David Rainer: State parks directors group gets glimpse of what Alabama has to offer

Whereas the Alabama Gulf Coast continues making an attempt to purpose with hurricane season, that tropical climate facet of dwelling on the Gulf Coast was some extent of fascination in the course of the current Nationwide Affiliation of State Parks Administrators (NASPD) Convention at The Lodge at Gulf State Park.

Virtually each state within the U.S. was represented on the convention, the place administrators received to know one another higher and exchanged concepts on the way to enhance state parks across the nation. Louisiana State Parks’ Brandon Burris needed to cope with the results of Hurricane Francine and arrived later within the convention.

Happily for Alabama, solely the outer bands of Francine reached the Alabama coast, however it gave the convention attendees a glimpse of what coastal residents cope with on an annual foundation.

“After all, we couldn’t plan for this, however some of the fascinating issues we heard was that folks from the Midwest had been excited to truly see what it’s wish to be in a tropical system however not be at risk,” mentioned Greg Lein, who will finish a 12-year tenure because the Director of Alabama Division of Conservation and Pure Assets’ (ADCNR) Alabama State Parks Division on the finish of the month. “They received to see the Gulf of Mexico slightly frothy with massive waves and received to listen to the wind blow. That by no means occurred to me that folks could be all for that.

“I keep in mind one of many visitors – I feel it was the director from Idaho – leaned over to me at one level in the course of the assembly, and she or he mentioned, ‘Are we okay right here? Ought to we be involved about this storm?’ I mentioned, ‘You’re within the most secure place on the Gulf of Mexico proper now. You don’t want to fret a couple of factor.’ She mentioned, ‘Nicely that’s excellent news. I feel I’m simply going to expertise it and soak it in.’ That simply comes with the territory of dwelling on the Gulf Coast.”

The final time Alabama hosted the NASPD Convention was in 1982 when the previous lodge and lodging amenities had been nonetheless intact. These amenities had been worn out throughout Hurricane Ivan in 2004, and the beachfront amenities had been in limbo till the Gulf State Park Enhancement Mission rebuilt them to an unparalleled normal. The Lodge at Gulf State Park was the primary hospitality venue constructed to licensed FORTIFIED™ Industrial Constructing requirements. Though Hurricane Sally in 2020 broken the just lately reopened Gulf State Park Pier, The Lodge prevailed mainly unscathed.

“We felt prefer it was time for our friends to come back all the way down to Alabama and see all of the onerous work and all the great issues we’ve been doing,” Lein mentioned. “We needed to share these experiences, share these classes and allow them to see all of the optimistic issues which are occurring in Alabama. Individuals know we’re nice in soccer and different sports activities, however we’re not at all times on the forefront of individuals’s minds in the case of nice hospitality or iconic locations. We knew they’d love The Lodge and love the seaside.

“It’s been a very long time. We’ve an entire new property to point out off with a bunch of different options, so we had a good time internet hosting them. This has additionally been distinctive as a result of most state park programs don’t have a lodge and convention house inside a state park that may host a convention of this dimension.”

Throughout a break within the climate, the attendees took a tour of the park, together with Lake Shelby and the brand new cabins, the Studying Campus, the Campground, the Nature Middle, Romar Seaside, the Seaside Pavilion and the brand new Glamping Village off Rosemary Dunes.

“There’s a lot to point out at Gulf State Park,” Lein mentioned. “It’s an enormous park with numerous fascinating success tales. I feel we made a really optimistic impression for the State of Alabama on our visitors.”

After a video welcome from Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship offered the convention attendees with an outline of the numerous tasks and enhancements ADCNR at the moment is endeavor that profit Alabamians in addition to the thousands and thousands of holiday makers at Alabama State Parks. He highlighted the significance of out of doors recreation in Alabama.

“Outside recreation is big in our state – a $14 billion financial affect and 135,000 jobs. That could be a massive deal,” he mentioned.

Commissioner Blankenship requested for a present of arms for the attendees making their first journey to Alabama.

“About half of the folks on the convention had by no means been to Alabama earlier than,” he mentioned. “I’m comfortable we had been capable of present a glimpse of all that Alabama has to supply. Lots of those that raised their arms mentioned they had been planning to come back again after they didn’t need to work.”

On the convention kickoff, attendees had been handled to an enormous buffet stuffed with scrumptious Alabama seafood.

“When you come to the Gulf Coast of Alabama, you’re going to need to eat some shrimp and crabs and oysters, and I feel the folks from all around the nation positive loved that,” Commissioner Blankenship mentioned. “It’s thrilling to produce other folks from different states right here to point out off what we’re doing but additionally to be taught from them concerning the successes they’re having of their states that we may replicate right here in Alabama. The conversations we had will profit all of us to do good work at our state parks.”

NASPD Government Director Lewis Ledford praised Lein’s management throughout a tough period in Alabama State Parks when funding sources had been extraordinarily restricted.

“You went from a difficult time after they had been speaking about closing state parks,” Ledford mentioned. “Throughout Greg’s management, that went from that type of state of affairs to a constitutional modification altering the enduring help for the Alabama State Parks System. That’s unimaginable. Thanks for that type of management.

“Alabama is likely one of the nice state parks programs in our nation. We’re so glad to be right here. I’ve been right here a number of occasions, from Guntersville to the caverns and mountains in addition to the Gulf Coast. It’s simply an unimaginable parks system. Typical of America’s state parks programs, Alabama may be very resourceful, very dynamic in managing their parks. If you’re getting the type of visitation that state parks get in America as we speak, you’ve received to be on the reducing fringe of offering assets, defending the pure assets and offering high quality out of doors experiences.”

On the annual NASPD awards banquet, Lein was honored with the Distinguished Director of the 12 months Award, signifying his achievements achieved over his tenure as State Parks Director.

“It was an actual honor to be acknowledged like that,” Lein mentioned. “I do know the parents who’ve acquired that award are a fantastic group of friends.”

Lein goes out as fourth-ranked tenured parks director by years of service, with solely three different administrators having extra time in service.