What we saw at Half Moon Pond (an invitation)
2024-02-05
Dear friend,
Taking my 3-year-old son kayaking for the first time.
Both of us spotting that huge snapping turtle underwater, seeing it swim away.
My son woke me up throughout the night till age 5, and he was an early riser, too -- turning me into more of one.
In case you haven't been there, dawn on Half Moon Pond in August finds the water itself calm as a sleeping baby. We'd walk down to the dock below our Tall Timbers Cabin, ours for the week for less than a cost of a hotel room.
And we'd see..... what did we see? So much! We saw the world underwater wake up as we ourselves were waking up.
August 2015 - Half Moon State Park, Hubbarton, Vermont
This whole scene was made possible by the existence and ongoing operation by the Vermont Department of Forest, Parks, and Recreation of Half Moon Pond State Park.
The easy accessibility to families like mine of a gem of nature like Half Moon Pond should not be taken for granted. Look around where you live. The majority of the big ponds and lakes are ringed by private property. And in a lot of cases, lake homes are second homes, and scarcely used ones at that.
I'm not casting shade on this arrangement -- I'm simply trying to describe the world we live in. We have a lot of privatized lake frontage, and then we have Vermont State Parks and all the access they provide.
Vermont State Parks are nature by the people, for the people, accessible to the people.
Did you know that Vermont State Parks will turn 100 years old this February 15, 2024?
Now you do!
To celebrate, myself and 75 co-sponsors introduced H.C.R.138: House concurrent resolution commemorating the centennial of the Vermont State Parks, and it has now become law as Act R-183.
Here's the resolution as adopted. It speaks for itself in terms of the historical nature of this moment.
Do you want to celebrate this moment together?
--> Please join all lovers of Vermont State Parks in person at the State House or on our livestream this February 15
--> H.C.R. 138 is read ceremonially in the the Vermont House near the beginning of the House schedule that day.
--> All information to plan your visit to the State House, or view online: https://legislature.vermont.gov/
I'm not expecting a flood of visitors that day, but for anyone who makes the trip to Montpelier, it's going to be a good time!
--> I will also be speaking a press conference with Vermont Department of Forest, Parks, and Recreation at 3:30 p.m. in the Cedar Creek Room at the State House.
What's your State Park story? Please email me.
I'll be sharing another one of mine, and maybe also one of yours, at the press conference.
As I've written about before, there's a lot of ceremony in the Legislature. Why did I bother introducing a non-political resolution and asking every legislator I passed in the hall or sat next to to sign?
If you were running this place like a business, maybe you'd cut down on some of it. Maybe you'd have me spend my time elsewhere.
Or would you?
When we come together across party lines and across branches of government to celebrate what's working, and in this case encourage usage of our State Parks, they work even better.
Vermont State Parks are a bargain investment for taxpayers. State Parks are one area of Vermont government where fees are undeniably affordable in terms of the value that you get. Most of the Parks budget is supported by overnight camping and rental fees, and a lot of that revenue comes on weekends, when out-of-state visitors peak. State Parks are bringing in business for their surrounding communities, and supporting themselves on a pretty lean budget.
Visit a new Vermont State Park this year -- some are open now! We're planning a trip for this summer... to a place where we can slip into a kayak at dawn...
My son's first kayak at Half Moon Pond State Park
Thanks for reading. What's present for you today?
Please send me your State Park story, and start planning your next visit.
warm regards,
Rep. Tristan Roberts
Vermont House of Representatives
P.S. Who was Doug Root? Here's my previous post: https://tristanroberts.org/blog/what-doug-root-did
I'm hearing from a lot of you about the Doug Roots in your life. Please keep 'em coming!