State parks needs put at $1.2 billion

California may pride itself on its thousands of miles of stunning coastline, but its parks system is in shambles and needs $1.2 billion in basic repairs, a national nonprofit group is expected to announce today. Sue Doyle in the Daily News.

California's 278-park system has made the 2008 list of America's most endangered historic places - thanks to years of under-funding that have left the facilities in shabby and desperate conditions, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

"In California, and across the country, state park systems lack adequate funding for even basic maintenance," said Richard Moe, president of the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit announcing the decision today. "Without proper care, historic buildings and landscapes will deteriorate to a point where restoration may no longer be feasible."