The Friends of Saratoga Spa State Park deserve kudos for all their efforts to enhance that park, including the building of a bridge allowing hikers and runners to cross a stream (''Friends' help restore vibrancy to state park," July 5).
Friends' groups provide essential support for our treasured state parks and historic sites. These nonprofit organizations — often made up entirely of volunteers — clear trails, paint buildings, build kiosks, lead interpretive programs and raise significant money for local park and historic site projects.
The Capital Region is lucky to have several active Friends groups. The Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park were behind the restoration of the Dickinson Hill Fire Tower, providing stunning views of the Adirondack High Peaks, the Green Mountains of Vermont, the Taconics and the Helderbergs. The Friends of Thacher and Thompson's Lake State Parks' Garden Gang has given new life to many of the planters in Thacher Park.
Grant Cottage in Wilton actually is operated by the Friends group there. And the list goes on.
Just like the parks and historic sites they support, these groups are unique, but they all have one thing in common — a need for volunteers and supporters. While their success should not allow the state to shirk its responsibility to parks, greater support of and investment in these organizations will serve to extend the reach of the parks agency and put to good use already existing capacity in our state parks.
Volunteers of all kinds are needed.
A list of Friends groups across the state can be found at http://www.ptny.org.
Laura DiBetta
Director, Parks Program & Government Relations, Parks & Trails New York, Albany