Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s latest budget cuts might include the closing of up to 220 state parks. Earlier this week he recommended eliminating $70 million in parks spending through June 30, 2010. An additional $143.4 million would be saved in the following fiscal year by keeping the parks closed.

“This is a worst-case scenario,” said Roy Sterns, a spokesman at the state parks department. “If we can do less than this, we will try. But under the present proposal, this is it.”

Included amongst the parks that might end up being closed are Lake Tahoe’s Emerald Bay, Will Rogers’ Southern California ranch and Humboldt Redwoods State Park, in which grows the world’s tallest tree. The state parks department said a $70 million cut would leave it with enough money to run just 59 of California’s 279 state parks.