What is the mission of the South Carolina State Parks system?

The mission of the South Carolina State Parks system is fundamentally centered on providing outdoor recreation opportunities. This includes offering a variety of recreational activities such as hiking, camping, fishing, and wildlife viewing, which enhance the community's access to natural spaces and promote a healthy lifestyle. By creating environments where both residents and visitors can enjoy the outdoors, the park system fulfills its commitment to recreation while also fostering a connection to nature.

While preserving wildlife habitats and increasing state tourism can be seen as important functions of the parks, they are often secondary to the primary goal of facilitating outdoor recreational activities. Developing urban parks also plays a role in community engagement and accessibility but is not the central mission of the state parks system, which focuses more on natural areas and outdoor experiences. Thus, providing outdoor recreation stands out as the core mission.