State parks and forests showcase the beauty of the Keystone State all year long. A promotional piece from a few years back calls them pure fun - and better yet - for free.

That’s true, for the most part.

We all pay - via tax dollars - for the opportunity to explore the natural wonders of the nearly 2.5 million acres of woodlands and waterways across the commonwealth. The 124 parks and 20 state forests are there for the taking for all to enjoy, whether or not they’re Pennsylvania residents.

State lawmakers set aside $112 million in this year’s budget to maintain and improve the park system, calling it a “tremendous down payment” toward enhancing the user experience.

It may be “tremendous,” but it’s only a fraction of what’s needed to sustain the system. In recent years, according to news accounts, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources estimated it needs about $1.4 billion to upkeep the parks - $900 million of that for infrastructure repairs.

A nonprofit group, Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, maintains a list of what’s needed at each of the facilities, including many local sites.

Beltzville needs include restoring the historic covered bridge, installing Spanish language information panels, an ADA-compliant fishing pier, energy efficient lighting, electricity to comfort stations and a new playground.

At Tuscarora, the wish list includes replacing picnic tables and a boat dock for a park patrol boat and emergency responders.

Locust Lake’s list is even longer and includes repaving a fitness trail around the lake, expanding a playground, repaving a ramp to an existing fishing pier, rehabilitating the amphitheater, replacing picnic tables and fire pits as well as a boat dock for emergency response.

At Hickory Run, a new picnic pavilion, a playground in the day use area, tree plantings in the campground and day use area, and rehabilitating trails at Hawk Falls and Shades of Death are on the list.

Lehigh Gorge projects on the list include: adding historical waysides, Glen Onoko boat launch improvements, improving trails to locks and removing invasive plants and vegetation from lock sites.

And the list goes on and on across the state.

Some say better planning and regular investments would help maintain the facilities, which often generate revenue for surrounding businesses and tourism.

Perhaps there’s a better solution in the form of user fees.

Call them what you want - tolls, beach admission fees, camping fees, park passes or parking permits - user fees can help defray costs.

We pay them all the time. Just ask anyone who’s parked in the Carbon County lots during the Fall Foliage Festival. Or who’s paid to park at Mauch Chunk Lake to take the trolley into town to avoid congestion. How about the folks who’ve paid for a train ride to spend the day or paid turnpike tolls to get there? Don’t forget the hotel taxes that help fund and promote local tourism.

Across the country, the federal government already charges for park passes to see many of our national treasures.

Adjoining states get in on the action, too, typically requiring some sort of payment to enjoy their state parks. No matter how it’s sliced, it’s still basically a user fee.

Naysayers believe fees would discourage use of park facilities. Fees, they believe, would impact locals who regularly visit the parks or forests. A decline in tourists, they feel, could take a chunk of cash from local businesses.

That argument might hold water in more remote parts of the commonwealth, but in a hotbed of tourism like the Pocono Northeast, people come with cash - or cards - in hand.

State Rep. Doyle Heffley has been a longtime proponent of user fees at state parks, not necessarily for fishing or boating, but for day visitors who come to enjoy the region he represents. He’s introduced several attempts over the years in the state House to use technology like kiosks at state parks to pay for parking.

Think about a summer weekend at Beltzville, which typically fills to capacity shortly after opening. The 900 parking spaces could generate thousands of dollars to possibly help pay for trash removal and attract lifeguards. They could help pay for state police or emergency workers who respond if they’re needed.

Cleaner, safer parks and an adequate lifeguard staff could attract more people, not only at Beltzville, but at any of Pennsylvania’s 124 state parks and 20 forests where they’re needed. Pay-to-play fees might lessen the burden on the state’s taxpayers whose dollars already fund the facilities.

The possibilities are endless, just like the ones anyone - even our lawmakers - can find if they explore our state park system.

They should explore user fees, too.

ED SOCHA/TNEDITOR@TNONLINE.COM

Ed Socha is a retired newspaper editor with more than 40 years experience in community journalism. Reach him at tneditor@tnonline.com.

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.