ATLANTA --- The state of Georgia might get out of the golf business -- shifting several courses to private ownership. It's also considering closing as many as six parks and seven historic sites, part of a broad effort by the Department of Natural Resources to shed expenses and comply with budget cuts ordered by Gov. Sonny Perdue.

The department and other state agencies were ordered to propose cuts of at least 6 percent to help close a budget gap of at least $1.6 billion, but the park cuts could be among those most sharply felt by the public. An estimated 10 million people visit state parks each year.

Those parks, historic sites, wildlife programs and fish hatcheries are no strangers to budget cuts.

Just a few years ago, for example, the regional Wildlife Resources Division office in Thomson had designated personnel for services such as a pond assistance program to offer landowners advice on managing private ponds.

Previous rounds of budget cuts eliminated funds for that program, along with one of two employees assigned to help the public with nuisance wildlife complaints.

One person now handles that role, and the number of complaints continues to rise.

"It was almost 5,000 contacts in this region alone," said wildlife biologist Vic VanSant, who now helps handle such calls. "We've got coyotes to check on, gators to catch. It's something all the time."

Losing positions -- or leaving vacant ones unfilled -- has become an annual ritual in many DNR offices as the state board must decide what will be cut.

Andy Fleming, director of the nonprofit Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites, said it is too early to tell which specific areas could be targeted for closure.

"They're telling us they don't have a list of specific parks or historic sites because they don't yet know exactly how much money they will have to work with," said Mr. Fleming, who attended Wednesday's meeting.

State parks and historic sites in the east Georgia area include: Mistletoe State Park in Columbia County; Magnolia Springs State Park near Millen; A.H. Stephens Historic Park in Crawfordville; Elijah Clark State Park in Lincolnton; and Hamburg State Park in Mitchell.