) waiting in line to talking to an employee.

The playground there had probably 15-20 kids/adults. No one was practicing social distancing and you can't in that situation anyways. Same thing for the camp sites. Most had 2 families per camp site. Teens and pre teens were walking the streets interacting with each other.

What's going to happen is people will start shifting to places that are still open. People are bored and wanna get out of the house "hey, I know, let's go to the park, let's go camping" now you have people funneling to state parks

Keep your butt at home.

A PFG/McDade alliance? Man, this board is going to hell!

AgEng06 said:

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A PFG/McDade alliance? Man, this board is going to hell!

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Naaaa. I can disagree with someone and agree with them on another thread. I show no internet loyalties

This is a one-size fits all solution that doesn't need to be done this way. The areas where visitors could get into close contact or where employees could be put at risk are mostly public restrooms and camping areas, fishing piers, concession buildings, etc. Those could easily be flagged off as closed and the park rangers who are going to get paid to be on-site doing park maintenance anyway could be enforcing those closures. For smaller parks oriented mostly at camping and picnic use, it probably makes sense to close. But for larger parks with lots of open space and trails or large open fishing areas that are not piers that would concentrate use, there is no reason to close the entire park. Instead of going to each park manager and saying "Figure out which areas you could reasonably leave open and where people could safely use the park without congregating too closely", they are taking the easy copout route and just closing everything. But you can damn sure bet they are not going to lay anybody off and stop paying them. We will still get to pay full price for people to "maintain" parks that we can't use.

Such pure garbage, nothing more than a "because we need to ensure you serfs know you are servants to the ruling class" decision.

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Schmell: Hard to believe people are looking at what is happening and thinking this is something other than a flu like bug - 3/31/20

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Infamy

phideaux_2003 said:

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Question, are public beaches considered part of the state parks?

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The county judge here has shut down vehicle access to Follet's beach.

Which means that, instead of people going to the beach and spreading out like normal, if you want to go to the beach now, you are forced to park at one of the entrances and walk. Which means people are now concentrated in common areas. Because that makes a whole lot of sense.

Again, this is nothing more than politicians using every opportunity to let us serfs know where we stand. There is absolutely zero logical reason to shut off public areas. Zero.

Politicians are often idiots that do things for optics to noisy special interests instead of making reasoned decisions and explaining the rationale.

Lt. Joe Bookman said:

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Meh, it's pretty much because the staff is limited at the moment so they can't keep up with the visitors, which is likely higher than average due to higher unemployment and people "working from home." I still spend lots of days on the river out here in Oregon while "working from home." Just gotta answer the phone every once in a while and draft up emails to send while on the water.

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I work from home to.

And the "staff is limited" or "increased visitors" is a cop out. Most state parks have somebody taking money at the gate, and that is about it. Whether you have 1 visitor or 100, doesn't really change the metrics of what you need in terms of staff. If you have concessions, I could buy off on that aspect being closed - but buy in large, state parks (outside of places like Garner) are generally places you can go to avoid people, which is what the goal supposedly is.

MouthBQ98 said:

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Politicians are often idiots that do things for optics to noisy special interests instead of making reasoned decisions and explaining the rationale.

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Yep. Strictly a "you are a serf, I am a noble" mentality.