Getting Out: To celebrate the Great American Outdoors Act, check out these local parks
The Great American Outdoors Act, enacted in 2020, provides funding to improve infrastructure, preservation and expand recreation opportunities in national parks and other public lands.
“The Great American Outdoors Act provides up to $1.3 billion per year to national parks, to invest in infrastructure,” said Kathy Kupper, a spokesperson for the National Parks Service. “This funding allows the National Park Service to make long-needed repairs to roads, campgrounds, trails and facilities across the country.”
Kupper said prior to the Great American Act, when funding was scarce, lots of needed repairs were placed on the backburner.
Protecting wildlife: The Endangered Species Act turns 50 this year. See how it has helped in Georgia.
Planting pines: A forestry nonprofit is looking to pay Georgia landowners to plant pine trees
“Oftentimes, Band-Aids are used, which in the long run isn’t as economically feasible as repairing something right the first time,” said Kupper. “This funding is really allowing us to step back and look at these long-term needs and address them.”
The Land and Water Conservation Fund which dedicates $900 million a year is another federally-funded resource dedicated to national parks. This legislation was established by Congress in 1964 to safeguard natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities.
“All (LWCF) funds ... increase access to the outdoors,” said Kupper. “It provides money to states and is distributed to communities. An example could be acquiring land for public use. It could be installing a playground or making a kayak trail. On the federal side funding is used to expand National Park Service property.”
Whether you’re a local or tourist there are a number of parks to visit in the Augusta area. This list includes a mix of community and national parks to check out:
Augusta-Richmond County Parks
Phinizy Swamp Nature Park - 1858 Lock and Dam Road
Pendleton King Park - 1600 Troupe Street
Aqueduct Park - Augusta Levee Road
Augusta Canal National Heritage Area - 1450 Greene Street #400
New Savannah Bluff Lock & Dam Park - 2105 Lock and Dam Rd.
Augusta canal trail bridges - Augusta Canal Trail
A. L. Williams Park - 1850 Broad Street
Alexander Barrett Park - 2629 Royal Street
Apple Valley Park - 1719 Marvin Griffin Road
Central Park - 1140 Merry Street
Dyess Park - 902 James Brown Boulevard
Heard Avenue Park - 1500 Heard Avenue
Vernon Forrest Park - 2101 Telfair Street
Lake Olmstead Park - 2200 Broad Street
N w Savannah Bluff Lock & Dam Park - 2105 Lock & Dam Road
Wood Street Park - 2050 Division Street
Elliott Park - 2027 Lumpkin Road
Minnick Park - 1850 Kissingbower Road
Pendleton King Park - 1600 Troupe Street
Valley Park - 1805 East Valley Park
Wood Park - 1898 Highland Avenue
Hickman Park - 965 Hickman Road
M. M. Scott Park - 1601 Flagler Road
Sue Reynolds Park - 1345 Community Park Road
Diamond Lakes Regional Park - 4335 Windsor Spring Road
Bayvale Park - 3470 Milledgeville Road
Meadowbrook Park - 3638 Meadowlark Road
Tanglewood Park - 3300 Tanglewood Drive
Woodlake Park - 2622 Cross Creek Road
Boykin Road Park - 2345 Boykin Road
Butler Creek Park - 1812 Phinizy Road
Bedford Heights Park - 1016 Camellia Drive
Big Oak Park - 2803 Wheeler Road
Brookfield Park - 2740 Mayo Road
Eisenhower Park - 1488 Eisenhower Drive
West Vineland Park - 239 West Vineland Road
Columbia County
Evans Towne Center Park- 7016 Evans Town Center Blvd., Evans
Euchee Creek Greenway Trails (Grovetown Section)- Harlem Grovetown Road
Gateway Park- 215 Partnership Drive, Grovetown
Goodale Park- 5207 Wrightsboro Road, Grovetown
Harlem Park- 385 Church Street, Harlem
Lakeside Park- 2040 Panther Crossing, Evans
Lonnie Morris Sr. Park- 2511 Scotts Ferry Road, Appling
Memorial Gardens Park- 7022 Evans Town Center Boulevard, Evans
Patriots Park- 5445 Columbia Road, Grovetown
Reed Creek Nature Park & Interpretive Center- 3820 Park Lane, Martinez
Wildwood Park- 3780 Dogwood Lane, Appling
Aiken County
Boyd Pond Park- 340 Boyd Pond Road, Aiken
Langley Pond Park - 113 Langley Dam Rd, Warrenville
Riverview Park - Address:100 Riverview Drive, North Augusta
Harrison-Caver Park - 4181 Augusta Rd, Clearwater
Spiderweb Park - 1890 Williston Rd, Beech Island
Gloverville Park - 226 Pine Street, Gloverville
Citizens Park- 651 Old Airport Rd., Aiken
Generations Park- 700 Mack Henry Holland Dr., Aiken
Kalmia Hill Park- 3311 Summit Dr., Aiken
Aiken Library Park- 345 York St. SE, Aiken
Virginia Acres Park- 1700 Whiskey Rd., Aiken
For more details about parks in Columbia County, visit www.columbiacountyga.gov/community/parks-the-environment/parks-greenspace.
For more details about parks in Augusta, visit www.augustaga.gov/3092/Find-a-location.
For more details about parks in Aiken County, visit www.aikencountyprt.com.
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with several funders and Journalism Funding Funding Partners.
Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@gannett.com or on Twitter: @EricaVanBuren32.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Great American Outdoors Act provides federal funding to national parks
