Wikipedia starts out its piece on Earth Day as:
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment..
One way or another, our goal in all of the state parks across the United States is to do that everyday.
First, we have preserved and make available for the public some of the most beautiful places in the country.
Second, we offer programs that reveal the wonders of the natural world to children (and adults that may have forgotten or never had the opportunity to learn about them).
In the last couple of years state parks across the country have come under threat as a result of short-sighted leaders who decide to close these places of beauty as they look for ways to balance budgets. We have been fortunate in Virginia to have leaders who understand the need for parks to enable citizens to experience the natural world and who also know that parks are a good financial investment.
Across the country our state parks bring in more money through economic impact than they cost the taxpayers. YOU CAN HELP – visit your parks and take the time to let your legislators know they are important to you. Virginians – take the opportunity to THANK your state kegislators!
This video from America's State Parks says it all!